NOT a happy camper after phone replacement

BigDave56

Okay, let's see if I have calmed down enough to have a rational discussion about this...
My iPhone had to be replaced under AppleCare yesterday. Although last I recall I had set iTunes to save an encrypted backup, which should have saved passwords as well, this did not happen. That part is not 1 password's fault.

However, in my quest to restore 1password, where all my passwords are saved, I have run into a circular road block. I keep getting a message 'Dropbox authorization failed. It appears 1 password is no longer authorized to connect to your dropbox account. Tap 'Authorize' to reconnect to dropbox.'

I have put in my password multiple times, a process not made any easier by the fact that one password times me out after- I swear I'm not making this up- two seconds. I didn't know about anybody else, but I need more than two seconds to enter a username and password. I changed my dropbox password successfully from my computer, and tried reentering the password yet again multiple times, running into the same exasperating two-second-timeout issue, which requires clearing a dialog box about 20 times, before you finally get your password entered (and rejected). I'm sure this process isn't helping my accuracy but I know I have entered this password correctly at least once somewhere along the way. I know this because 1) The dialog box clears and then shows me my password vault; and 2) The password I am entering works from my computer. But then the next time I open the app, I get the same error message.

I am not "wedded" to dropbox per se so I went back into 1password on my computer to look into syncing through iCloud instead. No such option appears in the drop-down list of sync options. There is 'Dropbox', 'A folder', and 'None'.

I really depend on 1password and use it mainly from my phone. Right now I can't use it all, and as a result, almost nothing on my phone works. I am trying to circumvent the process of adding 178 passwords to my phone manually. I would really appreciate some guidance here. Being allowed more than two seconds to enter your username and password, eliminating the 'whack-a-mole', would be a good start towards making this process much less of a pain in the a**.

Not long ago, I did a wipe and clean install on the phone I just replaced, and had no problem at all. Not sure what went wrong this time.

Thanks.

FOLLOWUP:
Found option in my phone version of the app to change sync to 1cloud or Wi-Fi. On my phone it says 'select File>WiFi sync' on my Mac to sync over WiFi. (I'll take anything at this point.) However, no such option appears under the 'File' menu. Along with the absence of the iCloud syncing option in the drop down menu, despite being shown in the user guide. By the way, in case anybody is wondering, I am using the current version of one password for both Mac and IOS.

So far I have well over an hour in on trying to resolve this problem and I am really getting irritated. Two second time outs, menu options that don't exist... This experience could hardly have been more frustrating and the end is not yet In sight. I think I need to walk away for a few minutes.

FURTHER UPDATE: it turns out wi-fi sync appears under the 'Window' menu, not under the 'File' menu as stated in the dialog box on the phone (Why does this not appear under 'Sync' in Prefs?) and I was able to get it to sync that way. I would still prefer to sync using dropbox, iCloud, or Google Drive if possible. Since iCloud does not appear to be an option despite the documentation, maybe I could create a folder on Google Drive and set that as the sync 'hub' if I am unable to get dropbox to play nicely? As of now my computer is syncing to phone via wifi and also to dropbox but the phone is syncing only via wifi. I think I might at this point (as one senator said about the Vietnam war) , just "declare victory and leave".

Thanks again for anybody who can offer any suggestions about the dropbox piece.

AGAlumB

@BigDave56: Sorry for the confusion! It sounds like you're looking at documentation for the current version of 1Password while using an older version. We'll get this sorted out for you!

From your description it sounds like you're using some combination of 1Password 3 on iOS and 1Password for Windows (version 4?) If this is not the case, simply ignore the rest of this and let me know exactly which OS and 1Password versions you're using and the devices you have so I can give you accurate instructions.

Otherwise, the simplest way to get your data out of 1Password 3 on iOS is by backing it up (this is important to do regardless):

Backing Up and Restoring Your 1Password touch Data (version 3)

Then, you can import it into 1Password 5 for iOS:

How do I upgrade from 1Password 3 on iOS?

Dropbox discontinued the API that 1Password 3 used back in 2013, so it will no longer work there. Additionally, 1Password 4 for Windows can only Wi-Fi Sync with 1Password 4 for iOS or higher, as the Wi-Fi Sync feature wasn't added until later.

I hope this helps, but if not just let me know where you're at and we'll get this sorted out for you! :)

BigDave56

Sorry, no. Using 1PW 5.4.2 for iOS and 1PW 5.3.1 for OSX. Did misread the OSX instructions to find wifi sync though- however I am still puzzled that this is not simply put in Sync prefs.

When I did an erase and set-up-as-new a couple months ago on my previous phone I had no problems at all. Logged into Dropbox and all was well. This time was completely different. This time I got the whack-a-mole. Still trying to figure out why the iCloud sync option is missing on my Mac (it appears on my phone ). At this point, syncing the two devices via Wi-Fi and having the computer also sync to dropbox (which is working) may be a viable solution.

I did have the following error message however returning to my phone after I set up Wi-Fi sync (I have gotten a successful sync after this though)

Also including a screenshot demo'ing the missing iCloud sync option (could this be because I have I cloud drive set up?)

littlebobbytables

Hi @BigDave56,

Let's see if I can bring a little explanation to each of the sync miseries you're currently experiencing.

• Wi-Fi Sync. Yeah, that one is annoying. It's a bug that I believe we've addressed in the betas. Don't get me wrong, in the right conditions this should happen but at the moment if the Wi-Fi Sync gets interrupted at all (for me it's changing vaults) then iOS spits the dummy. I'm looking forward to the next update :smile:
• iCloud. You're running the AgileBits Store version of 1Password for Mac and unfortunately in 1Password 5 iCloud Sync has been limited to the Mac App Store version. It's all to do with iCloud Drive and how the CloudKit framework we rely on is currently only accessible to applications obtained via one of Apple's stores. This link, iCloud FAQs (iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite) is probably better explaining it than I.
• Dropbox. I feel your pain. I'm wondering, do you have the iOS Dropbox app on your phone at all? The reason I ask is if you don't we contact Dropbox directly and offer up a login page. This seemed to work a lot better once upon a time but now it's as you discovered, almost unusable. Thankfully it's just one option. I find that if you download and log into your Dropbox account in their app that it will allow you to log in and more importantly, when you try to access Dropbox we ask the app instead. You'd be switched to the iOS Dropbox app, tap a button to say 1Password is authorised and then automatically be returned to 1Password for iOS. To get you back on track with Dropbox I'd recommend this route if you haven't tried already - it hasn't failed me once since I started and I delete 1Password for iOS and have to ask for authentication a lot.

If you have any follow up questions based on any of that please do ask away :smile:

AGAlumB

Sorry, no. Using 1PW 5.4.2 for iOS and 1PW 5.3.1 for OSX. Did misread the OSX instructions to find wifi sync though- however I am still puzzled that this is not simply put in Sync prefs.

@BigDave56: Ah! I'm sorry I guessed wrong which versions you were using based on context. Just to clarify, Wi-Fi Sync is in its own section in Preferences because you can use both it and another sync method if needed. I apologize for the confusion!

At this point, syncing the two devices via Wi-Fi and having the computer also sync to dropbox (which is working) may be a viable solution.

Agreed. It sounds like just using Dropbox would simplify things in your case. Having to use both is rare (generally only necessary in specific setups, often only when using old versions alongside new). I primarily use Dropbox Sync myself, so be sure to let me know if you have any questions or run into issues setting it up. Cheers! :)

BigDave56

Hello again everyone. Thanks for all the suggestions; they definitely clarified what was going on. Right now I have Wi-Fi sync working between the computer and the phone, and I have the computer additionally syncing to dropbox, which I think is fine, The main purpose being to have an off-site copy of my vault.

One question related to the iCloud thing: one of the sync options I see is 'Sync to folder'. Can that folder be, let's say, a folder on iCloud Drive or Google Drive, and can I sync to that from the phone? If not, the way it is set now seems to be workable. Thanks to all for the help and suggestions.

AGAlumB

@BigDave56: That's great! Thanks for the update. :+1:

One question related to the iCloud thing: one of the sync options I see is 'Sync to folder'. Can that folder be, let's say, a folder on iCloud Drive or Google Drive, and can I sync to that from the phone? If not, the way it is set now seems to be workable. Thanks to all for the help and suggestions.

Excellent question! In theory, using Folder Sync can give you a lot of flexibility with regard to storing and syncing 1Password; in practice, there are a few caveats:

• AgileBits cannot support 3rd party sync solutions, so use at your own risk (and with a good backup strategy!)
• You need to use a local folder, rather than a network share, as data loss can occur if the drive goes offline.
• Folder Sync will not work with the mobile apps

I know some folks have had success with OneDrive, iCloud Drive, Google Drive, Monkey Drive (okay, I made that one up), and local solutions like ChronoSync. Personally, I've had some negative experiences in that vein, so I'm sticking with Dropbox. Ultimately what 1Password needs is a local folder to write to and valid data sync'd on each device.

With proper degree of caution, a combination of Folder Sync and Wi-Fi Sync can work as a completely offline sync solution for almost any platform (Android Wi-Fi Sync is in beta). I hope this helps! :)