Can't sync multiple computers

Fisher
Report ID: 810567854

I don't if the Report ID lists my problem. I've had sync problems using multiple computers over the last year. Things seemed to be working better lately (FF 4.x) but I still can't get multiple (Win 7 64 bit, FF 4.x) computers to sync. I sync to the Zotero online storage. I'd like to know how Zotero is doing the sync so that I can investigate (sniff packets). Usually the sync icon just spins and spins for a long time but I still don't get a record that I've added to another computer.
  • Fisher
    I've since turned off the following and a sync from a PC to the Zotero server did occur (logged into website to verify). Turned off: Windows firewall, Trend Micro, Adblock Plus. Disabled: Firefox Sync (I use Xmarks anyway). After the sync finished, the rotating sync icon stopped. This hardly ever occurs.

    So it looks like I just need to figure out what turned off or disabled that fixed the problem. Does anyone have any theories or suggestions?
  • Fisher
    Tried my home computer, turned everything off just like at work (windows firewall, trend micro, adblock plus, firefox sync) (previous was work) and got this error: 55851138
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    Every now and then we see some weird errors like this in the uploaded XML, due, I believe, to Firefox XML bugs. Restart Firefox and try again.
  • Fisher
    I now have the exact same setup at home as my work computer and it still doesn't sync with the zotero server. The rotating icon just spins endlessly. Windows firewall is off, Trend Micro is off, Adblock Plus if off, Firefox Sync is disabled. Everything in Win 7 64 bit Professional is updated.
    Could someone explain the TCP/UDP settings that Zotero uses to sync the database?
  • ajlyon
    Nothing special in the TCP layer-- I'm fairly sure it's just HTTPS to https://sync.zotero.org. Feel free to sniff the packets, but the issue is probably elsewhere.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    You have a massive (37MB) upload queued right now with all of the (very many) items in one of your subscribed groups, even though they're already on the server. That shouldn't happen.

    We'll look into that, but do you have local changes that you need to upload? If not, I'd recommend a Restore from Zotero Server in the Sync->Reset pane of the Zotero prefs.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    edited May 12, 2011
    Well, unless this computer just hasn't been synced in a very long time and has a lot of new data... I'm not actually sure if the items were in fact in the group yet. If that's the case, it may just take some patience to get the sync to go through successfully.

    How many items are there in the large group library locally?
  • Fisher
    On my work computer (since different PC's are not in sync) I have in "My Library": 187 items, 99 unfilled items, 4 trash items. In my group "TanguayLab" I have: 6021 items, 0 unfilled. In my group "HarperLab" I have: 246 items, 4 items unfilled. The 'unfilled' attribute is new to me. I had not noticed it until you asked me to count the items locally.

    I'd like to know what you think about me turning off Windows Firewall, Trend Micro, and Adblock Plus. Is it necessary?
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    So nearly all of the items your work computer is trying to upload are already on the server. That shouldn't happen, but that's why you have a massive upload and why the upload is failing.

    It's unlikely the security software has anything to do with this.

    Can you do one or both of these two things?

    1) Upload your database to the DB Repair Tool and send the Upload ID the tool provides to support@zot....org with a link to this thread. You can ignore the download link the tool provides, which won't address your issue. Don't post the Upload ID publicly.

    2) Generate debug output for a new sync attempt, up until the sync icon tooltip says "Upload accepted — waiting for sync server". Then click View Output and copy from the top down to a few lines into the very large chunk of XML containing your library data that you should see. We don't need the upload data itself—just the lines leading up to it that show how it's being generated. The output will be too big for you to submit it from that pane, so copy the selected portion to a text file, zip it, and send it to support@zot....org with a link to this thread.

    If you don't want to bother with the latter, the former might provide enough info.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    The database you sent is the one that's uploading all that data? It shows a last sync time from yesterday.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    I meant the actual database on the affected machine, if that wasn't clear—not just another copy of the database from somewhere else.
  • Fisher
    I use two computers on a daily basis (home, work). I use another mobile notebook one to two times per week. I have two other computers that I use less frequently. All are the exact same hardware, same firefox, same zotero, same trend micro, Windows (7 or Vista). All have sync issues. The two most important are the ones I use daily (home, work). I uploaded the work database and log file yesterday. I just did the same with this minute with the home database and log file.
    Is this what Dan is asking for "actual database on the affected machine"?
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    We're working on this. Should have something for you to try within the next day.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    OK, I think I figured out what's happening here. It could happen if an initial upload failed after a large download.

    Please install the 2.1 Branch dev XPI on your home computer (where the problem is, I believe). That should cause Zotero to redownload all your items, which will take a while and may freeze Firefox briefly, but it should then avoid reuploading any that you already have and upload only data that you've changed on each computer.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    And probably a good idea to post here once it's spinning.
  • Fisher
    2.1 installed on home computer. icon is spinning.
    should I install this version on other computers?
  • Fisher
    edited May 18, 2011
    SSL certificate error connecting to sync.zotero.org
    Report ID: 8154832
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    That's not a problem on our end. See the error message.
    SSL certificate error connecting to sync.zotero.org

    See http://zotero.org/support/kb/ssl_certificate_error for more information.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    FYI, it looks like you've been repeatedly downloading your entire library every 5-10 minutes for the last couple hours.
  • Fisher
    My work computer icon is not spinning. It looks OK. I left my home machine on this morning when I left for work and it was spinning when I left. Can you get an ID on the machine downloading?
  • Fisher
    The home computer has been running through endless "Conflict Resolution" screens (6 at a time). Hopefully I won't have to do this forever.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    Are they different, or the same each time?

    http://www.zotero.org/support/kb/repeated_conflicts
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    edited May 19, 2011
    And you're still repeatedly downloading your entire library—a 30MB download, seven times in the last 1.5 hours. Read the linked page.
  • Fisher
    Yes on home computer I get the same repeated "Conflict Resolution" items (1 to 6) and then the error after item # 6.
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    edited May 20, 2011
    What error? The SSL error? I can't tell you anything more about that than what's on the linked page. It's not a Zotero problem.
  • Fisher
    The conflict Resolution screen just keeps running. After the 6 conflicts I get this alert.
    The "Alert" on the home computer is:
    One or more Zotero tags have been added to and/or removed from items on multiple computers since the last sync. The different sets of tags have been combined.
    View the Firefox Error Console for the full list of such changes.
    The Zotero Report ID: 1518271169
    The Firefox error console lists 1 error (many warnings):
    Error: [Exception... "'Invalid session ID' when calling method: [nsIDOMEventListener::handleEvent]" nsresult: "0x8057001e (NS_ERROR_XPC_JS_THREW_STRING)" location: "<unknown>" data: no]
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    edited May 21, 2011
    Again, the linked page explains exactly why you're getting the conflict resolution repeatedly, and it tells you where to look—next to the sync icon—for a sync error. Neither the alert nor the warnings in the Error Console it's referring to indicate a problem. Clicking the sync error icon should show you the "Invalid session ID" error, which is the relevant issue.

    What that error means is that over an hour has passed since the beginning of the sync, presumably because you started the sync but then didn't resolve the conflicts before an hour was up. If you just sync and resolve the conflicts immediately you shouldn't get it. There's no actual problem here so far.
  • Fisher
    I'd like to report some success in syncing the home computer.
    I not sure why I had a successful sync just now, but I know I did because a sync occurred with no errors. Also, the three records I had just added to my work computer yesterday appeared on the home computer.
    Here's what I changed on the home computer:
    Unchecked all checkmarks "Sync My" on Firefox Sync (I use Xmarks anyway) but had this to sync one to Firefox Sync. Under the Firefox Security tab I selected "Exceptions" and added "*.zotero.org" as an allowed site to install add-ons. I also unchecked "Block pop-up windows" from the Firefox Content tab.
    Note: Adblocker Plus is still disabled for all sites but I do have Windows Firewall and Trend Micro Internet Security "latest and greatest -- 3.1.x" running.
    I wonder what caused it to work this time?
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    There's really no mystery here—I explained the problem in my previous post.

    None of those things are likely to have affected Zotero.

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