Restore to server leaves Server's My Library empty

Melani99
I was having problems with a sync operation on my computers, but I had the full and correct data on one of my computers. So I backed up the sqlite file and tried to "restore to server" from the correct data. It cleared "my library" but did not restore any files to it. So now the my library on the zotero server is empty, though the zotero on my home computer is fine.

I've deactivated automatic syncing, as the documentation said, and turned off the storage sync (I just purchased zotero storage), to try to keep the things simpler. But I've waited an hour, and nothing is happening.
  • Melani99
    OK, so now I went back and used the sync command in zotero. Since there was nothing in My Library on the server, I figured I had nothing to lose. The error command said: "databases of this size cannot be synced." My guess is that this is because it was not, somehow, accessing the 3GB of storage I bought (I had asked for files to be synced). I had assumed this was automatic, but perhaps it's not?
  • Melani99
    I tried again without file attachments, and got the same error message: cannot sync databases of this size.

    This is the report ID 1496385663
  • dstillman
    Metadata syncing and file syncing (a.k.a. storage) are separate. The message you're receiving relates solely to the former.

    When you used "Restore to Zotero Server" you cleared your data on the server and forced Zotero to attempt to sync your entire database, and if you're getting that message then your database is, as the message says, too big to sync. This limitation is due to a bug in third-party software that we're hoping to work around in the near future (if it's not fixed sooner). Follow the relevant thread if you'd like to know when it's been addressed.
  • Melani99
    This is beyond depressing. I was trying to be good and read the documentation: I don't think there is a warning about this in the instructions about dealing with sync problems, so maybe that should be added? http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/troubleshooting_sync_errors

    Do you think there is a work around here? For example, if I were to break my library into subfolders, somehow, and sync them one folder at a time? I'm working off two diff computers every week, and really need to be able to add citations from both. I guess another option is to go back to the portable zotero (which I never did), but given the size of my datbase, this is perhaps also problematic.
  • dstillman
    We hope to fix this soon, but if you need a solution in the meantime, there's no need to use Portable Firefox—you can just set Zotero on each machine to use the data directory on a flash drive directly. So, in other words, this would be Steps 2 and 3 on the Using Portable Firefox on a USB Drive instructions.

    If you find that Zotero runs too slowly that way, there's always the traditional transfer method (i.e., copying to the local hard drive each time).
  • ElizaJaneDarling
    This seems to be happening to me too, although I'm getting a javascript error message:

    [JavaScript Error: "uncaught exception: [Exception... "Illegal operation on WrappedNative prototype object" nsresult: "0x8057000c (NS_ERROR_XPC_BAD_OP_ON_WN_PROTO)" location: "JS frame :: chrome://zotero/content/xpcom/progressWindow.js :: _disableTimeout :: line 310" data: no]"]

    Report ID 91697977

    There should really be a warning about this right on the Preferences --> Reset popup.
  • ElizaJaneDarling
    Whoops, I spoke too soon. I thinned some junk out of my library and tried it again, then found that the metadata from a NYT article was pulled in badly - the article wound up in the author's name. Sync to server went fine as soon as I fixed that.
  • dstillman
    Do you have the URL where that occurred so that we can fix the translator?
  • ElizaJaneDarling
    http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/10/movies/film-the-hip-hop-path-across-class-borders.html?scp=61&sq=trailer+trash&st=nyt
  • Melani99
    I just successfully backed up my Zotero database online, after having serious problems with the syc re: the size of my database. This is great news! Thanks for the fix. I'm posting this in case others, like me, had been trying periodically but perhaps maybe given up a bit...

    Thanks! MM
  • hirosukehonda
    Hello,

    I have a similar problem. I have a full data on my laptop PC, and when I checked my zotero library on the zotero log-in website, the library got empty and my local PC library is not reflected.

    I followed the direction below, and try to sync my laptop at home and another desktop in my office.

    http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/sync_reset_options#restore_tofrom_server

    Please let me know how to move my local laptop library to the zotero server, first of all.

    Thank you.
  • dstillman
    hirosukehonda: Start a new thread.
This discussion has been closed.