using 2 Macs with DropBox

[Jim Parsons]

Hello, I have my iMac successfully syncing with my iPad and iPhone. The last thing I would like to sync is my MacBook Air. Both devices have the same DropBox account and are using the latest software from the relevant app stores. I had an old test copy on my MBA so I used Launchpad to delete it and then reinstall from the app store (same purchase that is on my iMac but the terms allow for 2 computers).

Once installed it does not ask me for my password and once I click the sync it only shows the iMac along with the MBA in the window. From there it shows that it is syncing with the iMac in the bottom right portion of the screen but this goes on for hours and it never syncs up. I have tried this with both the iMac running the software at the same time and with it off (reinstalled between tests).

Ideas and process suggestions would be appreciated! I really want to have the availability of the MBA on the road.

[Brendan]

Hi Jim,

On the Sync Settings screen in Tap Forms on your Mac, select the “None” Dropbox service to logout of Dropbox.

Then re-select and re-authenticate with Dropbox.

Hopefully that’ll get you working again.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Jim Parsons]

Brendan, iMac, MBA or both? When I erased the program off of the MBA (using launchpad) I had to reathenticate Dropbox and that resulted in the spinning session on the lower right of the screen that did not stop (let it run for an hour & there are not many forms to sync.

I really appreciate the assistance!!

[Jim Parsons]

Brendan,

I erased the MBA again and reinstalled. Then I shut off sync on the cloud box and in the pref sync tab by shutting off drop box. I then shut down the program and restarted it. I then went through the setup process and all 4 devices appeared in the cloud sync button. I did get a message that they sync had failed but down in the lower right of the screen the spinning wheel indicates that it is trying to sync with the last device to be opened. Again, all 4 devices (2 macs, iPad, iPhone). Fingers crossed.

[Jim Parsons]

interesting. it is still spinning. I went to keychain access to check on the login password and there isn’t one… This was after I have reinstalled the program twice on the MBA. It is on the keychain for the iMac (novice time …). Is that important?

[Brendan]

Hi Jim,

Yes, you’ll need to have the same encryption key set on each copy of Tap Forms. Go to the Security Settings screen on each device and make sure that the button says “Change Encryption Key” and not “Set Encryption Key”. If it says “Set Encryption Key”, then you know you haven’t set it on that device. You’ll have to reset sync after you set the key on any of your devices.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Jim Parsons]

Brendan,

Reset sync on all devices and then enabled syncs in this order; iMac, iPhone, iPad and then MBAir. MacBookAir came back with immediate unable to sync message. Using keychain I checked the key and it was fine. Second try I erased the keychain key and started again in the same order.

There has been some progress in that out of the blue my forms appeared on the MBA but the sync still comes back with the error message.

Now I am encouraged that something is working but it is just not syncing. I changed something on the iMac and the phone and iPad showed the change but not the MBA.

Path forward? Thank you in advance!!

[Jim Parsons]

yes, I reentered the key into the MBA app

[Brendan]

Hi Jim,

The “unable to sync” message that the Macbook Air displayed, was that actually the “Sync Failed” error message?

Ok, try looking in the following folder and make sure it has the exact same set of files as you do in the SyncDocuments folder in Dropbox.

~/Library/Containers/com.tapforms.mac/Data/Documents/Application Support/SyncDocuments

That’s where Tap Forms actually looks to generate the list of devices you see there in the Registered Devices list. It’s also where it looks to read in the .tfx files which contain the synced data. If there’s somehow an extra one in there that was not cleared out when you reset sync, that could cause the Sync Failed error.

Thanks,

Brendan

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