DT3 appears to sync but contents in remote database don't update

I verified the databases successfully. Is that what you mean?

Cleaning the database will require a full sync again. Is that correct?

I verified the databases successfully. Is that what you mean?

Yes.

Cleaning the database will require a full sync again. Is that correct?

Of the database or the entire sync location, yes.

You didn’t answer this: “Have you opened a support ticket for the sync issue?”

Honestly, I’m deciding whether to pursue a support ticket, or abandon Devonthink.

I had a bunch of sync issues, and just got them resolved in the past few weeks. If you open a ticket, they are great at working to resolve your particular issues. I also found the idea of two sync stores running in parallel to be uncomfortable, but it worked fine. In the end, I switched my sync store from dropbox to icloud and that took care of my sync issues. I had tried a number of solutions with dropbox, but switching to icloud ultimately fixed things for me (thus far lol). I think the difficulties that I and others have had with sync are somewhat a function of design choices baked in to DEVONthink. If they had a subscription service and provided their own sync implementation, a lot of this would be a non-issue. I think they made the better, but more technically challenging, choice of backing many different sync technologies. It is astounding the range of options that users have to sync data, and I am aware of no competitor that offers anything similar. That said, I do believe something is deeply amiss with the dropbox sync implementation (likely not on DT’s end). I tried to get my databases to sync for over a year and never got more than 2 -3 months of continuous sync functionality before I had to start a new sync store or rebuild the databases. Then I decided to open a ticket, they helped me troubleshoot, and everything is golden :slight_smile:.

3 Likes

We also had problems with Dropbox and nothing syncing. Devonthink showed everything synced fine, no errors. My work ended up buying a Synology NAS and setting up WebDav. Youtube videos helped set it up. We backup the Synology NAS offsite. Haven’t had a problem since. In the long run it will be less expensive because we will not have to pay for Dropbox.

et al:

Just a note that the situation is indeed perplexing. Other than updating the Dropbox API, we haven’t changed the base code in a long time. And with the issue being sporadic, not reporting any errors, only affecting a small number of users (at least from the sum of reports versus clientele), and not reproducible at will, we have been foiled in our attempts to pinpoint what may cause this.

Also, it could be a change in the API, but that seemingly would affect far more users than we have reports of.

We are still keeping our eye on this.

2 Likes

Currently Dropbox is adding a lot of features. Vault, password manager… And like Apple, perhaps they are doing the test in live environment (or one intern mistaken environment, I remember working for Yuilop when one backend intern started modifying servers in live… until all went down :rofl:)-

:flushed::roll_eyes::stuck_out_tongue:

I highly appreciate the admission by DevonTechnologies of the particular yet idiosyncratic problems with Dropbox API. That honesty distinguishes.
I am one of the ‘small number of users’ having repeated and erratic syncing problems over DT. I recently moved over to iCloud based on this discussion, and so far (touch wood!) everything is zooming and syncing fine in a 4 computer set-up. Luckily, I can do with just one iCloud account.

Welcome @heinheid

Thanks for your comments. Glad iCloud is behaving for you. :slight_smile:

I’ve pretty much given up on Dropbox syncing DT. It has never reliably worked for me. The iCloud option is attractive. Unfortunately, iCloud syncing of DT seems tied to the machine’s connected iCloud account. I have machines connected to different iCloud accounts (e.g. work and home). Dropbox was hypothetically ideal because it synced independent of iCloud, so I could sync my work and home computer to the same database.

Is it even possible to sign an app into an iCloud account different from the machine’s connected account? (I can’t think of an app that does that.)

Same problem with me on my iPad Mac phone devices. I’ve tried iCloud and Dropbox.

Takes days sometimes to sync devices. It’s not reliable. For example if I do work on my Mac at home then grab my iPad and hit the road most of the time the info I added or changed on the mac does not appear on the iPad.
So I’m stuck with the client with no data.

I began using something else. I don’t have the knowledge nor the time to set up my own network etc.

I had the very same issue days ago and had to clean the database to get syncing working properly again. However, I would like to report a detail I haven’t seen others mention: it seemed to me that smaller databases did not suffer from it, only larger one(s).

Did you open a support ticket on this? If not, hold the Option key and choose Help > Report bug to start a support ticket and include a screen capture of File > Database Properties for the problematic database(s). Thanks!

I chose not to because I already fixed it by cleaning the database. I’ll open a support ticket right away.

No problem and thanks!

1 Like

I’ve mentioned this here before, but since I live in China I had to find something besides Dropbox. Dropbox was/is a pain to use here. I still use it out of necessity for some apps, but hate to since it requires I use a vpn, which doesn’t always want to connect, also adds another layer to the connection.

What I found was quite by accident, called Nutstore. It’s fantastic. Fast, cheap, reliable, webdav access as well (for DT3 sync). I’ve had few syncing problems since I went this route a couple years ago. The time or two I had questions or trouble the service was excellent and quick (realtime online, just ask for an English speaker). I really have nothing bad to say about the service or the company. Aside from DT3 sync I use it on every project now and get others I work with to share through it.

https://www.jianguoyun.com/static/html/International/index.html?sch=global
(why they don’t buy the nutstore.com name is beyond me though)

2 Likes

I can add that Dropbox sync stopped working a number of times this year already. I always could fix it by setting up a new Dropbox sync location, but the problem (sync not working) came back after a couple of weeks or months. DT support really tried to help but couldn’t and I think at this point in time they don’t what the cause is. Since I don’t like iCloud Drive as a sync solution I need to think about alternatives. This hurts, but spending many hours for re-setting sync up and experiencing unpleasant surprises in meetings when missing data (not synced) is even more painful.

@hogru: WebDAV in a local NAS (or third party server).

I removed my indexed to dropbox and other large indexes and only use my data and if I need to smaller index to specific folders.

Works and syncs great now.

1 Like