Code-settings-sync: Auto Upload / Download : Unable to read syncLocalSettings.json. Make sure its Valid JSON.

[GuskiS]

🐛 Describe the bug
When I start VSCode I get error in dev console:
Sync : Unable to read syncLocalSettings.json. Make sure its Valid JSON.

Afterwards extension opens link to:
http://shanalikhan.github.io/2017/02/19/Option-to-ignore-settings-folders-code-settings-sync.html

Also the notification appears. It happens everytime I start VSCode.

🌴 Visual Studio Code Version : 1.29.0
🌴 Code Settings Sync Version : 3.2.0
🌴 Standard or Insiders : Standard
🌴 OSS or Portable : OSS
🌴 Operating System : Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS
🌴 Occurs On: when I start vscode
🌴 Proxy Enabled: no
🌴 Gist Id: [ ID_HERE ]

📰 To Reproduce
Not sure, it says invalid json, but my json is valid.
I have these settings:

  "sync.autoDownload": true,
  "sync.autoUpload": true,
  "sync.forceDownload": true,
  "sync.quietSync": true,
  "sync.askGistName": false,
  "sync.removeExtensions": true,
  "sync.syncExtensions": true,

💪 Expected behavior
It shouldn't error out, atleast not open the browser.

📺 Console Error Log
I added console.error(this.en.FILE_CUSTOMIZEDSETTINGS, customSettingStr); to see some output, but it seems to log only the path, like the there is no json :thinking:

[shanalikhan]

It is referring to this global settings.
https://github.com/shanalikhan/code-settings-sync#global-settings

Reset the Settings Sync Settings to fix it.

[GuskiS]

I have already done that. It still rises the error next time I open vscode.

[shanalikhan]

can you write the content of file available in that path ?

[GuskiS]

Sure. Token removed:

{"ignoreUploadFiles":["projects.json","projects_cache_vscode.json","projects_cache_git.json","projects_cache_svn.json","gpm_projects.json","gpm-recentItems.json"],"ignoreUploadFolders":["workspaceStorage"],"ignoreExtensions":[],"replaceCodeSettings":{},"gistDescription":"Visual Studio Code Settings Sync Gist","version":320,"token":"removed","downloadPublicGist":false,"supportedFileExtensions":["json","code-snippets"],"openTokenLink":true,"disableUpdateMessage":false,"lastUpload":"2018-11-14T08:50:59.289Z","lastDownload":"2018-11-14T08:50:59.289Z","githubEnterpriseUrl":null,"askGistName":false,"customFiles":{},"hostName":null}

If you take a look at Console Error Log part of issue, I mention I have added logger. Which outputs path, but not the content or the content is empty at that step.

What is weirder, it seems to output file content 3 times before and then it throws error.

[shanalikhan]

Can you try to remove this file from the drive and restart the code and then try adding token in that file.

[GuskiS]

Same thing.

[GuskiS]

It started happening recently(maybe a month), I have been using this extension for a long time.
Here is the full console output:

As you can see, it prints out the content of JSON couple of times, and then it just dies.

Also, I have noticed same thing happening on my other computer (haven't used it much).

[hadim]

Same error here.

[shanalikhan]

Auto upload and Auto Download isnt working perfectly right now. Use Settings Sync by turning them off the the moment.

[curtisbelt]

@shanalikhan Hello Shan! I have this exact same issue with one difference, it only happens when I open a 2nd VSCode window (ctrl+shift+n). I've experienced it for a very long time though, several months at least. Let me know if I should open a new issue or not -- it just seems so similar to this. Thanks for your work!

[shanalikhan]

@CurtisBelt I suppose your either Auto Upload / Download is turned on - Try turning off them.

[GuskiS]

Before you posted temp fix, I changed sync.forceDownload to false and it stopped.

[shanalikhan]

Currently there are issues on autoUpload / Download - Issues are already opened for this already, there is no point to keep this thread alive.

OSS is not supported by Settings Sync , issue is being tracked at https://github.com/shanalikhan/code-settings-sync/issues/668

I'm closing this issue in favor of those 2 issues.
Feel free to discuss related to those problems in those threads.

[juliuscrn]

I have auto upload / download and force download turned off and still getting this. What can I do?

[shanalikhan]

What can I do?

@joolius
Have you tried resetting the extension settings? This mainly happens when configurations are not in valid JSON format.

[TrayHard]

I also have auto upload and download off and get this error. Moreover, I just downloaded this extension on fresh VSCode on fresh PC and on fresh (just installed) OS. I did reset settings several times and login with github, but error is the same:

Sync : Unable to read syncLocalSettings.json. Make sure its Valid JSON.

[Nyaasu66]

I recently encountered the same problem with a message saying: "Sync : Unable to read syncLocalSettings.json. Make sure its Valid JSON."But I solved this problem with just one click. Check "Download Public Gist" in Sync Settings and it will be successfully synchronized.(Or modify {"downloadPublicGist": true} in the %APPDATA%\Code\User\syncLocalSettings.json file)

我最近遇到了相同的问题，提示信息显示："Sync : Unable to read syncLocalSettings.json. Make sure its Valid JSON."
但是我只用了一次点击便解决了这个问题，在Sync Settings里面勾选"下载公开Gist"，立刻就能成功同步了。（或者在%APPDATA%\Code\User\syncLocalSettings.json文件中修改{"downloadPublicGist": true}）

[AnshulNautiyal]

I got this issue when I downloaded the extension in VSC and click on login to GitHub button.
For this issue, instead of direct login into my Github account, I click on the Edit configuration button and copy-paste gist ID and gist token manually.
Then I did sync: Download in VSC and it is working.

[vortechron]

Solve this issue by reset everything then enter gist id and token manually :) thanks to @AnshulNautiyal

[pwkip]

If you're having trouble location the syncLocalSettings.json file in Ubuntu, it's here:
~/.config/Code/User/syncLocalSettings.json

I had to add my gist token manually to that file. and then in settings i had to clear my Gist ID. After pressing Alt+Shift+U, it worked and a Gist ID was somehow autmatically generated