WHAT IS THE BUG
Windows client does not sync with Anytype account. What appears to have happened is that the windows version, through some specific circumstances, no longer downloads properly from the cloud or p2p. This initially prevented me from transferring data between devices, but now prevents me from logging in at all with my recovery code on the desktop.
HOW TO REPRODUCE IT
Synced a PDF file through the file upload on mobile in a regular page.
The files appeared on the desktop client, but could not be previewed. Once downloaded, they simply created a text file instead of a PDF.
Tried deleting the files on mobile but they did not delete on the desktop version. It was somewhere around here that the desktop version stopped syncing (I think). Instead of the usual “synced” dialogue, or “syncing” it permanently displayed “not connected”.
I proceeded to try various things, such as logging in and out, uninstalling and reinstalling the client. All with the same result: “Not Connected”.
Eventually, I uninstalled all the folders for Anytype and tried reinstalling from scratch. Then I started not being able to use my recovery phrase on the desktop version. That’s where I’m at now and that’s what I’m hoping to fix. I don’t know if the initial issue and this one are related, but I can’t help but feel that they probably are.
It’s worth mentioning that throughout all of this the mobile version has worked without issue displaying the “synced” status all the time and being able to use the recovery phrase to get back into the account.
THE EXPECTED BEHAVIOR
Windows and mobile version both sync and share data between one another.
ADDITIONAL CONTEXT
Error from Netcheck tool (with ip addresses removed):
I have tried everything listed here. The netcheck tool results are already contained in the post.
The only thing that I have not and cannot try is using a different computer as I don’t have access to one. Is there anything else that I could possibly do? This seems like a bug that might be worth exploring, seeing as it has been able to essentially brick the client.
Cheers, I really believe in this project and I’ll be patiently waiting for the next update. I guess I’ll just have to stick to the phone for now haha. Let me know if I can provide any more data in the meantime.
Oh yeah, for sure. I am not using any VPNs or Proxies. I didn’t even think to check who’s IP it was, sorry, my kneejerk reflex to posting CMD screenshots online. Here’s the full screenshot.
I’m just recalling now as well, I think I tried offloading the files to the Anytype node at some point. Also little update, the error is now gone, we’ve upgraded to a plain old black screen.
As a possible bandage, is there any way I can migrate the data from my properly working Android client to the windows client? Any ideas are helpful, just want to get back to using the software.
If you’re seeing all your content with a green status of “Synced” on your Android device, but not on your desktop device: some people have bypassed this by making a hard-wire connection between their devices with a USB cable, to establish a micro-local network. Then waiting for it to sync.
If that doesn’t work, then you can try this:
Install Anytype on a different Windows device (and ideally different network)
Wait for it to sync and then export your Space (include files) as a Protobuf
Copy the protobuf over to your original device and import it into your account
You might end up with some duplicate Objects, so if that’s difficult to manage, a further option is to make a completely new account and import your Protobuf file there. If all goes well, delete your old account and use the new one on both your computer and mobile devices from now on.
I don’t have access to another windows device, but I did try it on a different user, at least now I only get the classic ‘client.clientspace’: unable to connect. I tried it over USB network, same result. Could I try offloading the files from my phone to the server? Is that going to run me the risk of completely losing all my files?
Can you guys do anything on your end? Could you rollback the cloud save for the desktop client by a few hours? I probably shouldn’t have tried using this as my daily driver quite yet, but damn, I’m kind of hooped right now. I wish I would have regularly exported to a hard file type just in case. Everyone should do this I think.
I don’t know what to do. I’ve tried on a different network, I’ve tried switching accounts, uninstalling and reinstalling, every suggestion except one because I don’t have access to another computer. Maybe I could try going to the library?
Just wanted to add that I was experiencing this every time I put my seed phrase in. I forget how I resolved it - I think I switched back and forth between the Release and Pre-release versions at the top and quit the app. I forget how exactly I resolved it, but I just know that I was trying to log in and experienced the same problem. You could also try reinstalling the app if necessary. Just trying to help and I so wish I remembered what I did to get mine working again. I might have also reloaded the app using CTRL+R.
Just trying to help and hope that something out of this does!
-James @23jjl
Just wondering, did you check and make sure that your time is set and synced correctly? I just remembered why I was having the problem which was because my time was getting out of sync after booting into Ubuntu and then booting back into Windows. Making sure the timezone was set to automatic and syncing the time fixed the issue.
Alright, no way, it actually worked. I was losing it.
So some context; I did recently move continents, but I switched all my devices to the new timezone so I figured it would not be an issue, and it wasn’t for about a week. Then it started not working, but because it wasn’t manifesting for the first few days I didn’t even consider it.
I guess I’ll keep this thread updated if anything else happens or if it needs to be reset again. Thanks for the help guys.
Update 1
Ran another impromptu test because I accidentally uninstalled the app, and it looks like the same thing happened again. It seems like the database only loads on the timezone you originally created it in.
Thanks Alex for taking the time and reporting this issue. I was dealing with the same bug but didn’t have the time to report it in detail like you did. Thank you for that
Thank you 23jjl! - I CAN COMFIRM THE TIME SYNC FIXED THE ISSUE FOR ME!
For windows users - You can go to Settings>Time & Language>Date & Time
Make sure your second device match these settings from the first one.
Oh yeah, glad it worked out for you too. Interestingly enough, it doesn’t seem to matter what timezone my phone is on, It was only on Windows that it causes issues.
.
