Self-hosted sync-1.1 client sync fails at FF32.0

[Havin_it]

Hello,

I'm running a self-hosted sync-1.1 (old sync) server locally for a number of desktop and android clients. All the clients have been updated to FF34 and old-sync has continued to work (this was as I was led to expect).

However I just tried to add a new client (for another user on a Linux machine that already hosts other accounts; this user also had been using old-sync on one machine up until then). Of course this wouldn't work, so I blanked the FF profile for that user, downloaded the mozilla binaries for FF28 through 33, completed sync-1.1 pairing using 28 (this seemed to go fine), then stepped through versions checking sync was still working each time.

It was, up to FF32, at which point sync didn't run on launch, and pressing the toolbar icon just caused Sync Setup (new-style) to come up as though there was no sync configured.

Darn. I was pretty sure that'd work. All the other clients have happily remained on sync-1.1, so what was the problem with this client? Any ideas welcome, I don't want to keep this one user on FF31 for ever :/ (or until I can get a self-host sync-1.5 figured out!)

[tuk0z]

That's weird. You found out why it wouldn't find your Sync 1.1 server?

I started looking for a way to sync bookmarks between Firefox [current] and Ff <30. ie. between Sync 1.1 <=> Sync 1.5.
I've put kindof work in my Firefox [current] bookmarks, that helps and speeds up my work a lot between various boxes and users
But I happen to work on olded linux boxes shipping eg Ff 18, and small netbook running Ff 25 hapilly (uses 30% less RAM than lastest versions).

[Havin_it]

Hi kozaki,

No I'm afraid I never solved that. I know that there was a change in client behaviour at v32.0, which was publicised, relating to the deprecation of sync-1.1, but I can't recall exactly what it was (it may have been when they started enabling migration to sync-1.5/FXA). I figured it was related to this, though it was weird that my other clients had ridden smoothly through it and this one hadn't. I guess my older profiles had some bit of baggage that did the trick, but never figured out what.

Anyway, I could see which way the wind was blowing so I bit the bullet and took on a full FXA self-hosting setup. Not trivial! but getting easier.

On your issue, I doubt you're going to get old and new sync servers swapping data between each other. Remember: everything's encrypted on the client, and the encryption scheme has probably changed as well, so the servers couldn't read each other's contents if they tried; the migration process is client-arbitrated and one-way, so any solution you come up with has to act like the client.

From the range of client scenarios you have to deal with, I'd suggest you try a different angle altogether. Pre-Weave, I knocked up a small PHP app that read a copy of my main profile's places.sqlite database and rendered my bookmarks as a web page. That doesn't give you 2-way sync like the built-in options do, but your bookmarks are available anywhere as long as you can run the app on a public-facing server. If that sounds any use, PM me and I can dig out the code for you, though of course it comes with no warranty, may eat your babies, etc. Or, y'know, you could just export your bookmarks and carry the file around with you on a thumbdrive.

[tuk0z]

Appreciated your answer.

Fact is bookmarks play a great role in my workflow:
- PKM through tags (and folders that I'm getting rid of): typing eg 'bookmarks sync' and here is your post along with related usefull reference/memo pages;
- Workflow via tags also: for states (DOin, NExt are nice frens), and subjects so 'data sync DOin' instantly shows all I'm doing atm like bookmark as well as git-annex or unison.
- Curation/social sharing: via handy bookmarklets for twitter, ifttt, Pocket that I activate via keystrokes (won't leave current page nor my hands the keyboard).
TagSieve and Pentadactyl addons are great helps to do so (and much more).

Now Firefox current & Palemoon do not even allow for manual copy & paste between their Bookmarks libraries: looses all tags and other metadata! Found a way: Stop Sync, export from Ffx, import in Palemoon, restart Sync to merge them. Which sometimes leads to more issues (eg Ffx "Cannot import places.sqlite backup 1, 2, + or Sync 1.5 "simply" loosing all (sub)folders and history) that can be fu*ing time consuming. Not talking of Midori, Xombrero or other browsers here.

Yes that PHP weave of your does get my interest. You think it could read tags from places? It'd be a fallback yes (as many pages as different places.sqlite) but a fallback that work.

[WaltS48]

Did you try typing about:sync-log into the address bar?

You might see 1443865390221 Sync.ErrorHandler ERROR X-Weave-Alert: hard-eol: The
sync1.1 service has been shut down

[tuk0z]

Hu? Yes I have. Though I see no relation since Sync 1.1 is incompatible with 1.5 (or is it vice-verse?-)

Did you hear of that PHP-driven script? Found it back since read your post.
Please does your script read tags from places, and merge bookmarks from different profiles' places.sqlite?

Am slowly coming to a working solution that answer my needs (cross-browsers and platform, tags, accessible, team-work and chose social shares, limit havoc and the trouble to re-do).

[Havin_it]

Hu? Yes I have. Though I see no relation since Sync 1.1 is incompatible with 1.5 (or is it vice-verse?-)

Did you hear of that PHP-driven script? Found it back since read your post.
Please does your script read tags from places, and merge bookmarks from different profiles' places.sqlite?

Am slowly coming to a working solution that answer my needs (cross-browsers and platform, tags, accessible, team-work and chose social shares, limit havoc and the trouble to re-do).

My own code ("Fireplace" as I dubbed it) is pretty basic, and specific to my places.sqlite I suspect. It just reads the db and reproduces the Bookmarks Toolbar hierarchy as an expandable tree of links (complete with favicons if stored - my "wow" factor lol). You might need to find the numeric ID for the root folder you want to use, and no it doesn't read tags, although it would probably be easy enough to add.

PM me your address and I'll scrape up a tarball for you if you want.