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Resolve a kDrive synchronization conflict
This guide details possible solutions when the kDrive app icon turns orange, indicating there has been a conflict during synchronization.
If you notice a problem while the icon is green, read this guide (click here).
What is a synchronization conflict?
"Conflict" files are created:
- when a file is edited simultaneously from both sides, either locally or on the web kDrive (its size and/or date are different); the local file is then renamed to "conflict" and the one from kDrive is downloaded
- when files/folders are created/moved simultaneously from both sides with the same name in the same folder; the local file/folder is then renamed to "conflict" and the one from kDrive is downloaded
- when a file is edited from one side and one of its parent folders is deleted from the other side; the edited file is then moved and renamed to "conflict" in the root of the drive
- when resolving a conflict involving the movement of a file/folder cannot be achieved, this file/folder is then moved and renamed to "conflict" in the root of the drive
In cases 1 and 2, you can:
- keep both files locally, knowing that the "conflict" file is not synchronized on kDrive
- on the local disk, delete the "conflict" file if it is the least up-to-date of the two
- on the local disk, delete the non-"conflict" file if it is the least up-to-date of the two, then rename the "conflict" file to synchronize it online via the kDrive application
- on the local disk, merge the two files into the non-"conflict" file and then delete the "conflict" file
In all cases, please always make sure to keep the most up-to-date version on the kDrive online.
Note that case one can also occur when the desktop application is uninstalled and then reinstalled while keeping the configuration and modifications occur on the drive in the meantime. To avoid this, it is recommended not to uninstall the kDrive application while keeping the configuration (other recommendations are presented below).
How to display conflicts?
To display conflicting files:
- left-click on the kDrive app icon in the notification area of your computer (top right on macOS, bottom right on Windows, and double left-click on the taskbar on Linux)
- click on the information button at the top
- click on the listed event to see its details
- conflicts and errors are displayed in 2 separate tabs allowing you to become aware of unsynchronized data:
Avoid synchronization conflicts / blacklist
- do not work on the same file with several people (unless you are working online on a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint document).
- synchronize your offline changes before editing the same files online
- avoid creating folders with the same name as folders you do not synchronize on a device
A blacklist conflict can also occur if problematic characters are found among the synchronized file names, such as the tilde ~ the slash / or backslash \ and certain types of files like System Volume Information and some extensions like .idlk,.parms.db,.directory, ._* etc.
If necessary, to manually resolve some synchronization conflicts that were not automatically resolved:
- open both files
- compare the differences
- retrieve the information from the conflict file (the one with the exclamation point) into the base file.
- delete the conflict file that is not synchronized (the one with the exclamation point and the mention "conflicted copy").
Don't see conflict files on all your devices? This is normal. The conflict file (the one with the exclamation point and the mention "conflicted copy" in its name) is not synchronized. The idea is that you, the author of the changes, are the best person to resolve the conflict.