Using DTPO version 2.8.3 on OS X 10.10.2 (the same issue happened with 2.8.2) I’m having a problem importing a database from a WebDAV sync store. I have verified that the issue only crops up when doing a fresh import, doing a normal sync while that same database was still available on my test system worked fine. The DT log shows the following very shortly after the import starts:
10:43:40: Sync: DB -> my.webdav.server (WebDAV) The operation was cancelled.
10:43:40: Sync: DB -> my.webdav.server (WebDAV) Tags: (Could not load a record (The data couldn’t be read because it isn’t in the correct format.))
The WebDAV server in question is a fully updated Apache 2.2.15-39.el6 as distributed with CentOS 6. The import has worked fine under DTPO versions older than 2.8.2.
I’d recommend cleaning the remote store and syncing again from another machine, then retrying the import. If you still have issues, please open a support ticket.
I’m having the same problem. I’ll clean the remote storage, but can you advise on best practices for how to re-sync the databases? Is there a way to ensure that there’s no data loss, even if I’ve been modifying files on two machines since the last successful sync?
Independent backup of all the data on both machines is the best way to ensure no data loss. A good backup utility program will do that. As Time Machine is “free” in OS X and I’ve found it works well for my needs, I’ve got it set to make hourly incremental backups to an external drive.
Note that such backup utilities are not able to check the integrity of a database, so would happily backup a damaged database. That’s why I’m in the habit of running Tools > Verify & Repair on databases in use every few days, or after any flaky behavior. (I haven’t seen an error report in a very long time, but this is a good habit!)
DEVONthink’s Database Archive backup does check for errors and will stop and report them to the user. DEVONthink includes tools for dealing with errors (Restore Backup and Rebuild Database). Of course, the latter two tools would be of no use if a Bad Thing such as a boot drive crash were to make all your data on that drive unavailable. In that case the external backup made by Time Machine or other backup utility can be a lifesaver.
As a backup strategy, don’t regard the database store created by DEVONthink’s Sync procedure as a complete strategy. It’s only one copy, subject to change at the next Sync. If you had accidentally deleted something important, such as the draft of your dissertation, it might no longer be available in those Sync store files.
