File synchronization trouble. Please help

ℹ️ Support
1

Good morning
I actually asked already twice about this problem, but probably due to poor phrasing of my question,
I did not get any help. The two previous questions, along with pages of log data, system information etc. can be viewed under:

Although I know, you wish to have all this technical information, I will restrict myself to a short description of the problem.
Copying files into the nextcloud folder or creating them from scratch sometimes works, sometimes it does NOT.
I have been fiddling with this problem for weeks and a description of all the things I tried would fill a medium size book.
The thing that determines “WORK / DON’T WORK” seems to be totally random and unpredictable.
Even if I create a short (2-3 lines of text) text file with a text editor and one minute later another one,
there is high probability, that of one of these files will be synchronized and the other NOT.
To be best of my knowledge, EVERYTHING is the same here.

Yesterday I also noticed, that a text file NOT synchronized actually DOES get to be synchronized when I delete most the text in it!
That following is a change.log always created when I update a text editor = here Note++:

"Notepad++ v8.4.7 bug-fixes and new features:

  1. Fix empty session issue due to forced Windows update restart.
  2. Fix printing with extra background colors issue due to Change History.
  3. Update to Scintilla 5.3.1 and Lexilla 5.2.0.
  4. Updated nlohmann json to 3.11.2 and Boost to 1.80.0.
  5. Make large file restriction configurable.
  6. Optimizing open/save large files time.
  7. Remember Column Editor settings through the sessions.
  8. Fix plugin admin search issue.
  9. Installer enhancement: prevent arm64 installer from installing on non ARM64 system.
  10. Installer enhancement: remember “Don’t use_%APPDATA%” option.
  11. Add new API NPPM_GETBOOKMARKID for getting bookmark ID.
  12. Enhance “Go To” dialog: update line/position data dynamically.
  13. Fix lines hiding issue.
  14. Fix language detected from content not applied if default language is set.
  15. Fix long filters get truncated in Find in Files feature.
  16. Add ESC Key for aborting “Move to Recycle Bin” confirmation prompt.

Get more info on
https://notepad-plus-plus.org/downloads/v8.4.7/

Included plugins:

  1. NppExport v0.4
  2. Converter v4.5
  3. Mime Tool v2.9

Updater (Installer only):

  • WinGup (for Notepad++) v5.2.4"

This file is NOT synchronized. However when I leave only the first two lines of text and overwrite the file:
"Notepad++ v8.4.7 bug-fixes and new features:

  1. Fix empty session issue due to forced Windows update restart."

THEN the file IS synchronized. Does nextcloud CENSOR my files???
I fail to see any data pertaining to national security or prohibited pornography etc. in this file.

If this behavior would affect ALL files, or ALL files of a specific type, I could image some kind of error.
I am, howver, under the impression that this totally random and unpredictable behavior somehow precludes this possibility.
Yet, having nextcloud working only when it is “in the mood”, otherwise acting like the Volkswagen “Herbie” in the movie with the same title, does not make any sense when someone wishes to have certain important files at home and at work in sync.
And, with all due respect, I have NEVER seen any such behavior with any of the 10+ file sync services I have used so far.
Or with any other software for that matter.

I would really appreciate some help.
If I cannot figure this out, I am afraid nextcloud will have to be discarded for being useless.

Thank you
nyuwa

2

I dunno if this can be of help but I didn’t want to keep it for me…

  1. the common way to push a thread is: adding comments to or editing it. So a “is there anybody out there to help me?” (and such) will do the same as opening a totally new thread with the same question. Well to be honest - flodding the forum with always the same question is regarded as spamming. So please don’t do that again.

  2. looking into the two posted links I can see that someone even tried to help you. So please don’t complain that you didn’t get any help.

  3. you could regard your instance as being compromised… I’m gonna edit your posts for you but the infos stay visible for everyone who knows how to deal with edited postings. please take more care in the future about the content of what you’re posting. Not everything is meant to be presented to the public. Especially no things called secret :wink:

  4. Of course you should solve all setup errors you posted in your other threads ahead of posting about unsolved problems. Sometimes errors may come unexpected as a sideeffect from such unsolved problems.

  5. for me such a thing as you have described indicates a hardware-problem. Most prolly a storageproblem. Or maybe some supershort poweroutings while reading/writing (that could have happened with some raspberry pis with a wrong (weak) power connector).
    All in all: unregular occuring problems like yours are very difficult to track. Usually that can’t be done by someone from any forum because it needs close tracking of you. You need to check several logfiles for errors (not only those of NC).

so for me next steps are: closing the crosspostings and removing sensitive data from it. And then enjoying a good breakfast :wink:

next steps for you? Fixing setup errors first. Better: setting up a new instance using nextcloudpi. Or even better: getting yourself a managed NC somewhere… like at hanssonit.se ask @enoch85 for a quote.

cheerio
JK

1 Like
3

Good evening
Yes, you are right. I should have done:
“Fixing setup errors first. Better: setting up a new instance using nextcloudpi. Or even better: getting yourself a managed NC somewhere …”

Unfortunately, I do not have the knowledge nor the computer skills for the first two options and switching to another hosting service, only to be able to use nextcloud, would not be a first choice either.
After a system engineer set up nextcloud on the server for me and the desktop clients installed on three PCs were looking fine too,
I was so ignorant as to assume, there might be some settings, where entering or removing a few checkmarks would solve “minor problems” like random file synchronization failure.
This clearly proves my lack of education and is the reason to ask the kind of question I did.
Please accept my apologies for that.
It will not happen again.
nyuwa

4

@nyuwa

come oh.
Are you a kid at kindergarten or are you adult? so let’s take my mild citique as an adult.

OK, you did wrong. But that’s no reason to pout in your sulking corner from now on. Just make it better next time.

And don’t forget to add as much infos as you can about all involved systems to your postings. (that might be no 6) :wink:

You just mentioned a somehow hosted instance. Why not asking them about your problem? It’s really uncommon. I am pretty sure it has nothing to do with some checkmarks you set or unset.

I’d like to be of help but I dunno where to start other than what I’ve said above. That’s the bad thing about irregular happening problems. Difficult to track. For everyone.

5

Good evening
Thank you for your kind follow-up.
Yes, I believe in computer circles I am definitely kindergarten level
… and have been told so a million times by now.

For more than 10 years (!) I tried to get friendly with Linux. After I
messed up my first attempt at installing Linux,
I used only non-production machines or second hand PCs I specifically
bought to “practice Linux” (something that seems to be essential for
running nextcloud too). The stack of CDs with “distros” I downloaded and
tried reaches to the moon. Each time I joined a user forum for a certain
distro, my questions were apparently considered to be so stupid as to
be offensive for the community. I was even told, that a person as
computer illiterate as I am, should not be allowed to use computers.
Nevertheless I used computers as a translator for over 35 years.

Well, nextcloud sounded like an attractive software, but I am not really
in the mood to learn 2-3 three new (computer) languages just to be able
to read the instructions, formulate questions (for the forum) and then
dive into the guts of the system to rewrite uncountable PHP or whatever
files, of which I cannot even find the directory they are supposed to be
stored in.
Since, as a regular Joe/user, I was mostly interested in file
synchronization function, having spent by now over a month and countless
hours trying to make it work (the hosting service does NOT provide
support), I came to the conclusion, that administrator level work is way
beyond my capabilities and therefore not really worth the effort.
That is why I am going to remove nextcloud from the server and my PCs
and hopefully will not bother the community again.
Thank you again.
nyuwa

6

Ok, I see.

Your initial posting sounded as if you’d exactly know what you’df been doing because it was VERY detailed. Just with so far unusable infos.

We all know that NC isn’t really meant to be installed by computer rookies. And it’s not the installing process alone (as there are several good installing Howtos) but you need to maintain the system, doing upgrades and everything.

So have you ever thought of changing to one of our “products” that will do a big part of this cake for you? Like community project nextcloudpi.com (“ncp”) or even AllinOne-Docker (AiO)?

they will help you setting up your instance, doing sane things to/with your instance. Of course it’s no no-brainer but both of them are of real help. And they even help you maintaining your instance.

What do you think of that idea?

7

Good evening
and again thank you for your earnest efforts to help me.
I am afraid I have come to the conclusion, that the efforts apparently needed by far outweigh any possible benefits. Which is, of course, my fault.
I have already removed nextcloud from my server and uninstalled the desktop clients.
So, although the problem has not be “solved”, it does not need any further deliberation.

I am sorry for the commotion.
Maybe there is a chance to meet at some other time in a different “cyber space”.
I wish you a healthy long life.
nyuwa

8

c’mon! One last chance!

One more try with either NCP or AiO. And if you won’t succeed you can give up, still…

What do you think?

9

Good evening
I admire AND APPRECIATE! your zeal to help people, but I still think, I am not up to the job.
I just had a look (again) at the website you pointed me to (NCP) and have to admit,
I do not even understand, what that software (?) is supposed to do.
It also says there, it needs a Debian installation (or a long list of things I have never heard of before), which I do not have.
Or I am supposed to use something called “docker”, but here again the description uses a language I do not understand.
The website says “Easy to set up for non technical users”. Maybe the definition of easy setup is different for the intended audience.
The only thing I somehow gathered is, that docker is for people who WRITE (code) / develop software. Definitely not me.
Even if I did … I would not know where and how to run those 1,000-character long commands.

So far I just cannot see the “Easy to set up for non technical users”
I am afraid, I will have to disappoint you.
I am really sorry for that.
Thomas Blasejewicz

10

let’s start at the beginning… where do you want to host your instance?

11

It’s unfortunate that this got nowhere, as I am having the exact same issue as OP in my docker installation of Nextcloud. I had previously set up an installation that did not suffer this issue at all, wiped the drive and switched from Debian to Ubuntu, and when reinstalling with the exact same steps & docker-compose file I have now encountered this issue where random files/directories will not sync through the Nextcloud desktop application (windows) and there are no logs of the issue.

I am just going to wipe it all and give it another go.