Conflicted copies with files used by one user

[domellen]

I have a recurring problem with conflicted copies in Dropbox. I use 1Writer on an iPad to write. No one else is using the file I'm working on, it isn't shared and it isn't open on any other machine. Actually, my Macs are shut down and my other iOS devices are not open, and anyway, I only write in these files on my iPad pro. Each time, the last copy seemed complete, so I just deleted all the others and renamed the last one with the original name.

Yesterday, I created a new file, just to be sure, wrote a couple of short sentences and closed the document. I then wanted to reopen it and had to download it. Half of what I had written was gone and then I noticed there were over 30 conflicted copies, each with a small number of words more than the previous copy. This has happened a number of times, once I found over 200 copies.

iOS 12.2 and the latest version of 1Writer, Dropbox 138.2.6.

What can cause this? What can I do to avoid it?

[Lusil]

Hey @domellen, thanks for raising this with us and awesome work on the troubleshooting!

I’ve sent you a ticket to the email address associated with your Community profile in order to continue investigating this a bit further. Please check your inbox for my latest message and we’ll take it from there. 

Looking forward to hearing back from you!

[Cinda B.]

I’m having a similar problem, with Pages documents saved to Dropbox when accessed on the iPad:

Scenario:

• The original document is in Dropbox.

• No one else has access to it (i.e., there aren’t two people editing at the same time).

• I’m updating the document on one device at a time (it’s not open in multiple locations).

My work flow:

1. Open the Files app

2. Navigate to the Pages document on Dropbox (via the left menu bar in Files app)

3. Document automatically loads in Pages app

4. Make edits, add content, etc.

Two things repeatedly occur:

1. A litany of conflicted copies appear, whether I’ve recently typed an edit or not.

2. Occassionally, after typing content, an error pops up, telling me the document has been deleted in another location. Unfortunately...it has.

I just lost several hours of research, thanks to the conflicted copies and disappearing ”deleted” issue. 

Is this a problem between iCloud and Dropbox? Does turning off Pages in iCloud resolve the issue, or is the hiccup solely in Dropbox? 

Sure hope there’s a solution, since the research is being done out of state—replicating it (or paying for another week to travel here again) is creating a serious problem.

Looking forward to assistance,

[Cinda B.]

Follow up post:

The problem is not iCloud/iCloud Drive. I turned it off (iOS Settings > iCloud > toggled Pages off), but in the past fifteen minutes have experienced two conflicted copies, followed by the “deleted” in another location error. 

And yes, that work is gone. 

Definitely a Dropbox problem. Please post a solution.

Thanks!

[Lusil]

Hi there @Cinda B., apologies for the tardy reply and thank you for the info you’ve provided in advance. 

In order to ensure troubleshooting, could you please also let me know if you’re able to edit the documents in question directly through the mobile app by any chance (instead of navigating through the Files app) and let me know if you see the same behavior as you describe? 

Finally, could you please provide me with a screenshot of the error message that notifies you of the deletion?

Looking forward to hearing back from you!

[KeithT]

My wife ran this problem this evening and we've had it happen before. She opened a numbers document on her ipad by going through the numbers app and locating the the file on dropbox through the app's open option. It's the only location that the file is open. she didn't get an error message but we've ended up with 22 conflict copies in the span of an hour or so. I'm almost wondering if it could somehow be caused by some type of auto save and/or sync delay between ios, the app, and/or dropbox.

ios 12.2
dropbox 160.2 
numbers 5.1

[Cinda B.]

My turn to apologize for a (miserably, in this case) late response. Didn’t realize there had been a response post.

Ironically, I tried exactly what you suggested (launch—in this case, Numbers—app, navigate to the original on Dropbox, open in Numbers, edit). No conflict copies BUT two errors appeared:

First, saying the file had been deleted (YIKES). Oddly, the file remained visible in the list of files on Dropbox (when viewed through the Numbers app).

The second error claimed I couldn’t download/access the file because I wasn’t the owner/didn’t have permission. Huh? 

No screenshots, since I didn’t realize this thread was still alive. Will definitely be screenshotting things from now on.

[Lusil]

Hello @KeithT, welcome to the Dropbox Community! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this with us. 

Also, no worries, @Cinda B. - glad to hear back from you and thanks for keeping me in the loop. 

Could you by any chance try and temporarily turn off/disable the auto-save option on the third party app? Maybe that will do the trick. 

If not, I'd be more than happy to send you each a ticket to further investigate this. 

Let me know how it goes!

[Cinda B.]

Hi Lusil,

Ironically, Dropbox is the "third party app" since both Pages and Numbers are Apple apps, run on an Apple device. Are you suggesting there's a way to force the Dropbox app to pause (similar to the pause feature available in the desktop version)? Not sure I'm clear about what you're suggesting. 

Cinda

[Lusil]

Ah, I see! Thanks for letting me know, @Cinda B.

Currently, there isn't an option to pause the mobile app like the desktop app. 

Nonetheless, I've followed up with a ticket to the email address connected to your Community profile so that we can further investigate this together. 

When you have the chance, check your inbox for my message and we'll take it from there. Thanks!