ON files ruined by offline files

[Fergus]

Guys,

I still can't find any answer for this anywhere:

I've got a bunch of ON SP1 files on my file server.
Typically I use Offline Files to sync stuff onto my laptop. Until SP1 came
along, this seemed to work even if syncing the ON files (which I now know
you shouldn't do).

However, now when I open the ON files on my laptop I get the old ribbon at
the top saying it is password-protected. I understand this is because the
caches got all mixed up.

Now, my desktop CAN open the files fine. So I thought I might create a new
folder on the file server which is NOT synced and move them there. I would
then open them on the laptop and let the ON syncing do it's job.

Nope, doesn't work. Still gives me the password problem.

Searched for ON cache files on the server - none. Deleted any cache files on
my laptop. Still the problem remains.

What am I missing??

Many thanks,

Fergus.

 

[Rainald Taesler]

I've got a bunch of ON SP1 files on my file server.
Typically I use Offline Files to sync stuff onto my laptop. Until
SP1 came along, this seemed to work even if syncing the ON files
(which I now know you shouldn't do).

It's most basic thing *not* to use any synch tools for OneNote files.
This applies to Offline files too.
ON has a perfectly working built-in feature for automatically synching
the notebooks.

This is spoilt if one synchs an per file basis.
*Exclude* the OneNote Notebooks directory from your offline files.

[...]

Now, my desktop CAN open the files fine. So I thought I might
create a new folder on the file server which is NOT synced and move
them there. I would then open them on the laptop and let the ON
syncing do it's job.

Nope, doesn't work. Still gives me the password problem.

Searched for ON cache files on the server - none. Deleted any cache
files on my laptop. Still the problem remains.

Delete the notebook-files from the laptop too.

Then in ON on the laptop open the notebooks from the desktop's OneNote
notebooks directory.
Working this way, all notebooks on the desktop and the laptop will
automatically be in synch.

Rainald

 

[Rainald Taesler]

I've got a bunch of ON SP1 files on my file server.
Typically I use Offline Files to sync stuff onto my laptop. Until
SP1 came along, this seemed to work even if syncing the ON files
(which I now know you shouldn't do).

Sorry to say so, but the problem is caused by an an improper usage of
ON.
As you say yourself you should not do that.
The "Onenote notebooks" directory has to be *excluded* from any
file-synching. This applies to "offline folders" too.

[...]

Now, my desktop CAN open the files fine. So I thought I might
create a new folder on the file server which is NOT synced and move
them there. I would then open them on the laptop and let the ON
syncing do it's job.

Nope, doesn't work. Still gives me the password problem.

Searched for ON cache files on the server - none. Deleted any cache
files on my laptop. Still the problem remains.

Delete the notebooks on your laptop too.
Delete the files in the directory with the ON Cache files. The necessary
structure will automatically be re-built.

Check the shares and rights for the OneNote notebooks directory on the
desktop.
Then on the laptop open the notebooks one-by-one from the OneNote
notebooks directory. And just leave them open all the time. It's
sufficient to just close ON (with the files open).

Working this way all notebooks are synched automatically while the two
machines are connected. You can work on both computers even when they
are not connected - ON will automatically synch everything when the
computers are re-connected.

And never again let any synch software (incl. offline files) touch the
notebooks.

Rainald

 

[Fergus]

Thanks Rainald,

So I gather that I shouldn't use any sync software with ON files (from the 4
times you mentioned it), and that I must be quite stupid.

However, the problem only started after SP1 was installed, and I know
there's a BIG problem with SP1 ON files on file servers running DAV which I
gather hasn't yet been resolved. It seemed to be related to this.

I'll try again though as you suggest.

F.

I've got a bunch of ON SP1 files on my file server.
Typically I use Offline Files to sync stuff onto my laptop. Until
SP1 came along, this seemed to work even if syncing the ON files
(which I now know you shouldn't do).

Sorry to say so, but the problem is caused by an an improper usage of
ON.
As you say yourself you should not do that.
The "Onenote notebooks" directory has to be *excluded* from any
file-synching. This applies to "offline folders" too.

[...]

Now, my desktop CAN open the files fine. So I thought I might
create a new folder on the file server which is NOT synced and move
them there. I would then open them on the laptop and let the ON
syncing do it's job.

Nope, doesn't work. Still gives me the password problem.

Searched for ON cache files on the server - none. Deleted any cache
files on my laptop. Still the problem remains.

Delete the notebooks on your laptop too.
Delete the files in the directory with the ON Cache files. The necessary
structure will automatically be re-built.

Check the shares and rights for the OneNote notebooks directory on the
desktop.
Then on the laptop open the notebooks one-by-one from the OneNote
notebooks directory. And just leave them open all the time. It's
sufficient to just close ON (with the files open).

Working this way all notebooks are synched automatically while the two
machines are connected. You can work on both computers even when they
are not connected - ON will automatically synch everything when the
computers are re-connected.

And never again let any synch software (incl. offline files) touch the
notebooks.

Rainald

 

[Rainald Taesler]

I've got a bunch of ON SP1 files on my file server.
Typically I use Offline Files to sync stuff onto my laptop. Until
SP1 came along, this seemed to work even if syncing the ON files
(which I now know you shouldn't do).

Sorry to say so, but the problem is caused by an an improper usage
of ON.
As you say yourself you should not do that.
The "Onenote notebooks" directory has to be *excluded* from any
file-synching. This applies to "offline folders" too.

[...]
Then on the laptop open the notebooks one-by-one from the OneNote
notebooks directory. And just leave them open all the time. It's
sufficient to just close ON (with the files open).

Working this way all notebooks are synched automatically while the
two machines are connected. You can work on both computers even
when they are not connected - ON will automatically synch
everything when the computers are re-connected.

And never again let any synch software (incl. offline files) touch
the notebooks.

So I gather that I shouldn't use any sync software with ON files
(from the 4 times you mentioned it),

Exactly!!!
Filesynch of any kind is seriously spoiling the fantastic feature of
automatic synching - as a fanatic user of portable devices for more than
2 decades I wish other software would the same efficient way for keeping
things in synch ;-)

and that I must be quite stupid.

It's You who says that, not Me <bg>.
No, I don't think stupid. Just not informed enough. ON is that different
from all other applications I know, that only too many user just don't
know of ON's synching construction and hardly can imagine that this
would be viable. IMO it's just some kind of paradigm shift.

However, the problem only started after SP1 was installed,

I can't say.
But using any "normal" file-synch has been true NoNo from the very
beginning of ON2007.

and I know there's a BIG problem with SP1 ON files on file
servers running DAV which I gather hasn't yet been resolved.

Yes, there's regression.

It seemed to be related to this.

I'll try again though as you suggest.

Do so and ask