Subfolders of moved folders not synced

[eboth]

Expected behaviour

When on your local Windows system, you move a folder into your Nextcloud folder within the same NTFS partition (did't test other file systems), the Nextcloud client should recursively synchronize all directory depths, i.e. all files and folders in all nested subfolders.

Actual behaviour

Moved folders are only synchronized up to the first level.
This is the directory test as copied into the Nextcloud folder:

+-test/
  |
  +-level1/
  | |
  | +-level2/
  | |
  | +-level2.txt
  |
  +-level1.txt

This is the directory structure as copied by the Nextcloud client to the server:

+-test/
  |
  +-level1/
  |
  +-level1.txt

Steps to reproduce

1. Create a directory test with at least one subfolder level1 outside your Nextcloud folder hierarchy, but on the same partition as your Nextcloud folder.
2. Place content (files/folders) in level1.
3. Move (not copy) test into your Nextcloud folder (Windows default C:\Users\username\Nextcloud).
4. Wait for Nextcloud client to finish synchronization.
5. Check contents of test on the server; confirm that the subfolder level1 is empty on the server.

Client configuration

2.5.1final (build 20181204)

Operating system:
Windows 7 SP 1 (6.1)

File system:
NTFS

Installation path of client:
c:\Program Files (x86)\Nextcloud\

Server configuration

13.0.8.2

Logs

1. Client logfile:
   https://gist.github.com/eboth/49d061cd66724e3e9dc699cfc4d1591f

While the log file was captured, the folder test_copied (with two levels of subdirectories as shown in the directory listing above) was copied to the Nextcloud folder, and the folter test_moved (same contents) was moved to the Nextcloud folder. The log seems to show that in the copied folder, all nodes were recognized correctly, while in the moved folder, the Nextcloud client never became aware of the nodes below level1.

[packi]

I can confirm that on Linux, script to create a test folder structure can be found here: https://gist.github.com/packi/1361912055bd03490bbb6a8906d9800e

I've initially created a bug for that on the owncloud client repos with more details as I didn't realize there was a separate repos for Nextcloud. owncloud/client#6949

[abysso2]

Same here with linux client 2.5.1 ans server 15.0.4 ...

[dude2k5]

Same here, have the same issue. Main folder syncs, but subfolder did not.

[estepix]

Same problem here:

Client

• Version: 2.5.1final (build 20181204)
• OS: Ubuntu 16.04.5 LTS xenial
• File system: ext4

Server

• Versions: 14 and 15.0.4
• OS: Ubuntu 16.04.5 LTS
• Web Server: Nginx 1.15.8-8.6.0.1

Using PPA:

• http://ppa.launchpad.net/nextcloud-devs/client/ubuntu

Packages version:

ii  libnextcloudsync0                                    2.5.1-20181204.111806~xenial1                                               amd64        Nextcloud sync library
ii  nextcloud-client                                     2.5.1-20181204.111806~xenial1                                               amd64        Nextcloud desktop sync client
ii  nextcloud-client-l10n                                2.5.1-20181204.111806~xenial1                                               all          Nextcloud client internatialization files

Log shows that _csync_detect_update only detects first level:

[_csync_detect_update 	Checking for rename based on inode # 11010575
[_csync_detect_update 	file: nextcloud/myclient/test, instruction: INSTRUCTION_NEW <<=
[_csync_detect_update 	Checking for rename based on inode # 11010705
[_csync_detect_update 	file: nextcloud/myclient/test/level1, instruction: INSTRUCTION_NEW <<=

[hkiang01]

workaround: quit and restart the desktop client. Tested with the nextcloud-client Ubuntu ppa on Ubuntu 18.10.

[estepix]

I have read about that "workdaround" before and also tested and yes, it works, however restarting the client every time we add a few folders to nextcloud does not seem viable on a daily work basis

[eboth]

@hkiang01, thanks! Confirmed on Windows. This makes the bug a lot less lethal as you can hope that sooner or later the files will end up on the server.

[SonRiab]

Possible duplicate #1083?

[bjoernv]

I can not reproduce this. All files from file structure #1000 (comment) are synchronized.

Client

* Version: 2.5.1

* OS: openSUSE Tumbleweed 20190225

* File system: ext4

Server

* Version: 14.0.7

* OS: Ubuntu 14.0.4 LTS

* Web Server: Apache 2.4.7

* PHP 7.2

[aaronpk]

Same problem here on MacOS. I was trying to migrate files from Dropbox and noticed that any time I dragged a folder with lots of subfolders over, none of the subfolders had any contents synced.

Confirmed that quitting and re-launching the desktop client causes a complete sync.

[dnv]

I can confirm this happening to me on Windows 10 with Nextcloud sync client 2.5.1final (build 20181204). Let's just say it made me quite vary of using Nextcloud to begin with.

[driph]

Confirming the same issue, 2.5.1final (build 20181204) on macOS 10.13.6.
Restarted the client resolved it for the bugged sync, but any further additions of nested directories after the sync on start result in the same behavior and workaround.

[wpoet]

Confirming the inability of the client to sync all subfolders and files: Ubuntu 18.10, Version 2.5.1final (build 20181204). This is really a killerbug. Hopefully this will be fixed soon. We are trying to introduce Nextcloud to students of our school, but this is makes nextcloud a real no go.

It is indeed a showstopper, and shouldn't really be so difficult to fix. There are two additional workarounds (in addition to restarting the desktop client).

One is to add a file to the empty directory on the lowest level. E.g., if you do mkdir -p dir1/dir2/dir3/dir3 on the nextcloud client root directory, dir3 and dir4 will not be synced to the server, leaving dir2 without a subdirectory. If you do touch dir1/dir2/dir3/dir4/somefile, then all dirs will be synced, and somefile will exist on the server.

The second workaround is to use the command line client and do
nextcloudcmd -s -u <nextcloud user> -p <nextcloud password> <nextcloud rootdir> <nextcloud url>

This does a complete re-sync.

I hope this helps anyone who suffers under the deficiencies of the desktop client.

[abysso2]

I just upgraded to the linux-client 2.5.2, still the same issue. I can not believe it. The server ist such an excellent piece of software, but the client really can not be trusted. That is a real showstopper - why does the owncloud client work as expected?

[adrianriedo]

Spent a full day looking on Windows 10 machine what I made wrong (because I did not see expected files on the Server) and finally found this issue.
I can confirm the problem (moving folder structure, sync not done 100%).
This is a showstopper to move all our data from Seafile (which has a perfect working client) to Nextcloud.
The Server Side of Nextcloud is quite nice - but the very most fundamental thing (sync files with the Desktop Client) can not be trusted all the times...
I hope someone who is experienced with the Desktop Client can correct this.

[ghost]

Also have this issue (with Linux desktops/laptops). Can occur when copying directories as well as moving.

Unfortunately Nextcloud is not fit for enterprise or business without a working and robust client. It makes me extremely nervous about the prospect of losing critical data.

[ziggr]

I just got bit by this bug, too.

$ nextcloud --version
Nextcloud version 2.5.2git
Using Qt 5.5.1, built against Qt 5.5.1
Using 'OpenSSL 1.0.2g  1 Mar 2016'

$ uname -a
Linux gemini 4.15.0-47-generic #50~16.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Fri Mar 15 16:06:21 UTC 2019 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

$ mount | grep nvme
/dev/nvme0n1p2 on / type ext4 (rw,noatime,discard,errors=remount-ro,data=ordered)

A whole .git repo and its subdirectories, along with the contents of a lot of subdirectories of other files, all missing from server. Upon restarting the desktop client, the files synced to server (phew!).

This is really heartbreaking after spending a whole weekend creating this server and getting everything to work. How can I use Nextcloud to sync my source code if my projects all have subdirectories (and git repos!).

Edit: I triggered the bug by just moving a large nested directory structure from one location to ~/Nextcloud/ . Creating or touching individual files in nested subdirectories seems to sync just fine. It's just large file copies/moves that escape Nextcloud's gaze:

$ mkdir -p a/b/c
$ touch a/b/c/empty.txt
$ mv a ~/Nextcloud

# ~/Nextcloud/a/ exists on server
# ~/Nextcloud/a/b/ exists on server
# ~/Nextcloud/a/b/c/ does not exist on server
# ~/Nextcloud/a/b/c/empty.txt does not exist on server

[adrianriedo]

I really hope someone who codes for the desktop client reads this and will improve it.
Fact is that we used Owncloud some years ago and had very similar issues.
Then we used Seafile for the last 2-3 years and it worked fine with its desktop client.
Nextcloud has quite a momentum right now, so we thought to give it a try again - unfortunately the desktop sync is still a problem as it seems - I can not tell all out users to close and restart the client every day to make shure the files are synced...

Nextcloud has some nice features on the Server - but when it comes to syncing with desktop client it seems to have real issues.
Can it really be that so many users use it without even noticing that files are missing on the server?
Strange

[Kambrian]

I cannot believe such a HUGE MAJOR bug exists with this software and not get fixed (or even noticed?) for such a long time till today.

I am regretting the efforts I spent trying to set up my personal cloud with nextcloud. This should not be anything from a commercial company. Just hard to believe.

[Germano0]

Please retweet https://twitter.com/GermanoMassullo/status/1125077393272655872

[adrianriedo]

Worked with Nextcloud now for 2 weeks after some years of Seafile.
Now after this (and some other bugs in the Desktop Client that we found) we had to move back to Seafile again. The Desktop Client has also problems with multiple Sync Directories when you use Standby on your Computer - after wakeup syncing does not start on all Sync Folder (if you have more than a hand full of them).
The Web UI is nice and fancy - but syncing with Desktop is sadly a risk.
I would have loved to move from Seafile to Nextcloud - but not at this stage...

[jospoortvliet]

I can reproduce this. And yes, restarting the client finds and syncs the files, so I don't think this leads to data loss - you just might not have files synced as quickly as you'd expected in the rare case that you move a complex and deep set of folders into a synced folder. Bad enough and the problem should be found and fixed, but not a disaster, I think. You don't do this action often, most users do restart their computers once a week if not more often, and you rarely need all those files available everywhere right away.

[bill-mcgonigle]

most users do restart their computers once a week if not more often

This might be true on Windows, but I have hard enough time getting linux users to reboot for kernel security updates - uptimes over 90 days are quite typical. It's not a safe assumption for a design guideline.

[jendib]

In my case it's with moved folders. Only the first level is synced, but subfolders are not. Tell me if I can be of any help.

[k9t9]

Have same problem with moved/renamed folders, Win7 / Synch client 2.6.0 build 20190927.

Edit :
In my case the problem was indeed for moved folders, but the culprit was a folder that was accidentally named with a trailing dot ( folder.name. ). as in (opened) https://github.com/nextcloud/server/issues/18066

[OptimusGREEN]

This is still an issue as of today with everything up to date.

[wpoet]

As per my post above (2019/03/23), I tried
mkdir -p dir1/dir2/dir3/dir4
In contrast to the above mentioned post, dir4 is now synced, despite being empty. No more need to use the extra nextcloudcli described above.
I have Ubuntu 20.04, with the client Version 2.6.4git, installed via the Ubuntu ppa
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nextcloud-devs/client
The server is from nextcloud-19.0.0.zip.

[abysso2]

Hi wpoet,
i also use Ubuntu 20.04 and the nc-client 2.6.4, but here i use the appimage. My server is running nc-version 18.0.5.

I tested the following:

mkdir -p dir1/dir2/dir3/dir4
touch dir1/dir2/dir3/dir4/test
touch dir1/dir2/dir3/test
touch dir1/dir2/test
touch dir1/test

Everything is synced properly ...

[DerHOgi]

Still the same problem with the latest macOS client :( Why is this issue closed???

[camilasan]

Still the same problem with the latest macOS client :( Why is this issue closed???

Could you share your logs after running the client with --logdebug? Including syncing logs and the db files in your Nextcloud configuration folder? Which folder/file is not synced?

If anyone else is having this issue please do the same.

[DerHOgi]

Please check out this bug report and the video. You can also download my testfiles and try it by yourself. Please let me know if you have the same behavior. #2176 Am Dienstag, 28. Juli 2020 um 16:39 schrieb Camila:

…

> Still the same problem with the latest macOS client :( Why is this issue closed??? Could you share you r logs after running the client with --logdebug? Including syncing logs and the db files in your Nextcloud configuration folder? Which folder/file is not synced? If anyone else is having this issue please do the same. — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub (#1000 (comment)), or unsubscribe (https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AQFQQNTQUBXJBTIAGO5AT5DR53PJZANCNFSM4GOKBI4A).

[Narrat]

Also having this issue on a linux distri with 2.6.5
Will try to get a --logdebug

[claell]

Since according to the comments, this has not really been fixed, I'll reopen this issue.

[ghost]

Same problem here with desktop 3.4.1 (without VFS) and nc 23.0.0

[abysso2]

I can not reproduce this issue (Client 3.4.1 - NC 22.2.3):
I created
Folder 1 (with 2 files)
Subfolder 2 (with 2 files)
Subfolder 3 (with 2 files)

Copy / pasted folder 1 to a nextcloud share within windows explorer - all good, no logentries ...

[ghost]

@abysso2 Yes, wich NC22 it was all good, but with NC_23 it isn't anymore

[Pas02]

I can confirm this error with NC23.0.0 and the sync-Client 3.4.1 (Windows) under windowws-10.0.19044

[OmarWazzan]

Can confirm - NC23.0.0 and Windows client 3.4.1

[github-actions]

This bug report did not receive an update in the last 4 weeks. Please take a look again and update the issue with new details, otherwise the issue will be automatically closed in 2 weeks. Thank you!

[github-actions]

This bug report is getting automatically closed due to no answer since the issue has been staled. Thank you!

[claell]

Adding the approved label, so the bot doesn't close this over and over.