sync problem with new version

[Felixfang]

i updated all ios device and got sync problem. Then I try to reset it and It doesn’t work too.

[sumnerg]

All does not seem well up on the iCloud right now. Other apps, including iWorks iOS and web-based apps, are also showing symptoms. I’ve read Apple is aware and a fix is on the way. Keeping fingers crossed.

[Brendan]

I too had some troubles today where it was taking almost 1/2 an hour for files to be synced over iCloud. It certainly makes you think that Tap Forms is at fault, but when I was monitoring a file that should have been synced quickly, it just took a very long time. It eventually synced though.

[sumnerg]

Sync unfortunately is still not working for me.

Symptoms:

On iPhone 5 running iOS7.0 TF 3.5 (112), get usual pushing changes alert.

But on iPad running iOS7.0 TF 3.5 (87) do not see the changes, even after a long wait.

Nor do the changes appear in TF 1.5 (217) on Mac.

Apple Notes app syncs ok between devices and up to the iCloud site, but not iOS Numbers. Or, alas, TF.

I have tried the usual desperation moves, double-checking that iCloud credentials are the same on each device, turning off Documents and Data and turning it back on, deleting iCloud account and reactivating it, even Erase All Contents and Settings and restoring the iPad from backup. No joy.

I have at least been able to make a backup of the TF database on the iPad. But on the iPhone, where I entered more recent data over the weekend that I really do not want to lose, I get Generate Backup File Please Wait … and then nothing (at least nothing within 15 min). When I cancel I can see a backup file listed as: TF-SG iPhone 5- 5-2013-09-23T11-39-01.zip 0 bytes. The database is 2.4 MB.

Any ideas?

[Brendan]

Notes uses a different sync technique than Tap Forms or Numbers, Pages, & Keynote. Tap Forms (and the others) use Documents & Data to sync. Notes I believe uses the Mail protocols to sync.

You might want to contact Apple support to see if maybe your account has been locked or something. That happened to me the other day. I tried to login to http://www.icloud.com and click on the Numbers, Pages, or Keynote icons, but it just kicked me out. I have a friend who works in the iCloud division and he looked into it for me. It turns out my account had been locked out for some reason. He was able to ask someone to unlock it for me. Right after that, my files started syncing again. He told me that Apple support would have been able to do that for me.

So maybe that’s something you can try?

If there are any files that are stuck in iCloud, that may have been what caused the backup not to complete. When you use iCloud to sync between devices, the files aren’t actually downloaded until requested. My sync process will do that automatically with the data files I generate, but not with files like photos, audio recordings, anything in the Files area, or drawings. Those files will get downloaded on-demand. Now when you do a backup, Tap Forms must request that all those files get downloaded from iCloud in order for it to be able to put them into the zip file. If there’s a problem with iCloud in your account, that process may not finish.

Thanks,

Brendan

[sumnerg]

I too get kicked out when I click on Numbers, Pages, and Keynote icons in iCloud. From what I read in the discussions.apple.com forums you and I haven’t been the only people affected that way. I didn’t realize that would be associated with syncing problems or that it was something they can (perhaps have to) fix on an account by account basis; I assumed it was a more general problem. So thanks for the tip. I don’t have the pull of a cutting edge developer but I’ll do what I can to follow up with Apple Support, which may be pretty busy with those 9 million new iPhones sold over the weekend.

On my backup attempt I was wondering how it could have proceeded normally (very quickly) on the iPad yet hang on the iPhone (where I have new data that I’m more worried about losing). Reading your explanation, I’m guessing maybe that’s because I regularly access attached pdfs on the iPad, but not on the iPhone, so they’d already been downloaded and could be included in the zip file on the iPad, but on the iPhone TF couldn’t get them from iCloud. Anyway, I’ve copied the iPhone Tapforms_db.sqlite out of iTunes and put it in a safe place hoping I won’t have to use it (because I don’t know how to use it). Easier to get iCloud sync up again.

Thanks,
Sumner

[Brendan]

Hi Sumner,

There are a couple of discussions about this topic on Apple’s developer forums too. Other developers are having this issue too.

If anyone is a developer who has this problem, the relevant topic is here:

https://devforums.apple.com/thread/206320?tstart=0

I’ve got a support case into Apple right now. They’re looking into it and will get back to me. Hopefully soon. I’d like to get my account unlocked.

Thanks,

Brendan

[sumnerg]

Still locked out of the iCloud account that holds the TF docs and data (and iWork docs). In Safari on Mac I tried signing in with another Apple ID used to buy apps. (Somehow back in the mists of time I ended up with two Apple IDs. The one I’ve always used to sync email, calendar and docs–including TF–originally mac.com which begat MobileMe which begat iCloud.) To my surprise, I have no problem getting into the iWork apps on the iCloud account accessed with the Apple ID used to buy stuff on the store! Alas, as one would expect, no docs or data in that one. So my Mac-iPad-iPhone TF system I was so happy with continues to be hobbled.

What is Apple thinking? Hope you developers have some pull with them to get them to address the issue, now. Maybe they don’t care about their own iWorks apps, knowing they will sell anyway. But surely they care about the developer base and their confidence in iCloud. Yet they seem to be basically telling people it’s a “server issue” and just “wait for the engineers” when it seems they have for some reason put a partial lock of some sort on selected iCloud accounts. It’s been many days now. An ever lengthening thread at:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5325841?start=45&tstart=0

[alfordsteven]

I purchased Tap Forms for Mac and for iPhone today, hoping to exit from Bento and take advantage of the iCloud syncing. “I have tried the usual desperation moves, double-checking that iCloud credentials are the same on each device, turning off Documents and Data and turning it back on, deleting iCloud account and reactivating it … No joy.” I, too, have done these things and have no joy. As a newbie, I don’t know if the “Registered Devices” is an indicator that something is wrong: on my Mac version, it’s the only listed registered device, and on the phone, the iPhone is the only one. I have five registered devices as per Find My Phone, and four in iTunes, and the two I’m trying to link (Mac and iPhone) are among them. This is frustrating.

[sumnerg]

iCloud Documents & data syncing (which I understand is used by TF and many other apps, including Apple’s own iWork apps) for some iCloud users (including me) has only been restored in the last few hours. For me that part of iCloud was down for several agonizing days. See this thread https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5325841?start=90&tstart=0.

Maybe first check that you can get into iWork for iCloud beta apps on the iCloud site. If you can’t get in to those the problem is up there in the cloud and Apple still has to fix it for your account. If you can get into iWork for iCloud beta then maybe double-check on your iPhone that Settings/iCloud/Documents & Data/Tap Forms is turned on and on the Mac double-check that Documents & Data is checked under System Preferences/iCloud.

After all that you should see both your Mac and iPhone under Registered Devices in TF. If you don’t it’s an indicator something is wrong and maybe Brendan can help.

For me TF seems back to normal on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. It’s a really great solution … when iCloud is working the way it’s supposed to.

[uzzikie]

i have another problem
after syncing successfully from my iPad to my iPhone,
the iPhone version complains that i have an Invalid Key when i tried to unlock a protected form
i am sure my password is correct. What gives?

[Brendan]

Hi Uzzikie,

Is it possible that you haven’t setup the encryption key on your iPhone? Go to the Security Settings screen in the Tools area. If it says “Set Encryption Key”, then you haven’t set it yet. Make sure you set it to the EXACT same key you used on your iPad.

As for iCloud Sync not functioning for some users, Apple has been having problems with Documents & Data. Specifically there is an error in the logs that says “Ubiquity account locked”. Call Apple Support and they will confirm that you are locked, but they can’t do anything about it. Their server team is working on it.

Another way of testing this out other than logging into iCloud.com and clicking on one of the iWork apps is to go to your iCloud settings on your Mac in the System Preferences app. Then click on Manage Storage. If you see only Backups and Mail, then you more than likely have been locked out of Ubiquity.

And if that happens, there’s nothing you can do until Apple unlocks it.

Thanks,

Brendan

[sumnerg]

In case some still have trouble syncing here’s a MacWorld article describing the symptoms and steps for self-diagnosis.

http://www.macworld.com/article/2049803/icloud-hosted-data-inaccessible-for-some-users.html

As the article points out, it’s been “easy to assume that the app is at fault” and spend a lot of time trying to troubleshoot at the app level, deleting and reinstalling and so forth. Clearly, I know now, TF was doing what it was supposed to do all along.

One suggestion: TF did seem to happily confirm I was successfully pushing data up to iCloud even when, I now know, that very likely could not have been the case because I was locked out of the part of iCloud TF was trying to reach. Some sort of “can’t connect with iCloud” alert would have been more helpful, assuming that’s possible.

[alfordsteven]

Thanks to Sumnerg and Brendan for their suggestions. Unfortunately, they didn’t solve the problem. I accessed the console that the MacWorld discusses and did not have the error in question. However, under Console/All Messages, I did have a series of Tap Form messages. Some lines contain “error,” but I cannot decipher the code. I am reproducing it here. Sorry for the length, but this may help. (My problem was no sync between the Mac and my iPhone iOS7, with each showing itself as the only registered device.)

9/27/13 11:39:04.531 AM Tap Forms[10012]: I’m up!!!!
9/27/13 11:39:04.582 AM Tap Forms[10012]: <DMSplitView: 0x7fdd6c8064a0>: the delegate <DMSplitView: 0x7fdd6c8064a0> was sent -splitView:resizeSubviewsWithOldSize: and left the subview frames in an inconsistent state:
9/27/13 11:39:04.582 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Split view bounds: {{0, 0}, {1440, 819}}
9/27/13 11:39:04.583 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Subview frame: {{0, 0}, {418, 819}}
9/27/13 11:39:04.583 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Subview frame: {{419, 0}, {1437, 819}}
9/27/13 11:39:04.583 AM Tap Forms[10012]: The outer edges of the subview frames are supposed to line up with the split view’s bounds’ edges. NSSplitView is working around the problem, perhaps at the cost of more redrawing. (This message is only logged once per NSSplitView.)
9/27/13 11:39:04.584 AM Tap Forms[10012]: <MainWindowController: 0x7fdd6c9409f0> awakeFromNib
9/27/13 11:39:05.318 AM Tap Forms[10012]: iCloud available at: file://localhost/Users/alfordstevenMBA/Library/Mobile%20Documents/FXLPHZS84D~com~clickspace~tapforms/
9/27/13 11:39:09.749 AM Tap Forms[10012]: TFSyncEngine initializing…
9/27/13 11:39:09.754 AM Tap Forms[10012]: applicationUUID read successfully: 136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5
9/27/13 11:39:09.755 AM Tap Forms[10012]: started syncDocumentsQuery
9/27/13 11:39:09.761 AM Tap Forms[10012]: TFSyncEngine initialized
9/27/13 11:39:09.927 AM Tap Forms[10012]: queryDidProgressGathering NSConcreteNotification 0x7fdd6b4fb850 {name = NSMetadataQueryGatheringProgressNotification; object = <NSMetadataQuery: 0x7fdd6b4f8d40>}
9/27/13 11:39:09.928 AM Tap Forms[10012]: sync device queryResults: (
“TFSyncDevice-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5.tfs”
)
9/27/13 11:39:09.929 AM Tap Forms[10012]: fileName: TFSyncDevice-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5.tfs
9/27/13 11:39:09.929 AM Tap Forms[10012]: device uuid from query: 136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5
9/27/13 11:39:09.935 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Reading sync file: file://localhost/Users/alfordstevenMBA/Library/Mobile%20Documents/FXLPHZS84D~com~clickspace~tapforms/SyncDocuments/TFSyncDevice-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5.tfs
9/27/13 11:39:09.937 AM Tap Forms[10012]: registered device from file with uuid: 136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5
9/27/13 11:39:09.937 AM Tap Forms[10012]: buildRegisteredSyncDevices Error: (null)
9/27/13 11:39:09.938 AM Tap Forms[10012]: syncDocumentsQueryDidFinishGathering Ended
9/27/13 11:39:10.190 AM Tap Forms[10012]: iCloud possible
9/27/13 11:39:15.165 AM Tap Forms[10012]: MainWindowController: syncStarted
9/27/13 11:39:15.165 AM Tap Forms[10012]: filtered devices: (
)
9/27/13 11:39:15.166 AM Tap Forms[10012]: pushToCloud
9/27/13 11:39:15.167 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Writing database to URL: file://localhost/var/folders/p5/hp7wltpx5jd5k3fmc1zzdc440000gp/T/com.tapforms.mac/TapForms_sync_db.sqlite
9/27/13 11:39:15.170 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table pick_list to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:15.172 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table pick_list_value to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:15.175 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table category to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:15.176 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table form to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:15.185 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table field to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:15.189 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table form_search to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:15.190 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table form_entry to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:15.215 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table field_value to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:15.645 AM Tap Forms[10012]: finished push to iCloud
9/27/13 11:39:15.657 AM Tap Forms[10012]: writeSyncState error: (null)
9/27/13 11:39:15.658 AM Tap Forms[10012]: writeSyncState coordinator error: (null)
9/27/13 11:39:15.658 AM Tap Forms[10012]: sync now success? 1
9/27/13 11:39:15.826 AM Tap Forms[10012]: MainWindowController: syncEnded
9/27/13 11:39:32.400 AM Tap Forms[10012]: unregistered: 136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5
9/27/13 11:39:32.455 AM librariand[212]: error in check_request_path: NSPOSIXErrorDomain/2/Unable to get real path for Path ‘/Users/alfordstevenMBA/Library/Mobile Documents/FXLPHZS84D~com~clickspace~tapforms/SyncDocuments/TFSyncDoc-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5-[3].tfx’
9/27/13 11:39:37.709 AM Tap Forms[10012]: iCloud SyncDocuments dir created
9/27/13 11:39:37.723 AM Tap Forms[10012]: writeSyncState error: (null)
9/27/13 11:39:37.723 AM Tap Forms[10012]: writeSyncState coordinator error: (null)
9/27/13 11:39:37.784 AM Tap Forms[10012]: sync device queryResults: (
)
9/27/13 11:39:37.784 AM Tap Forms[10012]: current Sync Device: (null), ((null))
9/27/13 11:39:37.784 AM Tap Forms[10012]: syncDocumentsQueryDidFinishGathering Ended
9/27/13 11:39:39.282 AM Tap Forms[10012]: sync device queryResults: (
“TFSyncDevice-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5.tfs”
)
9/27/13 11:39:39.283 AM Tap Forms[10012]: fileName: TFSyncDevice-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5.tfs
9/27/13 11:39:39.283 AM Tap Forms[10012]: device uuid from query: 136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5
9/27/13 11:39:39.288 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Reading sync file: file://localhost/Users/alfordstevenMBA/Library/Mobile%20Documents/FXLPHZS84D~com~clickspace~tapforms/SyncDocuments/TFSyncDevice-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5.tfs
9/27/13 11:39:39.290 AM Tap Forms[10012]: registered device from file with uuid: 136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5
9/27/13 11:39:39.290 AM Tap Forms[10012]: buildRegisteredSyncDevices Error: (null)
9/27/13 11:39:39.290 AM Tap Forms[10012]: syncDocumentsQueryDidFinishGathering Ended
9/27/13 11:39:43.068 AM Tap Forms[10012]: MainWindowController: syncStarted
9/27/13 11:39:43.068 AM Tap Forms[10012]: filtered devices: (
)
9/27/13 11:39:43.069 AM Tap Forms[10012]: pushToCloud
9/27/13 11:39:43.069 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Writing database to URL: file://localhost/var/folders/p5/hp7wltpx5jd5k3fmc1zzdc440000gp/T/com.tapforms.mac/TapForms_sync_db.sqlite
9/27/13 11:39:43.071 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table pick_list to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:43.187 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table pick_list_value to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:43.190 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table category to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:43.190 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table form to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:43.192 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table field to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:43.195 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table form_search to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:43.196 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table form_entry to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:43.213 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Pushing table field_value to cloud
9/27/13 11:39:44.033 AM Tap Forms[10012]: purged deleted records from: field_value
9/27/13 11:39:44.034 AM Tap Forms[10012]: purged deleted records from: form_entry
9/27/13 11:39:44.035 AM Tap Forms[10012]: purged deleted records from: form_search
9/27/13 11:39:44.035 AM Tap Forms[10012]: purged deleted records from: field
9/27/13 11:39:44.036 AM Tap Forms[10012]: purged deleted records from: form
9/27/13 11:39:44.036 AM Tap Forms[10012]: purged deleted records from: pick_list_value
9/27/13 11:39:44.037 AM Tap Forms[10012]: purged deleted records from: pick_list
9/27/13 11:39:44.037 AM Tap Forms[10012]: purged deleted records from: category
9/27/13 11:39:44.407 AM Tap Forms[10012]: setUbiquitous error: (null)
9/27/13 11:39:44.408 AM Tap Forms[10012]: moved file to cloud: file://localhost/var/folders/p5/hp7wltpx5jd5k3fmc1zzdc440000gp/T/com.tapforms.mac/TFSyncDoc-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5.tfx
9/27/13 11:39:44.408 AM Tap Forms[10012]: pushed counter: 0
9/27/13 11:39:44.409 AM Tap Forms[10012]: finished push to iCloud
9/27/13 11:39:44.416 AM Tap Forms[10012]: writeSyncState error: (null)
9/27/13 11:39:44.416 AM Tap Forms[10012]: writeSyncState coordinator error: (null)
9/27/13 11:39:44.417 AM Tap Forms[10012]: sync now success? 1
9/27/13 11:39:44.588 AM Tap Forms[10012]: MainWindowController: syncEnded
9/27/13 11:39:44.837 AM com.apple.launchd[1]: (com.apple.hiservices-xpcservice[10020]) Exited: Killed: 9
9/27/13 11:39:45.000 AM kernel[0]: memorystatus_thread: idle exiting pid 10020 [com.apple.hiserv]
9/27/13 11:39:45.744 AM Tap Forms[10012]: sync device queryResults: (
“TFSyncDevice-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5.tfs”
)
9/27/13 11:39:45.745 AM Tap Forms[10012]: fileName: TFSyncDevice-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5.tfs
9/27/13 11:39:45.745 AM Tap Forms[10012]: device uuid from query: 136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5
9/27/13 11:39:45.749 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Reading sync file: file://localhost/Users/alfordstevenMBA/Library/Mobile%20Documents/FXLPHZS84D~com~clickspace~tapforms/SyncDocuments/TFSyncDevice-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5.tfs
9/27/13 11:39:45.750 AM Tap Forms[10012]: buildRegisteredSyncDevices Error: (null)
9/27/13 11:39:45.750 AM Tap Forms[10012]: current Sync Device: SEA_MBA, (136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5)
9/27/13 11:39:45.751 AM Tap Forms[10012]: syncdoc queryResults: (
“TFSyncDoc-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5-[0].tfx”
)
9/27/13 11:39:45.757 AM Tap Forms[10012]: fileName: TFSyncDoc-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5-[0].tfx
9/27/13 11:39:45.758 AM Tap Forms[10012]: downloadPercent: (null)
9/27/13 11:39:45.758 AM Tap Forms[10012]: uploadPercent: (null)
9/27/13 11:39:45.758 AM Tap Forms[10012]: last synced counter key: last-pulled-counter-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5
9/27/13 11:39:45.759 AM Tap Forms[10012]: last synced date key: date-last-synced-from-cloud-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5
9/27/13 11:39:45.759 AM Tap Forms[10012]: lastSyncedCounter: (null)
9/27/13 11:39:45.759 AM Tap Forms[10012]: fileSyncCounter: 0
9/27/13 11:39:45.760 AM Tap Forms[10012]: Already processed file or file hasn’t downloaded yet.
9/27/13 11:39:45.760 AM Tap Forms[10012]: syncDocumentsQueryDidFinishGathering Ended

[Brendan]

Hi Sumnerg,

Unfortunately it’s not possible for an app to know if iCloud is functioning properly at that level. As far as Tap Forms is concerned, all it knows is that it has correctly written some files to a folder on your device. From then on the syncing process happens outside of Tap Forms. The “Syncing to iCloud” message is really just me copying some files to another folder. That folder happens to be an iCloud folder, but it is really stored locally on your device. When the background iCloud daemon process that’s running (outside of Tap Forms) gets wind of this, it will attempt to connect to the iCloud servers and upload the files. That happens all outside of Tap Forms with no notifications sent to Tap Forms if this is working or not.

Thanks!

Brendan

[Brendan]

Hi Steven,

Those aren’t actually errors. When I print out something like this:

buildRegisteredSyncDevices Error: (null)

The (null) on the right is just there not being any error to print out, so iOS prints (null). So in all those cases the error is empty, therefore there is no error and it was successful.

This bit here:

sync device queryResults: (
“TFSyncDevice-136C8348-7295-4F87-AEC9-00DAE170F3C5.tfs”
)

… tells me that there’s only one device that is in the list of Registered Devices. You would see multiple TFSyncDevice entries if iCloud Sync was working properly for you. Tap Forms is doing the right thing. It’s iCloud that just isn’t sending all the TFSyncDevice files around to your other devices. That’s why you only see one device on each of your devices. The device listed is itself. Once iCloud sync starts working right, then you’ll see multiple devices listed there, one for each device you’ve enabled iCloud sync on.

I hope you’re able to resolve that issue. Did you look in the Ubiquity log file for “ubiquity account locked”? It’s not the same log file as the one Tap Forms dumps its messages to.

Thanks,

Brendan

[alfordsteven]

The following steps, from here:

http://support.iawriter.com/help/kb/general-questions/icloud-wont-work-whats-wrong

worked for me:
Reset the Ubiquity folder on your problematic Mac(s):
Quit open applications
Go to Finder
Choose “Go to Folder…” from the “Go” menu
Enter ~/Library/Application Support
Look for a folder named “Ubiquity”
Move this folder to the Trash
Restart your Mac

Once the transfer is made to the iOS7 devices, they need to be restarted before the transferred forms are displayed.

Steve

[Brendan]

Ah excellent. That’s great news. iCloud can be a pain sometimes, but when it works it’s great :-) I’m sure Apple will improve things over time. It’s not an easy thing to build a sync system.

[Author]

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