1password Mac doesn't synch items entered on iOS over Dropbox

jussilaakkonen
jussilaakkonen
Community Member

I'm encountering a persistent issue with syncing 1password Mac v5.4.3 (bought from Agilebits site) and 1password iOS v6.2.2. I've recently switched to OPVault format. I'm syncing the vaults over Dropbox.

1password iOS reports 768 items while Mac version reports 783 items. Items I enter on the Mac version are synched to the iOS version, but the items entered on iOS don't synch to my Mac. I just tested this by entering a new login item on the iOS version, then tapping Sync Now under Settings > Sync. When inspecting the iOS primary vault, it shows one more item (769) than before.

I have Dropbox running on my Mac and I verified that it reported "up to date". However, when looking at the timestamp on the 1password.opvault file, it shows several minutes earlier than the time when I entered the new login item on iOS. This seems to point to that 1password iOS isn't actually updating the new entry into the opvault file in the Dropbox.

I then turned off syncing on iOS, reactivated it and proceeded to choose the existing 1password/1password.opvault file in my Dropbox to ensure I was using the right file for syncing. After doing that 1password iOS hangs on the syncing screen (unresponsive) for several minutes and I had to kill the app from the task switcher. This happened also previously when I was testing, so there seems to be something repeatable causing the hanging.

After re-opening the app, the settings screen shows syncing still in progress and completing in a few seconds. Going into the Settings > Sync > Primary Vault I see 769 items again (starting point + new login entry created on iOS). At this point I restarted Dropbox on Mac to ensure it was syncing. The opvault file stamp doesn't change after restarting Dropbox and 1password Mac continues to show 783 items.

I then proceeded to enter a new login on 1password Mac. The Dropbox opvault filestamp immediately updated after I hit save. I then re-opened 1password iOS and the app immediately synced and showed me 770 items including the first new login item created on iOS and the second new login item created on Mac.

I've also tried removing syncing on Mac and re-enabling it without deleting Dropbox contents which apparently tried to merge some data, but it didn't fix this problem.

The only thing I can think of is deleting the existing opvault file, but I'm afraid of losing my data or ending up with irrevocable sync conflict between iOS and Mac.


1Password Version: 5.4.3
Extension Version: Not Provided
OS Version: OS X 10.11.2
Sync Type: Dropbox

Comments

  • jussilaakkonen
    jussilaakkonen
    Community Member

    Update: Upgrading 1password Mac to v6.0.1 doesn't resolve the issue. Again, creating a new item on 1password iOS doesn't synch the item to Mac. Dropbox does notify on Mac that a new item was added to the Dropbox, named "band_D (5).js". This happened previously also, but I didn't remember to write it up above.

  • littlebobbytables
    littlebobbytables
    1Password Alumni

    Hi @jussilaakkonen,

    The first thing that stands out is actually in your second post, the name of the file. Inside of an OPVault container there should be files titled band_0.js-band_9.js and band_A.js-band_F.js. We're following what Apple does with banding (and possibly others too, I just think Apple when I see this). Now to have a file titled band_D (5).js is unusual because even if there had been a conflict that isn't how Dropbox would have handled it.

    I do think the best way forward is going to be in the creation of a new OPVault container and to help ease concerns this is how I would do it.

    1. On your Mac launch 1Password.
    2. Use the menu option File > Backup
    3. Switch to the Sync tab.
    4. Change the sync option from Dropbox to None.
    5. In the confirmation window that pops up tick the checkbox titled Delete data from Dropbox and click the Disable Sync button. Don't worry, it will only remove the OPVault connected to this vault.
    6. Pause to let the deletion sync to Dropbox's servers.
    7. Change the sync option from None to Dropbox.
    8. Point 1Password to the same location as you used before. 1Password should offer a button that says Create New once a location has been picked. Click this button.
    9. Pause to let the creation of the new OPVault sync to Dropbox's servers.
    10. On your iOS device launch 1Password.
    11. You should find 1Password reports that sync is disabled.
    12. Inside 1Password for iOS go to Settings > Advanced and tap the Create Backup option.
    13. Set up Dropbox sync again, using the Sync with Dropbox (iOS) if you're unsure of the steps.

    Now there may be some conflicts but for the most part you should find the two merge without incident given they've been in sync for the most part. Here is a generic snippet I cobbled together that talks about what to expect if you're merging two vaults. Now it was written with a more disconnected couple of vaults in mind so shouldn't apply to this extent to you.

    Now what can you expect to find in your merged vault?

    We adopt a conservative approach. We will only merge items from two vaults if they have the same Universally Unique ID (UUID). If they don't we treat the as individual items. They can share the same title, username and password but unless the UUIDs match they're treated as separate items. In these instances you will see duplicates requiring you to manually remove one. When you do this I would recommend ensuring you don't have any unique information held only in one copy. If an item in each vault has the same UUID we will merge the two. Where the data is the same in both it's easy, there is nothing to do. When there is different data in each we will keep one set of the data where it normally resides and place the other set in a custom section titled Conflicts. This way we don't risk throwing anything important away and instead leave it to the user to ensure the good data is kept and the now obsolete data is removed.

    So I think a new OPVault is the way to go and that conflicts should be minimal. Please let us know how it goes :smile:

  • jussilaakkonen
    jussilaakkonen
    Community Member

    Thanks for detailed instructions Littlebobbytales! I followed them and it diverged a bit at step 11, where the sync started the moment I launched the iOS app. Other than things went well. The merge looks like to have completed without issues, and items changed on iOS are now reflected on Mac.

    It looks though that iOS app is prone to hang when ever I hit the "Sync Now" button with Dropbox syncing enabled. Just witnessed one more after I added a new item on iOS and hit "Sync Now". Hopefully I won't need that button at all from now.

  • Hi @jussilaakkonen,

    The iOS team is hard at work at fixing up those hangs during sync, but you shouldn't need to explicitly tap Sync Now anymore.

    Glad to hear littlebobbytables was able to get you up and running.

    Rick

This discussion has been closed.