Sync using OneDrive

MMEX4Android: Manage your finances on-the-go, encrypted for security, sync via your own cloud

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wizardict
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Sync using OneDrive

Post by wizardict »

Hi

As I understand it sync using OneDrive is now possible? Is there any documentation anywhere? Everything I can find seems to be old information.

I've set up a database on my PC which saves to OneDrive. I've now installed the Android app, and in sync settings have configured my OneDrive account. Everything up to that point seems fine.

The app then asks me to browse for the database location, but it doesn't include OneDrive in the locations to browse, just the local device. Am I missing something?
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Re: Sync using OneDrive

Post by wizardict »

OK I figured if out.  I didn't notice the option to select the database within the Onedrive settings.

There were a number or errors syncing the database, these seem to be primarily related to the format of the currencies, only my primary currency can be used. This isn't a big problem for me, I'm unlikely to use the app for foreign currency transactions.

Other than that everything is looking promising so far.
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Re: Sync using OneDrive

Post by wizardict »

Not so good I'm afraid :cry:

Many things do not sync from the desktop client to the android app. These include Categories and Payees and may include other entities I haven't noticed.

When you make a change on the android app and sync it back all of the changes to Categories etc that have been made on the desktop are wiped out by the ones on the android app. So it appears to sync from the app to the desktop but not the other way round.

If you have both open at the same time, or open the desktop client soon after making a change on the android app it results in 2 versions of the database as it can't sync them (probably more of an issue with OneDrive than MMEX but still a major issue).


I've also downloaded the beta android app to see if any of the issues are resolved, but unfortunately that won't even use OneDrive. When selecting it in the Sync options it opens the OneDrive login page. After logging in it returns back to the app but the provider shows as "%s" instead of OneDrive. From that point it's impossible to select OneDrive as a provider without reinstalling the app.



Are there any fixes to these issues? Or am I doing something wrong?

Regrettably if the android app and desktop client can't sync correctly it makes the app useless, and ultimately MMEX useless to me. This would be extremely disappointing as it was looking very promising, but the very basics I require are the ability to manage my money on my desktop at home and at least enter basic transaction information on my phone whilst out. The web app could be helpful, but that means I could only enter transactions on my phone if I have an internet connection, which again would be too limiting.


Any thoughts or ideas on how these issues can be resolved? I really would like to use MMEX if it can at least do the basics.
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Re: Sync using OneDrive

Post by wizardict »

This is starting to feel like my personal blog! Does anyone involved in development monitor or reply to posts on here?

There's a new release of the android app, but unfortunately the sync issues remain. Entities do not sync to the app, and any changes made on the mobile app uploads the database and delete all of the changes that haven't been synchronised.

There is also the issue of the mobile app causing a new database to be created (i.e. it doesn't update the database it results in a separate database being created). I see this issue is reported elsewhere on the forum with dropbox too, so it isn't OneDrive specific.



Unless there is a response from development that these issue are being looked in to I think I will have to abandon MMEX and look elsewhere. It's shame, as it has promise, but without a working mobile version I don't think this is a viable project, I'm happy to help trying to resolve these issues, but with no response I don't really know who I'm trying to help.
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GabrieleV
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Re: Sync using OneDrive

Post by GabrieleV »

Hi, I'm one of developers of desktop version, seems that all problems that you refer to are caused by OneDrive sync.

Sync it's made for all database without any exclusion, so it's impossible that you have categories but not transactions, maybe you don't have categories newly added because DB it's not synced.

Unfortunately they are related to OneDrive sync process (at least on desktop side), so there isn't anything that we could do here, maybe something could be done on mobile side.

surely best way it's wait some minutes before open on different device and never open both contemporary.
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Re: Sync using OneDrive

Post by wizardict »

GabrieleV wrote:Hi, I'm one of developers of desktop version, seems that all problems that you refer to are caused by OneDrive sync.

Sync it's made for all database without any exclusion, so it's impossible that you have categories but not transactions, maybe you don't have categories newly added because DB it's not synced.

Unfortunately they are related to OneDrive sync process (at least on desktop side), so there isn't anything that we could do here, maybe something could be done on mobile side.

surely best way it's wait some minutes before open on different device and never open both contemporary.
Hi

Thank you for the reply. It doesn't matter if I wait 1 minute, 1 hour or 1 week the entities simply do not sync. The database has synced with OneDrive, I can view it on my phone and see the timestamp has updated.

These issues are not specific to Onedrive, look elsewhere on the forum and you will see issues posted with Dropbox also.

Does the android app use a local cache? It appears this is the case and the entities are cached and never updated.

Transactions do sync, so the database is clearly syncing with Onedrive or that would not be the case.
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GabrieleV
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Re: Sync using OneDrive

Post by GabrieleV »

Unfortunately we have to wait for Android developer because I have no idea about it.
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Re: Sync using OneDrive

Post by wizardict »

Thanks for you honest response, I will await an update from the android developer.


Have you considered changing the structure of your application to a centralised sql database rather than local sqllite databases? It would make synchronisation between any device much easier and slicker, as well as making it possible to use the application from multiple devices simultaneously. It would also make the development of a full Web based client much easier and open up new avenues as a networked application.
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Re: Sync using OneDrive

Post by wizardict »

OK.....I have located the root of this issue.

The problem occurs when the mobile app can't update the database (i.e. it is locked by the desktop client) and a 2nd database is created. As long as the 2 databases exist OneDrive does not update them correctly, so the 2nd database needs to be deleted then everything syncs as expected.


So the issue is with conflicting updates. Do Dropbox and/or Google drive handle conflicts in the same way? I've seen the same issue reported on dropbox, so presumably that's the same, what about the others?

All of this would be resolved with a proper database and network capabilities :P
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GabrieleV
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Re: Sync using OneDrive

Post by GabrieleV »

You are right that a centralized DB will solve problems, but most of MMEX users don't want to have their data on a webserver not under their control, so the only way it's keep in sync the full DB file..
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