File Sync over WebDAV to box.com

alandsloane
I've been having problems just recently (Dec 12th to be precise) with FileSync using WebDAV to dav.box.com. I contacted Box customer support and got this response:

"As per checking here, the reason why you were not able to log-in via DAV is its because that you are currently subscribed on a personal free account. The DAV feature is an exclusive Business and Enterprise feature and if you wish to connect through DAV you have to upgrade to either of the two accounts."

If that's *really* the case, then box.com is not much use for Zotero users any more. But I don't see anyone else reporting the problem, so I'm hoping it may be something else, and that the response from Box's support team is not correct.

Alan.
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  • aurimas
    edited December 17, 2013
    Are you using https://dav.box.com/dav/zotero as the WebDAV address? They recently moved from https://www.box.com to https://dav.box.com

    Edit: I'm using box.com on a free account and it's working correctly.
  • alandsloane
    Yes, I had changed from www.box.com to dav.box.com a few months ago, and all was fine (though slower). I have about 5600 items, and 3.5Gb in storage. I did just pass 10,000 files in box.com - could that be the problem?
  • aurimas
    That is possible. If you get an error while syncing you can submit it to zotero.org (click the red exclamation mark next to the green circular sync arrow at the top right) and Dan may be able to tell us more details about the error you are seeing.
  • alandsloane
    Now I get an error when I try to "verify server" - there's an error report submitted with Debug ID D760565791.
  • dstillman
    (3)(+0000001): HTTP PUT ' ' to https://[...]@dav.box.com/zotero/zotero-test-file.prop

    (3)(+0000754): <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <d:error xmlns:d="DAV:" xmlns:s="http://sabredav.org/ns">
    <s:exception>Sabre_DAV_Exception_NotFound</s:exception>
    <s:message>File not found: zotero</s:message>
    </d:error>

    (3)(+0000000): ===>404<===(number)

    (3)(+0001625): WebDAV verification failed
    The server is returning a 404 for an HTTP PUT.
  • aurimas
    That URL does not look right. It should be https://dav.box.com/dav/zotero
  • alandsloane
    re aurimas' comment - I checked the /dav/zotero setting, and it is in fact correct (now anyway, and sync still fails the same way).

    To test things further I signed up for second free account on Box and set Zotero to sync files to that account. It's now proceeding happily (if slowly). I'll report back when it completes or fails. It seems to me either that my account is locked out (for some reason), or that I've hit some limit on number of files or file-size etc. Either way the box support information doesn't seem to be correct (i.e. you do still get WebDAV with the free account).
  • aurimas
    It's a bit of a moot point now, but if you end up encountering sync errors with the correct WebDAV address, then you can re-submit a report ID/debug ID and we'll see what error is being encountered.
  • alandsloane
    Thanks yes - though I've looked through the debug output and think it's the same. I'll see what happens with the new account and work from there.
  • zareliman
    I had the same issue in december for a while, but now is working correctly (I had already changed to dav.box.com adress).
    I think it has something to do with the migration to the Box.com 4.0 app, it introduced some major changes according to them so the webdav service might have been down because of that.
  • dofine
    Still doesn't work here. Even with a new registred free box.com account.
  • aurimas
    please submit a debug ID for a sync attempt. or a report ID if you're presented with a sync error
  • osinisa
    Hello, I am in the same boat.
    The Debug ID is D1889053516.

    only the zotero-test-file.prop gets synced.
  • dstillman
    osinisa: Based on your debug output, when you verify the server you should be seeing a message saying that an uploaded file didn't exist but that that could happen with cloud-based WebDAV servers and that you could choose to continue anyway. Is that not happening?
  • osinisa
    Correct.

    I am using Zotfile as per these instructions:
    http://freecity.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2013/12/14/setting-up-a-portable-library-with-zotfile/

    Some of my PDFs are attachments (for use with Dropbox) and others aren't (they use Zotero's folder/file sorting system).

    However, I was getting the same error before installing Zotfile.
  • dstillman
    Correct.
    So what's the issue, then?
    Some of my PDFs are attachments (for use with Dropbox) and others aren't (they use Zotero's folder/file sorting system).
    Well, they're all attachments. You mean that some are linked attachments and some are stored within Zotero's data directory. ZotFile in general doesn't really have anything to do with syncing (except to the extent that linked files will never sync via Zotero).
  • dstillman
    edited January 22, 2014
    Or are you saying correct meaning that that's not happening? If so, what is happening? You have to tell us the actual problem.
  • osinisa
    Sorry for not being clear, I started using the software a couple of days ago. When I say "Correct", I get the said message, but I'm not sure how to interpret it. I was under the impression that my PDFs would be automatically synced to box.net's (or any other WebDAV) service, where I would be able to access them.

    I understand that linked files won't be synced via Zotero, but I was under the impression the unlinked ones (the ones with a PDF icon) would.
  • dstillman
    Here's the full message:
    A potential problem was found with your WebDAV server.

    An uploaded file was not immediately available for download. There may be a short delay between when you upload files and when they become available, particularly if you are using a cloud storage service.

    If Zotero file syncing appears to work normally, you can ignore this message. If you have trouble, please post to the Zotero Forums.
    So that pretty much means what it says. Have you actually tried to sync?
  • osinisa
    Ok, I got it now. I wasn't aware the files would be synced via Zotero's servers. The way I understood it, WebDAV and Zotero's servers were two Syncing options and you logged into one or the other, not both.
    Thanks for the help.
  • dstillman
    To be clear, the files aren't synced via Zotero's servers if you're using WebDAV — just the data is. But yes, you have to sync data with Zotero servers even if you're syncing files with WebDAV.
  • sundar0707
    Hi Dan,
    I have a similar problem as osinisa. I am using zotero in mac. I am a new user and I would like to use box webdav for accessing papers in ipad. But I am not able to sync the papers to box. In the sync preferences I have already typed in my zotero sync server and the file syncing option via box. When I click "verify server" this is what I get:


    "A potential problem was found with your WebDAV server.

    An uploaded file was not immediately available for download. There may be a short delay between when you upload files and when they become available, particularly if you are using a cloud storage service.

    If Zotero file syncing appears to work normally, you can ignore this message. If you have trouble, please post to the Zotero Forums."

    How should I proceed to sync the files stored in mac to box?
  • sundar0707
    It worked!! It worked!!
    I just did "reset to zotero server" in the sync preferences and it started syncing the files to box.

    Best
    Sundar
  • dstillman
    I just did "reset to zotero server" in the sync preferences and it started syncing the files to box.
    OK, but don't do this for troubleshooting in the future — and other people reading this shouldn't do this either. Restore to Zotero Server isn't about file syncing and can cause all sorts of other problems, and we specifically warn in the dialog not to use it for troubleshooting.

    (As the message above says, it's just a warning about your WebDAV provider and doesn't necessarily mean that syncing won't work on its own.)
  • efilgo
    So what is the solution to this issue? I'm working with a student who is getting the same issue and the same notification. He only gets the zotero-test-file.prop synced. I get that same message, but all of my data and files are synced nicely.
  • adamsmith
    what issue exactly? There are no unresolved issues on this thread.
  • efilgo
    His files are not syncing via Box. He gets the zotero-test-file.prop, but no files. When he tries to verify the server, he gets the message (like above)

    "A potential problem was found with your WebDAV server.

    An uploaded file was not immediately available for download. There may be a short delay between when you upload files and when they become available, particularly if you are using a cloud storage service.

    If Zotero file syncing appears to work normally, you can ignore this message. If you have trouble, please post to the Zotero Forums."

    He first got that weeks ago, so I'm not sure if that counts as a "short delay."
  • adamsmith
    But he doesn't get a file sync error? (ideally, he'd post here: there are a number of things to check, including possible back-and-forth, and it's much easier/faster if you don't have to act as an intermediary).
  • efilgo
    I will email him to post his file sync error (I can't remember whether he got one or not) here at this thread.

    (And I tend to act as intermediary here at the forums at least with undergrads who have technical issues because I know they can get overwhelmed with the amount of technical jargon thrown around here and I also like to stay abreast of solutions to common problems. However, this student is a graduate student, so I'll gladly point him here.)
  • adamsmith
    if he _does_ get a file sync error, Dan will want a debug ID from a sync that produces the error:
    www.zotero.org/support/debug_output
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