SYNC WITH DROPBOX: Invalid file used with syndata

Discussions about syncing data via Bluetooth, Dropbox, FTP, and using CSWeb
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ishycienth
Posts: 8
Joined: May 22nd, 2017, 9:22 am

SYNC WITH DROPBOX: Invalid file used with syndata

Post by ishycienth »

Hi Everyone,
Top of the day.

I urgently need your help.
I have designed a data entry application to be deployed for data collection by next week. However, I am having a challenge synchronizing with dropbox. Each time I attempt to do that, I get an error message thus: "Invalid file used with syncdata for "dictionary name", only CSPRo DB files support sync. Please make sure that the file type is CSPro DB and that it is not closed in CSPro application logic". Surprisingly, I have used the same function with any hitches in the past.

Thanks
szso
Posts: 17
Joined: January 10th, 2015, 5:26 am

Re: SYNC WITH DROPBOX: Invalid file used with syndata

Post by szso »

ishycienth,

One possible answer to your question is that you're trying to use the new synchronisation <syncdata> with an application that is still recording data on text file (*.dat). If it is the case, try using <syncfile> which will import the entire data file each time you synchronize.

The new synchronization is more light as it attempts to download only new and modified data. The major advantage of this new sync is also that the downloaded data is already concatenated even if it comes from different sources.

You can have a look at http://www.csprousers.org/help/CSPro/sy ... ation.html for more help.
ishycienth
Posts: 8
Joined: May 22nd, 2017, 9:22 am

Re: SYNC WITH DROPBOX: Invalid file used with syndata

Post by ishycienth »

Thank you, szso, for your help.
However, I think I have a different situation here. I am using (.csdb) and this has worked well using the synchronization option on the desktop application. I just can not figure out why I am having a tough time doing the same thing through a "Menu" application. This is even as I have the successfully used a similar logic lines in a no distant past. Like before, I need to write an application that combines the "syncdata" and "syncfile" functions so that I could as well, send pictures taken as part of the data collection process.

Thanks
josh
Posts: 2399
Joined: May 5th, 2014, 12:49 pm
Location: Washington DC

Re: SYNC WITH DROPBOX: Invalid file used with syndata

Post by josh »

This can happen if you don't have the file associations set up correctly for the application. You need to make sure that the dictionary name you pass to syncdata() has a .csdb file associated with it. File associations are set up in the dialog that comes up when you first run the application on the desktop. In the dialog that comes up that lists all the files make sure that the file type for the dictionary is set to "CSPro DB". In more advanced scenarios you may use the logic function setfile in logic to associate a data file with a dictionary. In that case, make sure that the filename you use in the call to setfile ends in .csdb. Also make sure not to call close() on that file before calling syncdata. Finally make sure that the data file you are using is a valid cspro db file. Try opening it in DataViewer to make sure it isn't just an old format data file with the wrong file extension. If it is, it could be getting opened in the old format which doesn't support sync.
ishycienth
Posts: 8
Joined: May 22nd, 2017, 9:22 am

Re: SYNC WITH DROPBOX: Invalid file used with syndata

Post by ishycienth »

Hi Josh,

Thank you for your wonderful response. It was helpful; I have been able to resolve the issue.
jeodavila2030
Posts: 3
Joined: November 1st, 2017, 3:33 pm

Re: SYNC WITH DROPBOX: Invalid file used with syndata

Post by jeodavila2030 »

The error that cspro generates when synchronizing is due to the version of csentry 7.1.0 that is not compatible with desktop version 7.0.

Use the version csentry_2017-07-06.apk with this you can synchronize well

regards
jeodavila2030
Posts: 3
Joined: November 1st, 2017, 3:33 pm

Re: SYNC WITH DROPBOX: Invalid file used with syndata

Post by jeodavila2030 »

The error that cspro generates when synchronizing is due to the version of csentry 7.1.0 that is not compatible with desktop version 7.0.
For synchronization to work correctly do the following:

Step 1. Completely delete the folder called "** ._ DICT" located in Dropbox -> CSPro -> DataSync
Step 2. Uninstall the latest version of csentry Installed on mobile devices and install csentry_2017-07-06.apk
Step 3. Enter a test questionnaire and then synchronize once
Step 4. Go to cspro desktop ... Tools -> Data Viewer ---> File ---> Download, select Dropbox and click on Connect, in Data select the name of the survey, in Save as: find the location desired and give a name to the file to be downloaded and click on the Download button.

Remember DO NOT UPDATE CSEntry 7.1.0 Until we have a version cspro 7.1.0 for desktop

regards
josh
Posts: 2399
Joined: May 5th, 2014, 12:49 pm
Location: Washington DC

Re: SYNC WITH DROPBOX: Invalid file used with syndata

Post by josh »

@jeodavila2030 is correct that you always want to use the same version of CSPro on the tablet and on the PC or you will run into problems with sync and with other functions. For example, a pen file created in version 7.1 on the desktop won't work when you put it on a tablet running version 7.0 (the reverse is ok - a pen file created in version 7 will work in 7.1).

We recommend that you use the latest version for both which right now is version 7.0.2.

You can download the latest version for the desktop from https://www.census.gov/population/inter ... nload.html. To get the latest for Android use Google Play and search for "CSEntry".

If you want to test out the newest features that we are working on you can download a beta version of the next release (currently version 7.1 beta). Beta versions can be downloaded from: http://www.csprousers.org/beta/ To get the beta version on Android follow the link on that page to register for the beta program in Google Play and it will download the latest beta. We always release new beta versions for both Android and Windows at about the same time and it is important to use the same version on both. You should not use the beta version on one platform and the non-beta on another platform.

You should generally avoid using the beta version for production surveys as they have generally not been fully tested and may have bugs. Once you have a survey in production we generally recommend that you disable automatic updates on your Android devices so that you don't get a new version of CSPro installed on your device in the middle of the survey. You can do that from Google Play: https://support.google.com/googleplay/a ... 3412?hl=en
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