Zotero not syncing between MacBook and iPad

shua17

Hi

My files are saved on my MacBook in Zotero and I want to sync them with my new iPad.

But when I try to access the linked pdf files on my iPad, it comes up with an error message “the attached file is not in the online library. Please check that the file has synced on the device where it was added.”

I am using Zotero to sync (not WebDAV) and I can see that on the online Zotero library everything is synced fine including the linked pdf files.

Debug ID is D762209314

Please help :)

A few other things in case relevant:

1. my MacBook is running on an older iOS (10.12.6) than my iPad.
2. Files on my MacBook were originally saved through Jurism, but as I said they seem to have successfully transferred over to Zotero/ Zotero online storage. I switched to using Zotero now as Jurism can’t be used on iPad.

dstillman

Everything wasn't synced fine — the file you were trying to view didn't exist online. As the Files Not Syncing page explains, you need to actually confirm that you can view the file online, not just look for the existence of the attachment item.

But it looks like you've resolved this? That file is now available online, along with many other files that were just updated.

shua17

Hi thanks so much- I managed to get some files to work by unsyncing Jurism from my MacBook (many of the files were originally in Jurism, which I then transferred into Zotero).

But there are still a bunch of files that aren’t working (probably about 1/3) - same error message. See for example the folder called ‘Optimal Number’. I can’t see any difference between the files that are and aren’t working. They seem to be the same format, save date etc.

Any ideas?

shua17

Btw Debug ID. D2069877539

dstillman

It's just the same thing. The file hasn't been uploaded, so as explained on Files Not Syncing, your iPad is totally irrelevant. You need to fix this on the device where the file actually exists. Follow the instructions on that page to do so.

shua17

Thanks a lot that’s helpful! I followed the ‘Files not Syncing’ page, and Reset File Sync History on my Device A (MacBook). That seemed to help upload the faulty files onto Zotero Library online, although for some of them they don’t appear as a pdf icon I need to hit ‘Open’ or ‘Download’, then it works to open the pdf on Zotero reader.

That sorted out some of the faulty files on my MacBook, not some are still not opening. I click on them, the blue progress button comes up, there’s sometimes v slow progress then Error message. For others the blue progress button comes up but doesn’t move at all.

Debug is D1061741212.

Grateful for any further advice.

dstillman

You're still trying to download a file that isn't available online. Again, see the Files Not Syncing page, which walks you through the exact steps to follow here. There's just no point in providing a Debug ID from iOS for files that you can't view online. Your iOS device has absolutely nothing to do with it, because the file was never uploaded to the online library. You can paste YDRB4GWX into the search bar in the desktop app in All Fields & Tags mode to see the attachment in question.

There is one file in that log — QG92RZIV — that does exist online but that you got a timeout for when downloading on iOS, but that would likely just be due to a temporary glitch on your network. The file comes straight from Amazon cloud servers and should always be available. If you try that again I suspect it will work.