Android: File duplication error

[Siggi0904]

With 3.11 RC1 I get a file dupliccation error.

Files they are at NC won't be overwritten with newly update since 3.11 RC1.
I have to delete same named old files in NC before auto upload can upload these files.
Version's before aren't affected.

In my case I'll upload WhatsApp Backups to my NC storage.

Thanks for fixing or rolling back.

[AndyScherzinger]

Looping in @tobiasKaminsky and @ArisuOngaku - my guess is this is related to the upload existing files change (while it is just a guess)

[Siggi0904]

Hi, bug still exists with 3.11.0 RC2

[AndyScherzinger]

cc @tobiasKaminsky @ArisuOngaku this has been reported on the forum too
https://help.nextcloud.com/t/android-sync-file-conflict-setting-wont-work/73452/2

[ArisuOngaku]

Yes this is because there is no setting to let the user choose what to do in case of conflict. So we chose to let the user decide instead of doing a destructive operation by default.

We should add such a setting; What to do if the file already exists?:

• Ask me everytime
• Rename new version
• Overwrite remote version
• Ignore (are there use cases which make this preferable to "Ask me everytime"?)

[tobiasKaminsky]

Hm. Auto upload should only upload new files (after initial set-up).
So the conflict should only be there once.

@ArisuOngaku we should discuss this idea in a new issue :+1:

[AndyScherzinger]

@tobiasKaminsky custom folder upload changes also!

[tobiasKaminsky]

I fear that there is no short term solution for this, but we should do this like Arisu said, and have an option how to deal with conflicts per each auto upload.

We should add such a setting; What to do if the file already exists?:

* Ask me everytime

* Rename new version

* Overwrite remote version

* Ignore (are there use cases which make this preferable to "Ask me everytime"?)

I would not offer ignore, as this might cause "data loss" due to not handling a conflict problem.

[tobiasKaminsky]

@ArisuOngaku do you have time to look into this? :heart:

[ArisuOngaku]

@tobiasKaminsky as I understand it, a file changing its content (at least in this specific case) gets handled like a newly created file (like if it was deleted then created again?). So in this case it would happen more than once.

Do you want this setting for 3.11.0?

[fodinabor]

I tried putting the option in as it annoyed me enough today... :)
Should I submit another PR to stable-3.11 or wait for review first?

See 30aa67d for a commit based on 3.11.

[AndyScherzinger]

You can wait for the review, backports if automatable will be created by the backport bot :)

[vb0]

Since a few days I'm getting pestered by the file duplication error in Android client too, not sure if it has anything to do with upgrading the server to beta channel/19.0.1 that happened around the same time (the client itself I'm running the Play Store version/beta and updating as soon as possible since a long time).

What's strange is that I checked both stat (timestamps) and md5sum, the files are precisely the same on the server and phone. Also what might be annoying (but probably expected) is that once you get the files in the upload que the notifications won't be stopping even if you go and take even more and more powerful measures like:

• set the autoupload to overwrite remote
• disable autoupload for that directory
• remove the files completely from the phone

Also what I've noticed (and probably isn't expected) is that no matter what you chose (keep new/old file) the notification comes again anyway (I'm not talking about the cases where the file is removed or anything else changed in the configuration).

[Siggi0904]

with latest stable an option was added to auto upload function.
But these option who you can decide, what apps at file conflict didn't work with version 13.

[AndyScherzinger]

@Siggi0904 Did you update to 3.13.0RC2 since that should ship a fix ?

[Siggi0904]

Hi Andy,
yes some days before I get an update. But nothing has changed and nothing as written in changelog.
Should I see any relate changes with RC2?

Same duplicate messages since RC1.

Thanks.

[AndyScherzinger]

6557 should fix this (RC2) - for time savings we don't list all changes, especially fixes in the changelog but rather the "big" changes and always with regards to the latest feature release.

[Siggi0904]

Hm, then it doesn't work. Issue should be reopened.
If I can help let me know on which way, but no dev skills.

[AndyScherzinger]

Thanks for the feedback @Siggi0904

@tobiasKaminsky: re-opened since the issue still occurs for @Siggi0904

[tobiasKaminsky]

@Siggi0904 what exactly are you doing and how have you configured your auto upload?

[Siggi0904]

Hi, I'd like to backup the whole whatsapp folder in addition to the picture folders.
Duplication error is related to the files in folder "backup" and "database".
Other files in whatsapp folder are unique by name.

In latest stable all works fine with these newly settings from vb0.

Settings for whatsapp folder in android app:

[Siggi0904]

Short info, not finished with latest RC4.

Is it sub-sub folder related or what is the problem?
What can I do for the final release and these bug fix?

Great thanks.

[vb0]

Same here, with RC4 too. Just the normal Camera directory (with the "use subfolders" option if it matters). Not only the duplicate notification comes for no good reason (as nothing is changed) but also:

• I have it set to "overwrite remote version"
• the notification comes repeatedly even if there should be no activity as I have it set to "only upload when charging" (and the phone isn't and wasn't charging for a long time)
• no matter which version I chose to keep I can't get rid of the notification unless I go to Uploads and remove it from the queue by hand.

[brandons209]

Same issue here. Even with setting the "overwrite remote version" option is keeps asking me to resolve conflicts. I also have a lot of pictures to auto backup, and Nextcloud app will crash before getting through all of them, then it start and recheck everything it already uploaded and ask if I want to resolve a conflict. Can't fully upload everything because of it.

[erikhubers]

Same issue here. Using a custom auto upload folder (WhatsApp Databases) with "Overwrite remote version" on (as shown in screenshot below). Manually resolving the conflict with either "New file" or "Already existing file" won't prevent the conflict to show up again (within an hour or so).

I notice this open issue is linked to (the already released) Nextcloud App 3.11.1 instead of the unreleased Nextcloud App 3.14.0

Some logcat

I captured some logcat logging, available here. Note, nextcloud instance urls, usernames and paths are replaced with random text for privacy reasons.

Relevant timestamps of manual actions taken:
Action taken | Timestamp
------------ | -------------
|Manually resolve conflict|2020-08-26 22:38:49.635|
|Upload done |2020-08-26 22:39:36.234|
|Stop app* |2020-08-26 22:40:15.179|
|Open app |2020-08-26 22:40:29.11|
|Conflict reemerging |2020-08-26 22:40:30.445|

* Stopped app from Android app settings to invoke auto backup sync without having to wait for it.

Some screenshots

Below some screenshots of auto backup settings and conflict.

[tobiasKaminsky]

Can you try latest dev version, or the APK in https://github.com/nextcloud/android/pull/6771 to confirm if this is fixed?
Both can be installed in parallel.

[erikhubers]

@tobiasKaminsky : Did a quick check by installing NextCloud dev from F-Droid (v20200821). Unfortunately it still seems to be an issue. I can do some additional testing/log-grabbing tonight if needed, just let me know what u need.

[tobiasKaminsky]

v20200821

It was merged at 24.08.20, so you tested it on an old version.

[erikhubers]

Doh, silly me, assumed F-Droid would have latest in repo. Now installed v20200828 and issues haven't occurred yet. I'll check if this all goes well with tonights nightly WhatsApp backup and let you know tomorrow.

[erikhubers]

Seems to work fine!

[Siggi0904]

Sound's great.
Then release a beta or RC for more testing.

Great thanks.

[tobiasKaminsky]

Fixed with #6771