Dropbox Sync - Conflicts on content.js

sebmercier · December 2014

Hi,

I installed the latest versions of 1Password on my Mac and PC. PC version works fine (more or less : can't add a new item of type "password", while the option exists on the Mac).

Hopefully I installed the trial version, because on the Mac however, it's another story...

Every single time I add something from the Mac, I get a conflict on the file "content.js". Read the forum, no solution worked. I even tried deleting every single file I could find (https://guides.agilebits.com/1password-mac-kb/5/en/topic/data-locations) on the Mac. Same on the PC. Reinstalled from fresh. Nothing works.

Furthermore, while modifications on the PC appear on the Mac, it doesn't work the other way around : adding something or deleting it from the Mac does nothing on the PC (EDIT: looks like it's linked to the "password" type, the rest seems to work).

I'm trying 1Password before making my choice of password manager, and right now, considering the above problem, it's not looking good!! It's the most expensive and the most problematic so far...

Thanks in advance for your help.

Seb

1Password: latest version downloaded from AgileBits on 30/12/14
Windows 7 Pro SP1 with all updates
Mac OS X Yosemite with all updates

Additional info: I uninstalled the Windows version, I still get conflicts. It seems linked to Dropbox, I guess. I'd rather use Google Drive (I would need Dropbox ONLY for 1Password...), but from what I read it won't happen.

littlebobbytables · December 2014

Hi @sebmercier‌

In 1Password for Windows I think what you want to do is enable the Generated Passwords option in the View drop down menu, I think you'll find that all your Password items are syncing but just not as obviously visible on the default settings.

As for content.js conflict, that's to do with the .agilekeychain in your Dropbox. Do you have 1Password open on both computers at the same time? I got that message a couple of times in my Windows VM when I was taking a look to see what you were seeing.

sebmercier · December 2014

Hi,

Both computers are on at the same time, but right now 1Password has been removed from the Windows PC. Dropbox however is still on it. The Mac still shows the same behavior, i.e. conflict on content.js on every update.

Any idea?

Thanks!

littlebobbytables · December 2014

Hi @sebmercier‌

If you've removed 1Password from your Windows machine then I'd be interested to see if the error continues if we reset Dropbox syncing.

I'm assuming you aren't syncing any other devices. If that isn't the case do please let us know and ignore the rest of this post for now.

On your Mac enter 1Password's preferences and switch to the Sync tab. Click on the Change Syncing... button. In the confirmation window that pops up tick the check box to delete the 1Password.agilekeychain from Dropbox. Let Dropbox sync everything (it can take a moment or two) and then set up Dropbox syncing again.

Does the problem return if you do that?

We are sorting out a couple of bugs relating to Dropbox conflicts but I'm wondering if a new keychain will resolve this for you, at least as a temporary measure.

Let us know if that makes any difference.

sebmercier · December 2014

Hi,

I just tried (twice, just to be sure ;) ). I let Dropbox sync on both so that it deletes all the files from my PC too, then I re-enable on the Mac, let it sync. Once it all appears on the PC, I try adding an item => conflict appears.

I receive the Dropbox notification of a conflict, then I see that it created a file "contents (PC's conflicted copy 2014-12-30).js"

By the way, if it's relevant: I use Dropbox 3.0.4 on both (latest version, so), downloaded form Dropbox directly.

sebmercier · December 2014

Another bit of information: I just installed the iOS app, and the conflicted version of contents.js is deleted from Dropbox as soon as I open the app.

Tried it several times: add a password in 1P for Mac => I get a conflict on Dropbox.
I wait 2 to 10 mins, nothing happens.
I open the 1Password app on iOS => the conflict file is deleted within a second (two, tops).

Rad · December 2014

Hi @sebmercier‌,

Thanks for the followup :+1:

You mentioned that you installed the trial version of 1Password for Mac, which means that you are using our website version and not the Mac App Store version. For the upcoming release of 1Password for Mac, we made a lot of sync related changes, can you please update to the latest beta and see if your problem persists?

Here's how to update to the latest beta:

Go to Preferences -> Updates
Enable the Include beta builds check box
Check for Updates.

Can you also make sure that Dropbox.app is up-to-date?

And finally rebooting your Mac might really help once 1Password and Dropbox are up-to-date.

Hope that this helps :smiley:

Happy New Year!

sebmercier · January 2015

Hi,

Thanks for the help, guys.

I just installed build 510025 on the Mac (PC is v4.1.0.530);
rebooted;
and tried adding, removing, and editing items => same issue.

Dropbox is up to date on both computers (v3.0.4).

By the way, it is definitely related to the fact that both computers are online at the same time, I was on the road for a few days, and the Mac didn't exhibit the same issue until I booted the PC. Since even with 1Password uninstalled on the PC, the Mac had the issue, it has to be related to the Dropbox integration on the Mac.

Any idea?

Happy New Year

MikeT · January 2015

Hi @Sebmercier,

By the way, it is definitely related to the fact that both computers are online at the same time, I was on the road for a few days, and the Mac didn't exhibit the same issue until I booted the PC.

Since even with 1Password uninstalled on the PC, the Mac had the issue, it has to be related to the Dropbox integration on the Mac.

Even without 1Password installed on the Windows PC, Dropbox is still syncing and merging data between both computers. 1Password isn't creating the conflict files, Dropbox is. When 1Password detects a conflict file, it will merge the content in as long as it isn't a duplicate and then delete the file. That's what you saw when you open 1Password on the iOS device.

I'm not sure it is related to the Mac if you're saying there is no issues until the PC is online. Not to mention, the conflicts are created from the PC computer, not the Mac given the conflict name: PC's conflicted copy 2014-12-30.

As long as the PC isn't online, you're not seeing any conflict issues?

In Dropbox's network settings for both computers, do you have LAN Sync turned on? I was wondering if you can disable it for both and see if it is working better.

MikeT · January 2015

Hi @sebmercier,

I tried to reproduce this with both PC and Mac online at the same time, I'm not seeing any conflicts.

Would you mind testing something else for me:

In the Mac version, open 1Password, go to the 1Password Menu > Create New Demo Vault.
Now, go to the 1Password Menu > Preferences > Sync to enable the sync with Dropbox. Make sure Dropbox finish the sync on the PC as well.
Can you reproduce this conflict when creating a new password item now?

Please let me know.

sebmercier · January 2015

Hi MikeT,

I just tried exactly what you described.

I see exactly the same issue with the Demo Vault, i.e. a "contents (PC's conflicted copy 2015-01-06).js" file appears in the demo.agilekeychain\data\default, in addition to the regular "contents.js" file.

So, same problem. I made a few tests, and I now have 7 "conflict" files. They will clear when I launch the iOS app.

The issue is indeed when the PC is online only and I change something on the Mac.
Disabling LAN sync doesn't help.
Adding an item on the PC doesn't create a conflict.

The Dropbox history doesn't help, it just says I updated content.js and created the conlifct file. It doesn't say which computer originates the conflict file.

So, indeed, it could be the PC if it's not the way the Mac sends the info that creates the conflict (e.g. the Mac sending a first burst, then the PC starting the sync and the Mac already trying to re-update the file).

Don't know if it helps, but if I watch the sync "live" on Dropbox on the Mac, I see a sync, then "up to date", then a second later, a new sync, then the conflict file appears, and the conflicted copy appears.

On the PC, I can't tell, it's going too fast.

Looking at the time since sync, I have a differential between contents.js and the conflict file of 2 seconds on the Mac (e.g. synced 53 seconds ago for content.js => 51 sec ago for the conflict file). On the PC, the time difference is 4 to 5 seconds.

When adding an item on the Mac, Dropbox on the PC says, when starting the sync, that 2 files will be updated.

Any file I could send you to help you diagnose?

Thanks!

sebmercier · January 2015

Update : I just tried the following, in the Demo vault...

PC : "Pause syncing"
Mac : make changes (added Password item)
Mac : wait for sync

Wait 30 seconds : no conflict.

PC : Unpause syncing

The sync starts on the PC : 2 files... of which the conflict file.

Tried it again with more delay. Content.js on the PC was last updated at 8.21 PM.

PC : pause sync
Mac : update content at 8.28 PM
Mac : updates content.js at 8.28 PM
PC : unpause sync at 8.30 PM

Result : content.js on the PC is "timed" from 8.28, conflict content is 8.30.

The "password" file is also timed 8.28, so since it first said 2 files, it would seem it first downloads the two files, then somehow some computer says there is a conflict and it creates the conflict file and re-syncs?

By the way, no other file exhibits the same behavior: no problem if I update a password (no conflict on the .1Password file), no problem if I create or update a test word file.
So it would seem to be related only to 1Password's content.js

rickfillion · January 2015

Hi @sebmercier‌,

This is strange. Can you confirm that this happens even when 1Password for Windows is not running? For Dropbox to create a conflict file, it would require that it think that there's a local edit on the PC that would be overwritten. If 1P isn't running, I'm not sure what else would be writing to the file. Can you make sure that both systems have synchronized clocks so that we can rule out time mismatches?

It may be worth uninstalling and re-installing Dropbox on Windows. I've seen a couple issues where Dropbox does some odd things, especially if for example you copied another system's dropbox folder to another system then pointed Dropbox to it. Uninstalling dropbox and starting fresh there would take a lot of things out of the equation.

Rick

sebmercier · January 2015

Hi @rickfillion

1Password not running on Windows (but Dropbox runnning): I killed the 1Password processes (Agile1pAgent.exe and 1Password.exe), and no dice: conflict file
Dropbox reinstall on Windows: did that, deleted the dropbox folder, reinstalled, let it sync, and... still no dice: conflict.

I have already tried flushing the Dropbox cache on both Windows and OS X, didn't help.

Clocks are synced to the internet, and even if it's probably not synced to the millisecond, the conflict would not appear when I waited if it wasn't the case, and would appear on the other files, I guess. Yes, I checked if the date was correct ;)

Now, I just tried another test, which makes me think it's linked to 1Password for Mac (though I might be wrong, you're the expert):

PC : Dropbox sync is on, 1Password is running (1P Agent and Chrome extension too).

Mac: paused Dropbox sync
Mac: Added a password in 1Password
Mac: exited 1Password (even 1Password mini) => they are not running, so killed, not just hidden.
Mac: unpaused Dropbox sync

=> NO conflict

Now, I would think that the next step will be uninstalling 1Password on the Mac, but then I'd like to have your advice: shall I use "AppCleaner" to uninstall it, or just drag&drop 1Password from the Apps folder to the trash? What other folders shall I delete?

rickfillion · January 2015

Hi @sebmercier,

Knowing how Dropbox Sync works in 1Password, I highly doubt that a re-install would fix this issue. But if you'd like to rule it out, here's what you should do:

Make a backup of your vault. This can be either an AgileKeychain like you've put on dropbox that has all of your items, or you can go into Preferences > Backup, and create a new backup. You should be able to use the 'Show Files' button to show the backup files in Finder. Copy the one with the latest date to your desktop. If you've got multiple vaults, using the native backup function is the way to go as the 1 backup file will contain everything for all vaults. Once you've got a backup set aside, you can use the instructions on our Starting Over page. Make sure to restart your Mac afterwards (alternatively run killall cfprefsd in Terminal).

When you restart 1Password it'll treat you like a brand new user, you can tell it you've used 1Password before and then point it to either the AgileKeychain or the backup file and it should set things up for you.

I'd like to try ruling out the 1Password/Mac app itself. Here's a test that we can do that would do that. Make a copy of the AgileKeychain file to another location within your dropbox folder...

Wait until it has synced to the PC
Open contents.js in a text editor of your choice on the Mac.
Go to the very end of the file and add a few new lines (hit return a few times)
Save the file
Let dropbox sync it to your PC
See if the PC creates a conflict on the PC.
Confirm that those edits show up on the PC.

If no conflict... try the same test while 1Password for Windows is running and has this AgileKeychain opened.

Thanks for your patience with us with this.

Rick

sebmercier · January 2015

Hi Rick,

Okay, so I did all the above. I had an extra file compared to the "Starting Over" page, though (com.agilebits.onepassword4-updater.plist, which I moved to the desktop too).

Then, I made the copy on the Mac with 1Password running (1P not running on Windows, Dropbox running on both). Updated the file in the AgileKeyChain copy => conflict.

Tried the same with 1Password not running on the Mac nor on the PC : conflict again.

So it would look like it's linked to Dropbox and the file itself?

Thanks for your time and help!

Seb

sebmercier · January 2015

Update : I tried another test...

On the Windows PC, in the Dropbox root folder : new blank text file... Renamed to TEST.JS
So that file has no link whatsoever with 1Password (wasn't even running on either computer).

On the Mac : edit the blank test.js with TextEdit.app, save.

Conflict...

So I guess 1Password is not the cause of the issue.

I'll take it to Dropbox, then.

Thank you guys a lot for your time.

Seb

Drew_AG · January 2015

Hi @sebmercier,

Thanks for letting us know! That's definitely strange, but I agree that this sounds like a Dropbox issue, since this happened with a text file that had nothing to do with 1Password. Assuming the folks at Dropbox are able to help solve this, we'd be interested to know how it works out for you. Thanks! :)

jms703 · January 2015

I'm having a similar issue on OSX. Endless cycles of syncing. 43 copies of a file.
Dropbox is resyncing and resyncing over and over.
1Password 4 running on two Mavericks computers.

jms703 · January 2015

To fix this, I exported my 1Password vault. I nuked everything and started over. My Dropbox folder is clean now. Conflicts gone.

littlebobbytables · January 2015

I'm glad you managed to resolve your issue @jms703‌ Given sebmercier‌'s issues with non-1Password files it may be the case that your issues are unrelated though.

sebmercier · January 2015

Hi,

Quick update on the case above.

So, after checking with the guys at Dropbox, it looks like the firewall was the issue (Comodo Firewall).

Uninstalling and reinstalling the firewall did the trick. Tried a few times, no conflicts.

Thanks all for the help.

Best regards,

Seb

Megan · January 2015

Hi Seb ( @sebmercier ),

Thanks for the update! I'm glad to hear that you're all sorted out.

I hope that 1Password behaves perfectly for you from now on, but if you have any further questions or concerns, we're here to help! :)

Dropbox Sync - Conflicts on content.js

Comments