…but I don’t (on most other counts I do listen to Jim). At the same time, the sync mechanism is designed to stop when errors are present in the database. So either/or may have been the cause.
Yes, Sync is not a backup. Sync is not a backup.
I wrote earlier: I use Time Machine as a backup as recommended.
Due to some history with time machine backups, especially when you need them restored, I feel better to have another source of data on a NAS that can be backed up with NAS technologies.
Sync is not a backup. Yes, I agree.
Back to the topic of software being quiet after an initiated process doesn’t start: Instead of blaming the user not reading the manual, how about a proper prompt or feedback that the process can’t be started because of reason XY. Instead the user is left in the wild the whole app is doing nothing.
Sync is not a backup. RTFM !
You know, if the user had checked the log, they would probably have found the answer. Yes, a popup would have been easier. But the information was probably there. @BLUEFROG I wonder whether a future version might display “not yet synchronised - verify & repair database” rather than “not yet synchronised - upload database” when appropriate.
@createch2 personally, I would have appreciated a thank you for the support users offered you here. You are quite within your rights to complain or voice your opinion. But if that is all you do, you’ll leave a bitter taste. That too, of course, is your prerogative.
2 Likes
Your are right. Thank you. Most of your hints were helpful in the process to get it done.
Then why not simply backup to the NAS, too?
How? Just copy the database 25GB 2x a day?
You know what? If a UI states:
“not yet synchronised - upload database” what would the meaning behind that? Its completely misleading. This is what gave me to idea to upload a copy of the database first.
BTW, the log was NOT stating that the sync can’t be executed because of DB errors.
Ideally using backup software which provides for incremental, versioned backups, such as Carbon Copy Cloner, I would have thought.
I appreciate it.
As tech support isn’t exactly my main occupation, I’ll settle for most of my hints being useful. I’m going to go out on a limb here and dissect the posts in this thread a little. You are welcome to ignore what I write, or to point out that it is not my business to be suggesting to another person how they should go about daily tasks. Your first thread provided me with no insight whatsoever as to what you had already done, and where the point of failure was. You asked for the correct procedure to set things up; pointing you toward the handbook seems to me to be a reasonable response to that. It might have been helpful for you to provide screenshots of where you were in your first post, or a description of what you had already done (you actually had already followed the correct procedure to set things up at this point; you may have known that, but I couldn’t). The aim of that first post would be to make sure we all have the same knowledge base. It wasn’t until your 6th post that it became apparent you had actually followed the standard procedure for setting up sync; you’ll note that following your next post it became reasonably easy to bug-fix. I note that some of the answers in the thread bugged you - partly, I think, because they suggested you do things you already had (but the posters couldn’t know that) and - I’m guessing here - English is neither the posters nor your own mother tongue. That can make some posts here seem harsher than I think they are meant.
Anyway, what I’m saying is that I suggest when asking for help, try to initially bring those helping up to speed - show what you have already done, where you are at. That makes it easier to guess whether “read the handbook” is the right response, or “you’re going to need a script for that”, or whatever. Please don’t take this feedback as “holier-than-thou”; you came to the forum for help and found the experience frustrating, I think. That’s not the aim of the game, and my suggestions are aimed solely at improving the experience next time round. Feel free to criticise both the software any myself - but please do it in a constructive manner, suggesting specific improvements rather than generically stating that things are not good.
Thanks 
Are things working for you now? Did sync successfully finish?
3 Likes
That is why I suggested an improvement to Jim; I agree that as the user cannot upload the database, the term “upload database” is not helpful. In fact, I’m on record having pointed that out some while ago.
Thank you - that is most helpful feedback; @BLUEFROG @cgrunenberg in addition to my suggestion
please could a log entry be generated (as I think it is when the database is already set up and cannot be synced) for failure on initial sync?
Actually issues should be already logged to Windows > Log if a database can’t be synchronized, no matter whether it’s the first sync or not. And by default this window is automatically opened.
I thought that might be the case. Do log entries persist after closing and reopening DT? Or might that be the reason the OP didn’t find log entry?
That’s not true.
My Log file currently just spits an error on the neighbor database “Eingang” that has nothing to do with the working database. Even if I start a repair on the claimed database “Eingang” it continues to state “database check failed, please repair” for this single database. Not indicating a repair attempt or whatever. The activities window remains empty completely.
So pointing out the log is leading/helping you in case of malfunction or difficulties is rather an excuse than a helpful procedure.
Again, I’ll point out the difference between “that’s not true” (aka “you are lying”) and saying “that is not what is happening here”.
I can’t remember (and cannot simulate) whether there is a context menu entry; I think there is; please try a right-click on the Info error message, which I think provides you with the option to show the file causing the trouble. If it is a zero-size file, for example, no automatic repair is possible. Note that if you delete the files causing problems, the verify action will continue to fail so long as the records are in the trash (so you will need to empty the trash once you have finished).
Right mouse button menu is greyed out on all entries.
Sorry for choosing the wrong words, in my world “that’s not true” doesn’t implicate you are lying. It just states that the statement is not correct. As you said, neither my mother tongue nor my smiling mother culture.
That’s fine. I’ll need to get back to you later. I know there are forum entries on how to resolve the errors you are seeing, but I can’t point you to them off the top of my head. I’ll be back at my Mac this afternoon and will try to support you further if nobody else has done so in the meantime.
I posted some links to support on repairing the database in a previous thread - please check to see if they are useful to you.
I need to check some things with you:
- regarding the log window you posted further up displaying numerous Datenbank-Überprüfung fehlgeschlagen, bitte reparieren Sie die Datenbank: were those log entires created by you selecting File > Verify & Repair Database? Or did they appear “automatically” without your intervention?
- if you a) deactivate the sync on that database, b) empty the log and c) run File > Verify & Repair Database what is the output in the log window? I would expect you to see a popup which allow you to repair the database:
I would also expect you to be able to make a selection from the context menu in the log as shown below:
That should allow you to determine which files are causing trouble.
If you neither see a popup nor can make any selection from the context menu, then I think you require assistance from somebody else, preferably @BLUEFROG and maybe in the context of a support ticket. I cannot simulate the exact condition you have, so cannot support you any further if my suggestions don’t work; I’m sorry!
Thank you for the help.
I don’t care that much about the “Eingang” Database since it was just a buffer for incoming data before they get processed and stored in the correct database.
But I did as suggested:
4 Inconsistencies:
Repair fails, 4 remaining errors:
Log shows nothing except the generic thing:
As I said, I don’t need further assistance at the moment since this Database is not critical to me.
I just want to highlight one more time that the log window is not the “one stop shop” that solves your problems or gives you detailed explanations what’s going on.
I think it may be necessary to rebuild the database; but I’d wait for further input from DT before proceeding.
It certainly hasn’t been in your case. In most cases it is, so there’s been an element of bad luck, misinterpretation and jumping to conclusions. I do agree that an initial error message in the sync window would have been helpful - I’m reasonably experienced with DT, and I’m not sure I would immediately have cottoned on what the problem was. I’m not sure that the log can be more helpful in your specific case - it’s more like a check engine light in this case, I think - it’s telling you you need input from a professional. The brilliant thing about DT is that you will actually get that input (e.g. by starting a support ticket and referencing this thread) - free of charge.
Assuming that Eingang is your global inbox, I would strongly recommend you do fix it, though - passing data through a database which is damaged would seem to be asking for trouble.
Anyway, I wish you all the best. Look after your data, and I’m sorry this hasn’t been the experience you - or I - were hoping for.
Thank you very much for your patience and input, appreciate that !
1 Like
That’s indeed recommended if repairing isn’t possible.
1 Like