Nextcloud app on Linux is not syncing

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The Basics

  • Nextcloud Server version (e.g., 29.x.x):
    • 33.0.2
  • Operating system and version (e.g., Ubuntu 24.04):slight_smile:
  • Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
  • Web server and version (e.g, Apache 2.4.25):
    • Apache 2.4.66
  • Reverse proxy and version _(e.g. nginx 1.27.2)
    • None
  • PHP version (e.g, 8.3):
    • 8.4
  • Is this the first time you’ve seen this error? (Yes / No):
    • Yes, after just installing the latest Nextcloud desktop app
  • When did this problem seem to first start?
    • Upon installation
  • Installation method (e.g. AlO, NCP, Bare Metal/Archive, etc.)
    • Bare Metal
  • Are you using CloudfIare, mod_security, or similar? (Yes / No)
    • No

Summary of the issue you are facing:

[…]I installed the desktop on a new client (running ZorinOS). I set up the folders (actually only a single folder) to sync. It proceeded to sync and shows a green checkmark on the icon.

Note that on a prior client, running Ubuntu, the older version of the desktop app (where you had to manually configure all sync’d folders) worked flawlessly.

Steps to replicate it (hint: details matter!):

  1. Updated a file in the folder which is sync’d (i.e. an application updated a file in the sync’d folder)

  2. Observed no change in the file on the Nextcloud server and no log entry (in the desktop app log) showing a file was updated. No visible change to the NC app’s icon (the older app would show a sync was in progress)

  3. Also uploaded a new file (different) to the Nextcloud server using the NC files app. This file has not been replicated to the sync’d folder on the client.

Also, I tried several manual sync operations. No change in the results, and the manual sync process completes (if it even does anything) essentially immediately. Therefore I suspect it’s not doing anything at all.

Log entries

Nextcloud

Please provide the log entries from your Nextcloud log that are generated during the time of problem (via the Copy raw option from Administration settings->Logging screen or from your nextcloud.log located in your data directory). Feel free to use a pastebin/gist service if necessary.

PASTE HERE

Web Browser

If the problem is related to the Web interface, open your browser inspector Console and Network tabs while refreshing (reloading) and reproducing the problem. Provide any relevant output/errors here that appear.

NA

Web server / Reverse Proxy

The output of your Apache/nginx/system log in /var/log/____:

NA

Configuration

Nextcloud

The output of occ config:list system or similar is best, but, if not possible, the contents of your config.php file from /path/to/nextcloud is fine (make sure to remove any identifiable information!):

<?php
$CONFIG = array (
  'instanceid' => 'removed',
  'passwordsalt' => 'removed',
  'secret' => 'removed',
  'trusted_domains' => 
  array (
    0 => 'removed',
    1 => 'removed',
  ),
  'datadirectory' => '/var/www/html/nextcloud/data',
  'dbtype' => 'mysql',
  'version' => '33.0.2.2',
  'overwrite.cli.url' => 'http://localhost/nextcloud',
  'dbname' => 'NC_DB',
  'dbhost' => 'localhost:3006',
  'dbport' => '',
  'dbtableprefix' => 'oc_',
  'mysql.utf8mb4' => true,
  'dbuser' => 'removed',
  'dbpassword' => 'removed',
  'installed' => true,
  'maintenance' => false,
  'theme' => '',
  'loglevel' => 2,
  'allow_local_remote_servers' => true,
  'maintenance_window_start' => 1,
);

Apps

The output of occ app:list (if possible).

Tips for increasing the likelihood of a response

  • Use the preformatted text formatting option in the editor for all log entries and configuration output.
  • If screenshots are useful, feel free to include them.
    • If possible, also include key error output in text form so it can be searched for.
  • Try to edit log output only minimally (if at all) so that it can be ran through analyzers / formatters by those trying to help you.

What NC-Client (eg AppImage and Version)?

Thanks for responding.

I’m not using the AppImage; I’m using the app installed via the PPA.

Just now, I did a test. I created a separate test folder (only on the client). Then on the NC desktop app, I created a sync folder manually:

This method seems to work correctly. Right after I created the sync connection, it created the folder on the server and uploaded the 4 test files I had place in it. I then deleted one of the files from the server end, and it properly deleted it on the client.

I will create a manual sync connection for the real data folder that I want sync’d to the server, and see if that resolves the problem.

Edit (update): that solved the problem. Manually creating a sync connection correctly uploaded the files. I then altered a file in the source folder on the client, and it immediately replicated to the server.

Bottom line: classic sync using manually created sync connections works. The method of selecting/deselecting folders on the client, when the desktop app originally presents itself, does nothing (at least, that’s what I have observed).