Sync Conflict Resolver and Dropbox

Folbo

I removed Dropbox from my computer a long time ago. At the time, Dropbox could only sync one (!) folder, I do not know if that is still the case but after years of promises, there was still no multiple folder syncing. I now use SugarSync.



At some point in the last couple of weeks, since the last 1Password update I am being plagued with 'Sync Conflict Resolver' between my Mac and Dropbox. I have a couple of questions ...



1. How do I stop this?



2. Where is this conflict data ?... Finder tells me that there is nothing related to Dropbox on my computer ... so where is this daa coming from? My fear is that 1Password is using online data direct from Dropbox. I do not have a clue if that is the case, it seems far fetched but I cannot think of any other option. I am both concerned that 1P could o this/would do this without consent, and that my data is still online and accessible in the first place. If I am wrong, where, on my mac, is this conflicted data so that it might be removed? if I am correct, where online is the data and how can I remove it from there?



Thanks.

khad

Hey Folbo,



Thanks for asking about this.



If ever you make a change on more than one computer or device that conflicts with another change, Dropbox will create a "conflicted copy" of the file automatically. Because Dropbox syncs so quickly, this usually isn't an issue because the change from one computer is almost instantaneously reflected on all your other computers and devices. The most common reason for conflicts to appear is if you are making changes while offline. When you are offline, Dropbox does not have a chance to work its magic and sync the changes across all your computers and devices. So if you change the same file in two different locations and then reconnect both of them to the Internet, Dropbox will preserve the changes you made in [b]both[/b] locations by creating a duplicate of the file with the words "conflicted copy" in the file name. Also included in the file name will be the name of the computer or device which made the changes producing the conflict as well as the date of the conflict.



A 1Password data file is what is known in Mac OS X as a "bundle" which is a fancy way of making a collection of files appear to the system as a single file. This facilitates better syncing — and, believe it or not, fewer conflicts — because each item in 1Password is actually stored as a separate file [i]inside[/i] the bundle. If you just edit one item, only that file needs to be synced rather than the whole data file.



If you are interested, you can see all the "conflicted copy" files by ctrl-clicking on your [font="Menlo"]1Password.agilekeychain[/font] data file in Finder and selecting "Show Package Contents" from the shortcut menu.



[img]https://img.skitch.com/20110706-m8ij6mssbugumja55kkqqbt6i1.jpg[/img]



Click the "data" folder and then the "default" folder inside that. These are the all the files that each represent an item in 1Password. Now, you [i]could[/i] just delete all the files with "conflicted copy" in their name, but we have a solution built into 1Password that actually allows you to easily choose which data is the right data: the Sync Conflict Resolve. Simply select "Find and Resolve Sync Conflicts" from the Help > Tools menu in 1Password.



[img]https://img.skitch.com/20110706-dcuw82k6ba4dg4er6n3idshabx.jpg[/img]



To resolve all conflicts in favor of the data stored on your Mac, click the action button in the bottom left corner and select "[b]Choose All from [Your Computer][/b]" from the menu and then click the "[b]Resolve Conflicts[/b]" button. Likewise, to resolve all conflicts in favor of the data which Dropbox obtained from another computer or device with which you were syncing, select "Choose All from Dropbox" before clicking the "Resolve Conflicts" button.



Once you resolve the old conflicts which were not resolved before you uninstalled Dropbox, there will not be any future conflicts as 1Password only performs sync conflict resolution when syncing with Dropbox. I can't say with any certainty what SugarSync will do to your data if a conflict arises. You will need to ask SugarSync support about how their solution handles sync conflicts.



I hope that helps. Please let me know.



Thanks!

Folbo

[quote name='khad' timestamp='1309924580' post='31243']

Hey Folbo,



Thanks for asking about this.



... Dropbox will create a "conflicted copy" of the file automatically. Because Dropbox syncs so quickly, this usually isn't an issue because the change from one computer is almost instantaneously reflected ...



[/quote]



Thanks for the reply.



The issue still remains that[i][b] none of my computers use Dropbox[/b][/i]. As far as I can tell, Dropbox does not exist on any of my computers although it did some time ago. Thus Dropbox is not in a position to 'create a conflicted copy'.



I had no problem with the removal of Dropbox, and there were no 1P conflicts in the months following its removal.It has only been in the last update of 1P that these 'conflicts' have manifested.



If the conflicts did not come from Dropbox then where is 1P getting this data from? Is there a hidden folder that you guys are using that may have a rogue Dropbox remnant? I have removed the hidden folder as per Dropbox's own uninstall procedures. Where should I look?



Thanks.