Missing Directory

LeahPhillips

I'm on a Mac and my Zotero database isn't syncing.

There's only one "zotero.sqlite" file. Its in <Users>, <username>, Zotero. It was created yesterday and is 971KB.

There is a Storage folder within the Zotero folder, and it does contain data to the directory I have been using.

The problem arose yesterday. I was using Zotero all day the previous day. I did link my Desktop and Docs to iCloud, but the Zotero folder isn't in either of those places.

Apart from check for the stored pdfs and take a look at the browser version of my database, I haven't done anything. I didn't want to make matters worse. The web version is thankfully pretty up to date, but I don't have any backups on my computer, so my searching would suggest.

I'd really appreciate any help! Even if it's getting back to a database from a few months ago (rather than starting from scratch!

dstillman

There's only one "zotero.sqlite" file. Its in <Users>, <username>, Zotero. It was created yesterday and is 971KB.

That's an empty database. But you're saying 'storage' does contain folders with dates corresponding to your past usage of Zotero?

If that's the case, something on your system deleted all .sqlite and .bak files in the data directory. We couldn't tell you what would've done that, but it could be some sort of overzealous disk-cleaning tool, if you've used anything like that recently.

The web version is thankfully pretty up to date, but I don't have any backups on my computer, so my searching would suggest.

In that case you can just tell click through the empty-database warning and sync to pull down what you have online, which will be as recent as the last time you synced (yesterday)? It sounds like all your files are still stored in 'storage', so those won't need to download.

But it would certainly be good to figure out what caused this, since obviously you don't want your database and all automatic database backups to just randomly disappear, even if you're using syncing.

dstillman

Just to clarify a couple things:

1) There's no "missing directory" here. It's the database and automatic database backups that are missing. Since you still have 'storage' with folders in it, this does appear to be the data directory (i.e., data folder) you were using previously.

2) It's not the case that it "isn't syncing". Rather, it's warning you that the previous database you were syncing is gone. It won't stop you from syncing, which will just pull down your online data, exactly the same as if this were a new computer.

dstillman

Any chance you were low on disk space and used the built-in macOS storage management functions to clear large files?

LeahPhillips

@dstillman You nailed in one with that last. I checked through the storage management list of things to be cleared and didn't see a Zotero file, but I'm suspiciously certain that's what happened. Lesson learned!!!!

Thanks for your advice -- and for taking the time to give it.

I'm going to let the sync happen and see where it gets me.

LeahPhillips

And -- oops for not mentioning that in my first post!

LeahPhillips

The sync work. Some of the internal folders look a little different, but the last things I imported are there -- Thanks, @dstillman