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nextcloud / android

📱 Nextcloud Android app
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nextcloud.client
GNU General Public License v2.0
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sync not working (set as available offline option not available) #3673

Open cast-away opened 5 years ago

cast-away commented 5 years ago

Actual behaviour

Expected behaviour

Steps to reproduce

  1. navigate to a file
  2. chose options from the menu

Environment data

Android version: 8.0

Device model: Motorola + Samsung

Stock or customized system: stock

Nextcloud app version: 3.5.0

Nextcloud server version: 14.0.6

nextcloud-android-bot commented 5 years ago

GitMate.io thinks possibly related issues are https://github.com/nextcloud/android/issues/1611 (Uploading and "Set as available offline" should be available for folders and not only single files), https://github.com/nextcloud/android/issues/2094 (Don't start file observer if no files are marked as "Set as available offline"), https://github.com/nextcloud/android/issues/2859 (multiple file selection is not removed after copy/move/download/set-available-offline), https://github.com/nextcloud/android/issues/269 (Need option "available offline" for folders.), and https://github.com/nextcloud/android/issues/1018 (Contacts restore option in newer phone not available).

tobiasKaminsky commented 5 years ago

This changed with latest version, but was not communicated properly :-/ There is now a background job that syncs every downloaded file every 15min, when on wifi.

cast-away commented 5 years ago

Thanks Tobias, this is a neat improvement. IMHO the download + set as available offline was a little confusing.

The issue is it does not seem to work. I noticed one of my files, which was marked both as "set available offline" and as favourite was not being updated, that's when I actually realised the option was missing. I had to manually sync the file for it to work.

drkmccy commented 5 years ago

This changed with latest version, but was not communicated properly :-/ There is now a background job that syncs every downloaded file every 15min, when on wifi.

I don't think the new 'sync' works. Downloaded a file, uploaded a new version via the web and the Android client changed the corner icon to a red 'x'. It never downloads the new version.

mase76 commented 5 years ago

Similar here. Changing a file on the android device, it never gets synced to nc. I use it to sync my keepass database.

jedwabny commented 5 years ago

Even sync every 15 minutes is not very handy for local changes propagation if someone is waiting for our job.

What is the reason to wait 15 minutes for upload, if we are on wifi, instead of just upload immediately?

By the way, it's intriguingly, why there is no auto sync option for selected files. In many places mobile data is very cheap. In Poland you can have 20GB for 6$/month. There is no need to care about such limit in case of a few KB files. And users of "make available offline" know that very well. Now this option is removed without alternative to self decide.

drkmccy commented 5 years ago

I agree, mobile data is not an issue. Having files available as soon as possible is important. Maybe have an option to automatically sync files below 1MB?

tobiasKaminsky commented 5 years ago

There is a limitation on Android to scan/get notified by changing files. Therefore we decided to run a job every 15min to see if there is a changed file. This is a tradeoff between update speed vs. data usage vs. battery usage.

jedwabny commented 5 years ago

I've personally never observed any problems with auto-upload of "available offline" files. But of course it's only two persons with three devices possitive impression. I could be not aware of problems. Anyway, maybe observing of just a few files (less number than the android limitation), recently opened by external app (from nextcloud open with menu), is an option instead of completely take the user right to decide?

Please understand, it's significant disconfort. At least if your file is outdated then you see red icon, but if you have local not-uploaded change done by external app then icon is still green and user can be convinced that his workflow is done.

Moreover, really sorry for saying this, taking into account the background jobs execution difficulties on various android devices and static time value in my humble opinion the new solution is step back.

drkmccy commented 5 years ago

There is a limitation on Android to scan/get notified by changing files. Therefore we decided to run a job every 15min to see if there is a changed file. This is a tradeoff between update speed vs. data usage vs. battery usage.

I see. In that case we need to look at why this 15 minute sync is not working. I still believe a "Keep in sync" or "sync on/sync off" option for a folder is the right option.

sciurius commented 5 years ago

I have several Android clients all running 3.5.1. On a Linux client, I have a file README.txt that automatically gets modified once per hour. It gets synchronized to the nextcloud server immedeately. On all clients, the file README.txt has been downloaded manually. After a number of hours it turns out that all clients except one automatically update the local copy of the file.

On the misbehaving client the following happens. The initial (manual) download of the file README.txt goes well. After a while, when the file has been modified on the server and the client detects this, the file gets a red cross and there’s a notification “Download failed - Could not download README.txt”. When I use the nc client file browser and click on the file I get the same error. The only remedy is to remove the file locally and download it again, manually. But the next time the file is changed on the server the same download error occurs again on the client. It looks as if the client has access rights to create files, remove files, read files, but is not allowed to overwrite existing files…

FWIW, this client is running on Asus Z300M with Android 7.0.

sciurius commented 5 years ago

No improvements with 3.6.0 beta.

gsantner commented 5 years ago

Synced txt files with nextcloud app, modified in other app multiple times these days. Nextcloud web app still says date from days ago. So this did not sync anything automatically at all for me, just downloaded once manually, nothing uploaded automatically at all. Also opened the NC app to ensure that it's not like the app is not running or could not create background stuff. Still old unchanged file in there (in online view).

Having Android 9, NC app 3.5.1, battery optimization also turned off for that app.

Also: Unsure if I understood this correct, but this auto sync is only available for wifi usage? If so, please make it an option to also work for mobile.

cast-away commented 5 years ago

I am struggling to make sense of this...

  1. a feature that detected files changed locally and immediately uploaded them to the server, albeit with a slightly confusing UI, is removed
  2. a new feature, with a neater UI, is implemented in its place
  3. the new feature is limited to detecting changes in files every 15 minutes only, and currently does not work

Can't we just get back to what worked in the first place please?

TobiasDev commented 5 years ago

Yeah, I would also like the auto sync (even on mobile data) for smaller files. Eg. I have a shared todoTXT file with things and now that no longer syncs until I'm on WiFi which is not ideal

lilianchiassai commented 5 years ago

I have the same use case as @TobiasDev : a todo.txt file shared between several devices that no longer syncs(unless I do it manually). To have the option to push local changes to the server automatically and instantly would nice.

cast-away commented 5 years ago

same use case as @TobiasDev and @AllirionX, the small files suggestion could be a nice workaround, is this technically feasible?

stale[bot] commented 5 years ago

This request did not receive an update in the last 4 weeks. Please take a look again and update the issue with new details, otherwise the issue will be automatically closed in 2 weeks. Thank you!

drkmccy commented 5 years ago

Not stale

stale[bot] commented 5 years ago

This request did not receive an update in the last 4 weeks. Please take a look again and update the issue with new details, otherwise the issue will be automatically closed in 2 weeks. Thank you!

cast-away commented 5 years ago

Not stale

stale[bot] commented 5 years ago

This request did not receive an update in the last 4 weeks. Please take a look again and update the issue with new details, otherwise the issue will be automatically closed in 2 weeks. Thank you!

TobiasDev commented 5 years ago

Not stale

stale[bot] commented 5 years ago

This request did not receive an update in the last 4 weeks. Please take a look again and update the issue with new details, otherwise the issue will be automatically closed in 2 weeks. Thank you!

drkmccy commented 5 years ago

Not stale

stale[bot] commented 4 years ago

This request did not receive an update in the last 4 weeks. Please take a look again and update the issue with new details, otherwise the issue will be automatically closed in 2 weeks. Thank you!

jedwabny commented 4 years ago

Not stale

sciurius commented 4 years ago

Not stale.

tobiasKaminsky commented 4 years ago

To have the option to push local changes to the server automatically and instantly would nice.

This then would be something like a real 2way sync, which is planned, but needs a server side function to get it working.

gsantner commented 4 years ago

@tobiasKaminsky

This changed with latest version, but was not communicated properly :-/ There is now a background job that syncs every downloaded file every 15min, when on wifi.

I tried this again multiple times todays and this does not work at all.

Manually syncing a file is not really what I as user want todo and expect from a cloud sync app todo itself. Thats what the app currently cannot deliver and thats for me as a user a really big issue.

While the old solution, with marking as offline was not really a burner, it worked at least. I could mark my 10 favourite files, lets say todos, shoppinglists and they were in sync with my other clients automatically. This is currently impossible with NextCloud on Android.

This then would be something like a real 2way sync, which is planned, but needs a server side function to get it working.

I as user - don't know/care much about how it worked and whats needed server side - the previous "mark offline" feature worked - and worked without server changes.

Google Play description

  • Keep your favorite files and folders synced

This issue is now open for about 8 months..I'm just wondering is there even interest in this very core feature of an sync app? I mean, if theres not enough time to get a new promising solution out that actually works...why not at least bring back something that works?

Sorry if that sounds offensive - but this is honest feedback from mainly user view. No flaming scream "my issue is the most important!1!1".

stale[bot] commented 4 years ago

This request did not receive an update in the last 4 weeks. Please take a look again and update the issue with new details, otherwise the issue will be automatically closed in 2 weeks. Thank you!

sciurius commented 4 years ago

Still doesn't work.

stale[bot] commented 4 years ago

This request did not receive an update in the last 4 weeks. Please take a look again and update the issue with new details, otherwise the issue will be automatically closed in 2 weeks. Thank you!

sciurius commented 4 years ago

Still doesn't work.

stale[bot] commented 4 years ago

This request did not receive an update in the last 4 weeks. Please take a look again and update the issue with new details, otherwise the issue will be automatically closed in 2 weeks. Thank you!

sciurius commented 4 years ago

Still doesn't work.

chr-lemes commented 4 years ago

Tested it all again today.

Uninstalled Nextcloud for android (3.9.2). Restarted the phone. Installed Nextcloud 3.10. In phone config options, removed nextcloud from battery optimization list and enabled nextcloud sync in account settings.

Then created a text file on my server, using firefox on my desktop. Synced the file to the mobile app. Then changed the file on my phone. Waited a few hours. Nothing happened. Then I manually synced (the only way to have files synced with nextcloud android app since version 3.5), and changed file on the server. Then waited again. And nothing happened again.

Uninstalled version 3.10 and installed 3.4.2. Again, had to remove the app from the optimization list and activate sync on account settings.

Every time I changed the file on the mobile app, it was automatically uploaded to the server a few minutes later (even if nextcloud mobile app wasn't in the foreground). The same thing happened the other way: every time I changed the txt file on the server (using firefox on my desktop), the file on my phone was updated.

Have to mention that I didn't experiment problems with the auto-upload feature since 3.5 (not that I had any problem before that, as far as I remember). But I didn't do any testing.

michaelhwalther commented 4 years ago

not stale - at all... Issues:

stale[bot] commented 4 years ago

This request did not receive an update in the last 4 weeks. Please take a look again and update the issue with new details, otherwise the issue will be automatically closed in 2 weeks. Thank you!

cast-away commented 4 years ago

not stale

drkmccy commented 4 years ago

Still not sure this 15 minute sync the devs talk about exists. If it does, it’s not working. The way I’m using Nextcloud requires that when I upload files to a shared folder, every user that I have shared that folder with gets those files downloaded onto their device as soon as possible and is available offline.

jedwabny commented 4 years ago

I still do not understand the 15 minutes interval idea. Desired behavior is to sync immediately - exactly like it already was implemented and now wiped out. Moreover I do not observe it working with the exception of one situation, where (today) one of Android devices creates duplicates exactly each 15 minut. Unfortunately it's pdf file and as a result I have a lot of following duplicates, and the number is growing: File (2).pdf File (2)(2).pdf File (2)(2)(2).pdf And so on.. Nextcloud server is 18.0.1 and Android client is the newest one from Play.

stale[bot] commented 4 years ago

This bug report did not receive an update in the last 4 weeks. Please take a look again and update the issue with new details, otherwise the issue will be automatically closed in 2 weeks. Thank you!

sciurius commented 4 years ago

not stale

tobiasKaminsky commented 4 years ago

a. Desired behavior is to sync immediately - exactly like it already was implemented and now wiped out.

It was never immediately, but always a background job that synced it. The only difference is that it is now a default behaviour for all downloaded files and it only happens on wifi.

jedwabny commented 4 years ago

Unfortunately it's not working so reliable as in the past worked for "offline mode" files.

I've just tried again. On Android, opened txt file by "open with" using QuickEdit, made some random modification, saved and exit from QuickEdit.

Now I'm waiting on Web GUI of NextCloud for more than half of hour and nothing is synced on server. On Android client the file has green icon attached so for user it looks to be ok - but it's not.

The new thing, that I observe, is found on Web GUI while trying to look into the file after changed on Android Client, the message appears: "! Document has been changed outside the editor. Changes can't be applied." (not the original but the translation to English).

Still manual sync is needed to push the changes done in external editor and also to fix the above message.

chr-lemes commented 4 years ago

a. Desired behavior is to sync immediately - exactly like it already was implemented and now wiped out.

It was never immediately, but always a background job that synced it. The only difference is that it is now a default behaviour for all downloaded files and it only happens on wifi.

But the question is not if the sync was immediate or not. I think that jedwabny didn't make himself very clear. Probably he meant "automatically" instead of "immediately" .

The problem that all of us (who have commented on this ticket) have reported is that the sync feature (since version 3.5) doesn't sync! Even if you wait for hours! The only way to have files synced since version 3.5 is to manually sync them!

You may see the procedures I followed (posted on Jan. 26). The mobile client (version 3.5+) simply doesn't sync automatically, opposed to version 3.42-, using "make it available offline".

michaelhwalther commented 4 years ago

| ... the sync feature (since version 3.5) doesn't sync!

Exactly this! It simply doesn't work anymore.

asdrubal77 notifications@github.com schrieb am Do., 23. Apr. 2020, 16:25:

a. Desired behavior is to sync immediately - exactly like it already was implemented and now wiped out.

It was never immediately, but always a background job that synced it. The only difference is that it is now a default behaviour for all downloaded files and it only happens on wifi.

But the question is not if the sync was immediately or not. I think that jedwabny didn't make himself very clear. Probably he meant "automatically" instead of "immediately" .

The problem that all of us (who have commented on this ticket) have reported is that the sync feature (since version 3.5) doesn't sync! Even if you wait for hours! The only way to have files synced since version 3.5 is to manually sync them!

— You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/nextcloud/android/issues/3673#issuecomment-618424971, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ABCCVGIQ5SDU5USPB3SHNDDROBFUXANCNFSM4G2D26VQ .

jedwabny commented 4 years ago

Actually I meant both, "automatically" and also "immediately" (at least for pointed out files), because the declared 15 minutes interval between sync is quite inconvenient. Really, in the old versions, nc client synchronized to the server, the files pointed out by "make it available offline", a second or two after the external editor has been closed.

But like the other said, it's not working at all for a year now.

gsantner commented 4 years ago

Comment I've written on 08. Nov 2019 is still the case, and so like all others say: Background sync doesnt work at all! neither "15 minutes" nor something else.

The previous "mark offline" stuff at least worked fine for single files, like above said some seconds afer modification.

I'm using Syncthing now since long time and recommend it to my app users, hope I can once recommend NC in future again. Syncthing just simply works, file modified, network connection available, boom file synced.

But we all get it, there seems to be not much interest in getting automatic file sync to work again. Otherwise this wouldn't be stale over and over again.