Syncing with Nextcloud vis Webdav

[tmnku]

Hi, I'm trying to set up paperlib (I'm using the lastest appimage from the website) with my nextcloud storage. I set this url in settings/Cloud/File Storage: https://mydomain.de/remote.php/dav/files/myusername/paper as well as my username and password. Before that I created the "paper" directory on my nextcloud. I noticed that paperlib created a directory inside it with the name "paperlib" but it does not show any content even after adding a couple of new paper.

[GeoffreyChen777]

Please share your log files: ~/.config/paperlib/logs/

[GeoffreyChen777]

What do you mean by synced in paperlib?

You wish to use webdav to sync papers' metadata and files?

[tmnku]

Exactly. I wanted to use one shared folder in nextcloud to have a common collection of papers which can be shared across many people. Is this possible or am I using paperlib here the wrong way?

[GeoffreyChen777]

It's impossible to use webdav for metadata syncing. Webdav is only for files.

For metadata, we use MongoDB Atlas as the cloud database backend. You can create your own free online database. For PDF files, we recommand to use Onedrive (or Dropbox etc.) or webDAV to sync your PDF files accross devices.

Here is the guide: https://paperlib.app/en/doc/cloud-sync/setup.html

About why can't you use webdav/dropbox... to sync metadata (#267):

1. Cloud storage services are designed for files, not for databases. They cannot merge conflict and the sync delay usually occurs. For example you modified something on PC A, then you modified something on PC B, but without the network connection. Once you connect PC B with network, how to merge these two databases?
2. We need a powerful database for fast searching.
3. When an APP is reading a database file, there is a file lock. It means that the cloud storage service such as OneDrive will never sync the database file until you exit the APP. So , even if conflict merging does not become a problem, you must ensure that you remember to exit the software in time on any computer. Imagine you forget to close the software on PC B, but leave PC B and go to PC A. You will never be able to access the changes you made on PC B.

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For your case, please setup a free MongoDB Atlas.

[tmnku]

So it seems to be not a problem with my colleague. I had one pdf in the cloud and disconnected from the cloud and then removed the pdf locally. I then closed, restarted and reconnected in paperlib and the pdf did not get downloaded. I think I just don't know exactly how it's supposed to work or if I'm using paperlib in an unintended way.

[tmnku]

I just saw your answer. Ok, then I was just not aware of how it works. Thanks again for your help!