Zotero sync conflict resolution - REPORT ID 395719830

bcwmd
I have read all of the posts that I could find and no one has exactly the problem I am experiencing. I am working with a writing group of 7 individuals and we are using the Group Library function in Zotero. At a writing meeting, we all have Zotero open and are working simultaneously. When I try to sync with the group library, I get the screen regarding Conflict Resolution, asking me to choose which of the three (1, 2, or merged) that I would like to keep, but without any mechanism of choosing. Clicking on the merged version (or, in fact, any one of them) does nothing. The only active buttons are DONE or CANCEL SYNC. If I click DONE, then I am in Zotero, but I have the error indication to the left of the sync icon, and when it is expanded to show the huge number of references that have been added by each of us, the screen freezes and the sync icon continues to revolve. What should be my next step?
  • adamsmith
    What exactly is the error message you're getting?
    It sounds like you're solving a sync conflict (Done appears on the last window) but I'm not quite sure what you mean with this:
    but I have the error indication to the left of the sync icon, and when it is expanded to show the huge number of references that have been added by each of us
    Also, though, if you _know_ you're going to edit simultaneously with a number of people, you should _really_ be using auto-sync to minimize sync conflicts.
  • gretchen de soriano
    Dear Adam,
    Today I opened standalone Zotero, having used the Firefox zotero for the past year. When the sync button is clicked there appears a Conflict Resolution warning, which demands a choice:local object/ remote object/ or merged object (cannot be ticked). Which is it?
    These stratagies have been tried:
    The preferences button is ticked to "sync automatically".
    A click on the Z toolbar to sync preferences,instructs "create an account" This is puzzling . . . don't I already have an account?
    Please assist, many thanks.
  • adamsmith
    It's a conflict resolution -- which item you should choose depends on which you want to keep. If it doesn't matter, just click any one and then select next or okay.

    If you're getting that message, you don't need to create an account and you're likely misinterpreting what you're seeing in the sync preferences. the "Create an account" option is one of three small links links on the right, not an instruction. In any case, the sync preferences won't help to fix a conflict resolution .
  • gretchen de soriano
    Adam, It seems I am not clear what choice is being made with "local" and "remote". All new entries are on Firefox Zotero, which should already be synced. Can you explain what these choices are?
  • aurimas
    A sync conflict means that since you last synced, the same item was edited on your computer and on some other computer, which has already synced to zotero.org servers (or in Zotero for Firefox and Zotero Standalone on the same computer - more on that later). Thus, Zotero doesn't know which set of changes should be kept during this sync and which should be overwritten. The changes you made on your computer are "local" and the changes that were made on another computer and synced to zotero.org are "remote". You can pick between either of these two versions, or you can select field values that are a mix of the two (in the "merged" panel)
  • mh
    "but without any mechanism of choosing. Clicking on the merged version (or, in fact, any one of them) does nothing" (middle of the first posting in this chain): that's the problem I'm having now. The only active buttons are (at the lower right) "Next" and "CancelSync." There are no buttons on any of the three versions displayed, and clicking anywhere on any of the versions does nothing. So, how to "choose the version [I] would like to keep"?
  • dstillman
    clicking anywhere on any of the versions does nothing
    It should select the version with a red outline and change the merged version to reflect your choice.
  • mh
    This morning there is some response: not a red outline, but a title ("Local object" or the alternative) does turn red if I click on a box. That allows me to proceed.
    There's then an error message report, with an exclamation icon (why error?), saying to click to see the list of changes made, but after a click there is no list displayed; instead the green wheel starts spinning again and then stops. Then after I click on the screen the wheel starts up again. Erratic behavior. I click on the wheel again to see what it says and it starts up again, this time (for the first time) displaying a small blue progress bar, which disappears. The wheel is still spinning. Now it's stopped.
    Hovering over the still wheels hows an update a minute ago. I guess that means things are OK now.

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