unable to sync,error, despite fixed problem

I've been importing stuff from my Endnote to zotero and due to a few mishaps deleted what i imported and imported it again. My original issue was that Zotero found some errors which I have resolved ie. too long of an abstract or too long of an authors' name. However, Zotero still won't sync my library and keeps showing me the same error message about an abstract I've already deleted. What's going on?


Any suggestions?
  • Have you cleared your trash?
  • I've right clicked on the trash folder and clicked empty, but there is nothing in there and it doesn't do anything. Am I clearing the trash properly?
  • if the trash is empty then you've cleared it. Are you sure there's no another item that the error message could be referring to? I believe the error message gives you an 8 character item key that you can search for (select Everything in the search box first). Also, make sure to look in your group libraries if you have any.
  • E9NFtzvm is the 8 character item key, but when I put it in the search bar nothing turns up. I don't believe that there is anything that the error message could be referring to since it is very specific and I've deleted the phrase in the error box...in fact I went back into my endnote, deleted every single abstract and imported everything back in, so that phrase should no longer exist.
  • You need to have the search bar set to "all fields and tags" when searching, could you try that?

    And for the trash - you are referring to the Zotero trash at the bottom left, right? This has nothing to do with your system's trash.
  • where is the system's trash?
  • The system trash is wherever deleted files on our computer would go. On Windows it's called the Recycle Bin, I think. But again, that's not relevant here. I'm just making sure that you emptied the trash in Zotero, specifically--sometimes people don't realize that exists.
  • Nothing is in the trash in Zotero, or in the recycle bin on my computer. the search with all fields and tags also doesn't come up with anything. any other suggestions?
  • And you're still getting that same sync error message? I'm pretty sure it's not possible to get that error if the item doesn't exist somewhere--do you have any groups? You'd have to search those separately (although I think they should be mentioned in the error message).

    Provide a debug ID for a failed sync:
    http://www.zotero.org/support/debug_output
  • Could you upload your database to the database repair tool and post the ID here? https://www.zotero.org/utils/dbfix/
  • I sent the error off, Report ID 1465289813
  • That's a report ID, which may be helpful as well, but adamsmith was asking for a debug ID (see link in his post)
  • Upload ID 54b155cb3eae7 ok i uploaded my database and got this id. i'm not sure what the debug id is about, i'll try to read it again
  • ok i'm going to try and get the debug id for you...my zotero is just taking forever
  • The Debug ID is D2145584363.
  • aurimas, i could not paste the new file into zotero folder as per the instructions shown. i'm currently confused on all fronts. but hopefully you both have the relevant information needed to help
  • i wanted to manually insert more references into zotero can i still do so? or is it best that i hold off?
  • you can keep working in Zotero.
  • OK, well, your database is fine, and the item definitely still exists — in your personal library, not in the trash — in your database, so I think you're just not searching properly. Make sure you're in the library root — that is, make sure "My Library" is selected — and paste (don't retype) 'E9NFTZVM' into the search bar in All Fields & Tags mode. Or just search for some of the words in the excerpt given in the error message.
  • Hi Dan,

    You were right I must not have highlighted the "my library". thank you.

    My issue is that I'm going to have tons of files in there that I want deleted since they didn't import well from Endnote. For instance CNN broadcasts messed up authors so that 10 authors are listed as one author and Zotero won't sync. I originally deleted collections which didn't import right from Endnote thinking they were deleted...but I guess they stay in the library. How am I going to resolve this so that only my current collections with proper references are in my library?

    I'm currently trying to sync my database...it is taking a long time. I'm assuming there will be another unable to sync error because there were hundreds of long abstracts and messed up author references imported and apparently not deleted. How do I resolve this issue so that my database is backed up?


    I'm assuming the library is home for all collections and all "deleted" collections? I want to make a big bibliography with all my current collections, how do I do this? I was going to just do the whole library but now that I know there will be lots of references I don't want in there, I'm not sure how to proceed.
  • items not in any collections are in "Unfiled" so you should be able easily find&delete them.
  • Yup, another error. Abstract too long and I can't sync. Must be from one of the deleted collections that I no longer want. I am going to get hundreds of errors.
  • oh ok thanks adamsmith, I'll try that out. :)
Sign In or Register to comment.