Zotero File Sync uploads and downloads all files

jkarasick
This isn't a sync error as such, but it is a sync issue.

I have my library synced across 3 computers. They all stay synced very well, but I do have this recurring issue: after I finish working and making changes on one system, when I sync on another, it re-downloads all files from the server. On the next sync during the same session, it re-uploads all files to the server.

Were I then to make changes to the library from that system (including just changes to the database, no changes in files,) the next time I sync from a different instance, the issue will recur again.

I've tried a variety of resets including "Rest File Sync History", but the issue persists. The libraries do stay well synced together, but it does seem a bit unncecessary for all that data to be transferred both ways on nearly every sync.

Hope I explained this well. Thanks!
  • dstillman
    Are you sure it's actually uploading/downloading all files? As in, does it show data being transferred in both directions, or does it just count through many files quickly?

    If you can provide a Debug ID or two for the sync processes, we'll have a better idea of what's going on here.
  • mbentley
    I had this problem some time ago, and as a result only sync'd periodically to avoid large data transfers (my WebDAV provider charges per GB and my library is 1.5 GB). Now I am using completely fresh installs of different OSs than before, and am still having the same.

    For example my desktop is sync'd with the service regularly-ish, but today I also tried to sync my laptop. It tried to transfer many files. To try and fix this I did a "Restore from server", which worked perfectly. I sync'd my desktop again, which brought down a few files, then tried to sync the laptop again, and it tried to upload >1000 files.

    I aborted the sync, and got a conflict resolution based on different file times of the attachments:

    Local file time: Thu 18 Jan 2007 20:16:58 CET
    Remote file time: Thu 18 Jan 2007 17:16:58 CET

    So there is a fixed offset of 3 hours - from previous experience I think I had something similar, but with an offset of 1 hour :-s

    I tried the two lines of js from previous discussions, which both report "1" for the first command, and the correct local time for the second.

    Both machines are running Ubuntu 9.10, firefox 3.5.4 and zotero 2.0b7.4.

    It would be great to get this issue resolved - I love zotero, but these larger transfers every time I sync are stopping me really using it.

    Let me know if I should also send further debug output etc.

    Thanks, Mark
  • dstatman
    I've been experiencing the same issue, but I don't think my extension uploads all files in the same session after downloading them all, just that my other computer will download all files next time I sync.

    My library is not as large as the others', but it is growing and I would like to know some solution.

    Thanks.
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