Ongoing problem with duplicated notes fields

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: Duplicate items and missing data.

OlMike

I am using 6.3.3 and have the same/similar issue. May I suggest that the === symbol be changed to some sort of text that helps the user.

Having read this info, I suspect the "issue"is some sort of sync problem. However, it doesn't make life easier for using the NOTES portion of the app. I've had to go through the notes I've created on several occasions to edit the edit. Tiresome at best.

I did notice the === but until now didn't realise it was a clue. However, even knowing it is a clue doesn't help. When the duplicating occurs, it requires a follow on edit and then, fingers crossed, a third or fourth === doesn't follow.

Hope I see some progress on this problem.

Drew_AG

Hi @OlMike,

I'm sorry you're also having an issue with duplicated information in your notes fields!

Having read this info, I suspect the "issue"is some sort of sync problem.

Yes, if you see a === separator in the notes field of an item, that's definitely related to the sync. If 1Password (or the sync service you're using) is unable to determine which copy of an item has the newer/updated information during a sync, it saves both sets of conflicting information in the item to make sure you don't lose anything important. When this happens for a notes field, the text from both copies of the item is merged into the same notes field with a === separator between them.

There are a few legitimate reasons why a conflict might happen during a sync. On the other hand, there was also a small bug in an older version which may have caused something like this to happen. I don't know how long ago these conflicts first appeared in your items or which version(s) you were using on each device at that time, but if it was originally caused by that old bug, you can simply edit those items to remove the extra (or duplicated) data, and everything should be fine after that (make the edits from one device and allow the changes to sync to the others).

I've had to go through the notes I've created on several occasions to edit the edit.

Do you mean this has happened with the notes in just one item on multiple occasions? Or has this happened with more than one item? Normally, you should be able to look at the notes field, determine which copy of the notes there is newer/correct, and delete the older or duplicated data. After saving the changes, it should sync that to your other devices. Of course, it's more difficult to figure out which copy of the notes is the newer/edited version if you have a long note in that field.

Can you confirm that this happened to item after editing the notes on one of your devices? Or did it seem to happen even if you hadn't made any changes to the item's notes field?

When the duplicating occurs, it requires a follow on edit and then, fingers crossed, a third or fourth === doesn't follow.

I'm not sure I understand - are you saying the problem happens again after you've edited the item to delete the duplicated text from the notes? Or that it happens again even if you don't edit the notes, resulting in additional conflicts & duplicates notes separated by ===?

One way or another, we'll help figure out what's going on! :)

OlMike

This happened repeatedly for a long while. I assumed it was a mistake I was making, so I would go through the process of checking which of the text groups above or below the (rather pathetic) === symbol was. Use the text of your response as an example. If you went through it and made changes, then discovered it had duplicated, now you've got to figure out what edits you made and repeat them. It is more than inconvenient.

In order to use the notes feature, I now have to create my own clues in the text to know which edit is the latest.

Yes, the problem happens again, after edits.

It is made worse when I do edits on another device, so I have given up on making edits from anywhere but my iMac.

I am a bit surprised that your suggestion is for me to figure this out by seeing which edits are the good ones. A bit of buck passing in my view. At least you do point out the obvious that "it's more difficult to figure out ....if you have a long note"

By the way, what do you mean by legitimate reasons why a conflict might occur? Is this a way of saying there are some things that just don't work?

That said, now that I know the significance of the cute === symbol, I can resolve this myself.

Drew_AG

Hi @OlMike,

Hmm, in your first post about this, it sounded like this problem happened to just a few items in your vault, and/or was perhaps just some confusion over what the === separator means. But now it sounds like this is an ongoing and much more widespread issue. If I misunderstood your first message, I apologize! I've moved this conversation to a new forum thread so we can concentrate on helping you with this, and to avoid confusion with the earlier posts from May.

First, just to clarify something:

If you went through it and made changes, then discovered it had duplicated, now you've got to figure out what edits you made and repeat them.

It's possible I'm unclear about what you meant here, but you shouldn't need to make all the same edits again. When the notes field is "duplicated", it will have the old version of those notes as well as the new, edited version of those notes (the old and new versions are separated by ===). So if you can tell which version of the notes has the new edits, you can simply delete the old notes from that field (as well as the separator) and save the changes.

Of course, it sounds like you shouldn't be seeing duplication of the notes fields in the first place. But since that happened (for whatever reason), I just wanted to let you know that you don't need to repeat your edits because those edits should all still be there.

Now, I'd like to make sure I understand exactly what's happening on your end:

In order to use the notes feature, I now have to create my own clues in the text to know which edit is the latest.

This seems to imply it happens to all items that contain text in the notes field. Is that correct? In other words, if you create a brand new item in 1Password and enter text in its notes field, when that item syncs to your other devices, the text in the notes field has duplicated itself?

Yes, the problem happens again, after edits.

Does it happen every time you edit the notes field of any item? So basically, whenever you change something in the notes field and save the changes, it's guaranteed to be duplicated after the next sync?

It is made worse when I do edits on another device...

I'm curious about this, can you please elaborate on how the problem is worse when you make edits from a different device? That might help us understand more about the issue.

I am a bit surprised that your suggestion is for me to figure this out by seeing which edits are the good ones. A bit of buck passing in my view.

Sorry, I think I may have been unclear about that. Obviously your notes fields shouldn't be duplicating themselves like this (under normal circumstances, it's something that should happen rarely, if ever). But for some reason it is happening, and we'll definitely help you stop it from happening, but unfortunately 1Password won't be able to automatically get rid of the duplicate text in the notes fields for you. That's because 1Password has no way of knowing which notes you want to keep and which ones you want to delete. Once the duplication has happened, you're the only one who knows which edits are the "good" ones.

By the way, what do you mean by legitimate reasons why a conflict might occur?

For example, let's say you edit the notes field of an item on your Mac. Then, before that change syncs, you make a different edit to the same notes field on another device. When the sync happens, 1Password will see that you've made different changes to the same item from two different devices, and it won't know which is the "right" change. Instead of making a random decision about which one to keep and which one to delete, it keeps both copies of the notes field to make sure you don't lose anything.

Even if you only make changes from one device, something else might cause 1Password to be unable to tell which copy of an item was updated. And it might be something outside of our control. For example, if one of your devices is set to the wrong date/time, it could set the time stamp incorrectly in the sync file for your 1Password data, which will confuse 1Password about which device has newer data.

These are just examples of course, and might be unrelated to the particular reason this is happening for you.

That said, now that I know the significance of the cute === symbol, I can resolve this myself.

No problem! I hope you're able to get things back on track without too much trouble. But if you need help with that, just let us know the answers to my questions above, and we'll be happy to work with you to solve this. Thanks! :)

OlMike

Thanks for the help. I'll do my best to keep notes and send you a report.

Perhaps the reason this issue is so confusing for you is that it doesn't happen to you. I appreciate your efforts and all of your questions. I'll use my own work around now that I see what is happening.

"But for some reason it is happening,** and we'll definitely help you stop it from happening,** but unfortunately 1Password won't be able to automatically get rid of the duplicate text in the notes fields for you."

Thanks for the help. So far the help has been to tell me there is a problem and the cute little geeky === has a meaning. Coulda, woulda, shoulda been useful to know that as part of using the app.

Drew_AG

You're very welcome! Hopefully you're able to get your notes back to normal in 1Password. We appreciate your feedback about this, and I hope we'll be able to make this sort of thing much easier to understand in the future.

We're always glad to help if you need us. Have a great weekend! :)