endlessly spinning sync arrow

weddellb
The green sync arrow spins for hours when I open Zotero. I tried debug. The Debug ID is D1925367934.

I've been having less severe sync problems for a while,but this problem may be connected to my efforts to backup zotero this morning. I think I may have done something wrong.
  • dstillman
    Are you still having trouble? It looks like a number of your syncs have gone through in the last several hours.
  • weddellb
    The syncs that have "gone through" do not show all the items that should be in my collections.

    This is happening on my work computer, which was updating syncing satisfactorily until a few days ago.

    However, about 10 days ago, when I tried to sync from my home computer I had the same problem. For example. after syncing, I had 1028 Items in My Libraries Collection, when I tried to use Zotero on my home computer. That number is out of date.

    Now I am having the same problem with my work computer. There should be >300 items in my "Burning stubble" collection, but there are just 170--same as what I see from my home computer.

    I did not post about the problem with my home computer--just procrastinating. Had not problems with the work computer until I tried to back up Zotero yesterday.

    Thanks for your help.
  • dstillman
    I don't really follow, then. Syncs "going through" and the sync icon spinning endlessly are mutually exclusive, so I'm not clear which one you're seeing.

    But, basically, start here: https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/changes_not_syncing
  • weddellb
    Thanks for your speedy reply.

    I apologize for the confusion. The green arrow is no longer endlessly spinning, and it tells me when the last sync was.

    But after syncing, I am not seeing all the items that were previously in my library. Where are the rest? Are they lost? Do I need to try to restore from backup?

    Also, yesterday when I ran debug, it generated a huge number of lines of text (hundreds of thousands before I finally gave up). Could that shed any light on the situation?
  • dstillman
    See the linked page.
  • weddellb
    Sorry. I've been to the link you included in your earlier message, https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/changes_not_syncing, but that did not help. I do not see a link in your latest page. Am I missing something?
  • dstillman
    If you're sure you're looking in the right place, check to see whether the data in question has synced to your online library on zotero.org. If it hasn't, the problem is on the computer where the data originated. If it has, the problem is on the computer missing the data.
  • weddellb
    I've determined that the data is on the computer where the data originated. But I am still not clear about how I go about finding the items that are not showing up in my online library in zotero.org.

    Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
  • dstillman
    That means that — almost certainly — that one of the other problems described on that page apply to that computer, then: syncs aren't completing (due to a sync error or a spinning icon), you're looking in the wrong place, or you're syncing with a different account.

    If the sync icon is still spinning on that computer, then you should restart your computer and try again. Your account shows no active syncs on the server.
  • weddellb
    Thanks. I am not getting either a sync error message or a spinning icon and I am not syncing with a different account.

    So perhaps I am looking in the wrong place. I don't know how to go about looking elsewhere. Any suggestions?
  • dstillman
    1) Right-click on an item that has synced, choose Generate Report from Item, and copy-and-paste the URL here. (Don't worry about the content of the report.)

    2) Right-click on an item that hasn't synced, choose Generate Report from Item, and copy-and-paste the URL here.

    3) Provide a Debug ID for a manual sync attempt (i.e., clicking the sync icon once and letting it start and finish syncing).
  • weddellb
    Here is the url generated by a report for an item that is synced:

    zotero://report/items/0_G6DMQRN7/html/report.html.

    Unfortunately, I cannot generate a report for an item that is not synced, because I can only see items that are synced. The other items (Items that previously were in my library) are AWOL.

    Here is the debug output for the 3rd step you requested.

    The Debug ID is D1674348978.

    I hope this helps.
  • dstillman
    edited November 20, 2014
    Unfortunately, I cannot generate a report for an item that is not synced, because I can only see items that are synced.
    I think you're misunderstanding this. The point of the linked page is that, if something isn't on zotero.org (and it wasn't deleted), it never synced from the computer where it was created. If the item isn't on the computer you're on now, then either you deleted it or you're not on the computer where it was created and therefore aren't seeing the relevant sync issue. You'll need to go to that computer to debug this further.
  • dstillman
    But I'm a bit confused, since you say this above:
    I've determined that the data is on the computer where the data originated.
    If you have access to that computer, you should be able to generate the report URL for an item in question.
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