Syncing with Dropbox
Hello Infinitekind,
I have used Moneydance since 2007. I bought directly from your website. Not from the Apple store. I am currently running version 2021 (2006)
Recently I wanted to sync Moneydance to my iPhone. I have succeeded. But have a few questions.
Normally the program is set at "Don't Sync"
Difficulties
Before syncing I reviewed the Console Window. It looked like program was trying to sync with files from 2016 with files that were from 2018.
I deleted the .moneydancesync folder in Dropbox thinking that might get rid of this CORRUPTION. This did not help.
Yesterday
I deleted the Dropbox.app and Dropbox folder on my mac and then reloaded the app and reloaded the Dropbox folder through Dropbox.
First tried to sync using Dropbox Folder. The software would not accept this.
Second tried to sync using Dropbox Connection. This worked. I was able to setup my iPhone and it did update the Moneydance document whether I made a change on the iPhone or on my computer.
I finished with Don't Sync.
Console Window: It looks like the CORRUPTION that I originally saw has been overwritten or removed.
This morning I tried syncing using Dropbox Folder. It also worked (Again. It previously did not work). I do not see .moneydancesync folder in my Dropbox Folder on my mac. I checked the .moneydancesync folder in Dropbox cloud storage. It is appears to be updating per my latest changes.
QUESTIONS?
1. Does syncing by Dropbox Folder or by Dropbox Connection both use the .moneydancesync folder in Dropbox cloud storage?
2. I reviewed the Dropbox Folder on my mac when syncing per Dropbox Folder. There is no .moneydancesync folder that I can see. Is this what I should expect?
3. Before syncing with Dropbox, my Moneydance document size was 44MB. After syncing it is 64.5 MB. Is this what you would expect?
4. If one decides not to sync their iPhone with the computer, should you delete the .moneydancesync folder in Dropbox cloud storage? I am asking this because of the initial CORRUPTION that I saw on the Console Window.
Thanks
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1 Posted by derekkent23 on 15 Mar, 2021 09:58 PM
I am not support staff, just a user.
Hi Peter
There is a bug in 2021 that has not been fixed yet.
Assuming there is no “.moneydancesync” folder in the Dropbox Folder on your hard drive or in your cloud account, when setting up syncing for the first time using the sync method Dropbox Folder. after entering your passphrase and using the dropdown to change Don’t Sync to Dropbox Folder and click OK, nothing happens, you have to click Cancel. Moneydance is not creating the “.moneydancesync” folder in Dropbox. The work around is to manually create the “.moneydancesync” folder yourself.
The Sync method Dropbox Connection does create the “.moneydancesync” folder.
I am not a Mac user but its my understanding the “.moneydancesync” folder on your hard drive can be hidden, thought you can see it in your online Dropbox account. Note: on a Mac if “.moneydancesync” is hidden, try in your Finder window, typing CMD-Shift-G and then pasting ~/Dropbox/.moneydancesync/ into the box to unhide.
1. The “.moneydancesync” folder should be present in the cloud and your hard drive with both Dropbox sync methods. It’s just the path the data transfer takes. Dropbox Connection - Computers (Moneydance) <> Dropbox Cloud (.moneydancesync) <> Mobile Device (Moneydance) and Hard Drive (.moneydancesync) Although Dropbox “.moneydancesync” on hard drive play no part in the process that why you don’t need Dropbox Client installed on your computer for Dropbox Connection to work.
Dropbox Folder - Computers (Moneydance) <> Hard Drive (.moneydancesync) <> Dropbox Cloud (.moneydancesync) <> Mobile Device (Moneydance).
2. On Mac “.moneydancesync” folder may be hidden on your hard drive as explained above.
3. Can’t say I have noticed a significant change in my data set size when I start syncing, but I haven’t been looking.
4. I have deleted the “.moneydancesync” folder after disconnecting my two Mobile phones and setting my three computers to Don’t Sync many times, this has no harmful effect. Leaving the “.moneydancesync” folder also has no harmful effect when you stop syncing, it just takes up some space in Dropbox.
Hope this helps
2 Posted by Peter on 16 Mar, 2021 12:32 AM
In the Dropbox folder on my mac I did the following per instruction-->
"You can show hidden files by pressing the Command, Shift, and Period keys at the same time."-->
The .moneydancesync folder is in the Dropbox folder and it is hidden.
You said you need the Dropbox client (Dropbox app) installed to use Dropbox Folder sync to work. But you do not need it if you use Dropbox Connection syncing. I do have the Dropbox app installed on my mac.
When I started with sync method Dropbox Folder, I pressed button OK and the program would not accept OK. It just sat there.
I then tried sync method Dropbox Connection. After entering the code from Dropbox and I pressed button OK the program accepted it.
Perhaps a good strategy is to start with sync method Dropbox Connection so that the .moneydancesync folder is created. After that, then do sync method Dropbox Folder.
Once it is setup, it appears that switching between Dropbox Folder and Dropbox Connection syncing and vice versa is no problem.
QUESTION from above
3. Before syncing with Dropbox, my Moneydance document size was 44MB. After syncing it is 64.5 MB. Is this what you would expect?
Anyone have thoughts on QUESTION 3.
3 Posted by derekkent23 on 16 Mar, 2021 08:23 AM
I am not support staff, just a user.
Hi Peter
As I say I am not a Mac user. The method for unhiding hidden folders was provided by another Mac user. Is your method an alternative or did the other Mac user get it wrong and the method you used the only way? I don’t want to mislead other Mac users in the future.
I would be surprised if Dropbox Client comes pre-installed on a Mac as you have to set up a Dropbox account to use Dropbox. When you are setting up the Dropbox account part of the process is to download and install Dropbox client so you can see the Drobox Folder on your hard Drive. You can decline this step and if you do Dropbox Connection will still work as a Dropbox API in Moneydance connects directly to your Dropbox Account in the Cloud. This is the way many users get around the three computer limit on a free Dropbox account.
To get around the current Moneydance bug you can start syncing by using Dropbox Connection or manually create “.moneydancesync” folder in Finder, which ever works for you.
You are correct once syncing you can switch sync methods at any time as I have done many times during testing. For a given data set both methods use the same alphanumeric folder and its contents created in the “.moneydancesync” folder.
If you don’t get an answer on point 3 and when I have time I will set up syncing with a newly created data set from a QIF import and see if the data set size changes.
Hope this helps.
4 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 16 Mar, 2021 08:30 AM
Derek. Your method of CMD-Shift-G is fine. The Command, Shift, and Period method will also work to view hidden files when in the correct folder...
5 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 16 Mar, 2021 08:32 AM
Peter your method of using dropbox API and then switching to Dropbox folders is a neat way of circumnavigating the bug where .moneydancesync does not get created... Personally I like to have dropbox installed and to use dropbox folders as this sync method is faster than dropbox api and works offline too.
6 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 16 Mar, 2021 08:35 AM
Peter, no your dataset size should NOT increase due to sync (as you are sending out>>; unless you are also sending data back in from another computer too?). I suggest this:
- Upgrade to 2021 preview 3036: https://infinitekind.com/preview - Install Toolbox extension (use the signed version). Read the notes on the webpage: https://yogi1967.github.io/MoneydancePythonScripts/
- Click Analyse Dataset Obj's, size & Files. This will tell us what's consuming your file size. Post back here
(not support, just a fellow user)
7 Posted by Peter on 16 Mar, 2021 04:05 PM
Stuart,
In my application folder,
I have a folder Moneydance where I have MD 2021 (2006)
I created folder MoneydanceTest. In it I put MD 2021 preview 3036 and the signed toolbox.mxt file.
I ran MD 2021 preview 3036 with the toolbox extension.
The following caught my eye.
DATASET FILE ANALYSIS
====================
Dataset size: 64.4MB
- settings file size: 41.6KB
- key file size: 0.1KB
- tiksync folder size: 41.0MB (with 26 files)
(note trunk file size: 20.0MB)
- attachments size: 0.0MB (in 1 attachments)
- archive size: 21.6MB (in 54 files)
---------------------------------------------
Valid files size: 62.6MB (in 83 files)
Non-core file(s) size: 1.8MB (in 12 files)
...
...
Question from initial post.
3. Before syncing with Dropbox, my Moneydance document size was 44MB. After syncing it is 64.5 MB. Is this what you would expect?
What do you say?
8 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 16 Mar, 2021 04:50 PM
Did the script not also show large individual files? If so, what were there.
Take a look in the out directory. What’s in there?
9 Posted by Peter on 16 Mar, 2021 06:04 PM
Per the toolbox extension
The files in the out directory are small-->
Non-core file(s) size: 1.8MB (in 12 files) -->9 ~/out/~
- Non-core: 0.2MB /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/tiksync/out/20200416220614_008.txn-tmp
- Non-core: 0.2MB /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/tiksync/out/20190226153516_246.txn-tmp
- Non-core: 0.2MB /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/tiksync/out/20200827213139_954.txn-tmp
- Non-core: 0.1MB /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/tiksync/out/20190520175305_869.txn-tmp
- Non-core: 0.3MB /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/tiksync/out/20190415230725_786.txn-tmp
- Non-core: 0.2MB /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/tiksync/out/20200726155147_665.txn-tmp
- Non-core: 0.1MB /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/tiksync/out/20200807153805_194.txn-tmp
- Non-core: 0.3MB /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/tiksync/out/20190216025556_473.txn-tmp
- Non-core: 0.2MB /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/tiksync/out/20200318135119_592.txn-tmp
LARGE (core) file(s) > 0.5MB....: -->The 2 largest are listed at the top
...
SOME LARGE FILES -->
- 20.0MB Mod: 2021-03-16 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/tiksync/trunk
- 20.0MB Mod: 2021-03-14 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/tiksync/in/trunk-202103141529.mdtxn
Smaller files follow
- 0.8MB Mod: 2021-01-01 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/202011.mdtxnarchive
- 0.6MB Mod: 2020-05-02 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/202003.mdtxnarchive
- 0.7MB Mod: 2020-06-05 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/202004.mdtxnarchive
- 0.8MB Mod: 2020-07-01 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/202005.mdtxnarchive
- 1.9MB Mod: 2019-02-05 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/201501.mdtxnarchive
- 1.3MB Mod: 2020-12-03 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/202010.mdtxnarchive
- 1.0MB Mod: 2020-10-05 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/202008.mdtxnarchive
- 0.7MB Mod: 2019-09-06 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/201907.mdtxnarchive
- 0.5MB Mod: 2019-06-05 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/201904.mdtxnarchive
- 0.5MB Mod: 2019-02-05 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/201710.mdtxnarchive
- 0.6MB Mod: 2019-02-05 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/201702.mdtxnarchive
- 0.5MB Mod: 2019-07-03 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/201905.mdtxnarchive
- 0.8MB Mod: 2019-04-03 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/201902.mdtxnarchive
- 1.0MB Mod: 2019-02-05 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/201504.mdtxnarchive
- 0.8MB Mod: 2020-09-01 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/202007.mdtxnarchive
- 0.9MB Mod: 2021-02-01 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/202012.mdtxnarchive
- 0.6MB Mod: 2019-02-05 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/201809.mdtxnarchive
- 0.5MB Mod: 2019-11-03 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/archive/201909.mdtxnarchive
- 0.7MB Mod: 2020-08-03 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2
- 0.6MB Mod: 2021-03-14 /Users/peter/Library/Containers/com.infinitekind.MoneydanceOSX/Data/Documents/PD_2 2.moneydance/safe/tiksync/in/38c667bc-9554-4c8a-8c55-8556cb877350.mdtxn
10 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 16 Mar, 2021 06:20 PM
This is the culprit at 20MB:
It's a copy of your core dataset (called trunk) sitting in the in directory... It's called *.mdtxn which means it's been processed... When you first Sync, MD sends Trunk out to Dropbox and then will read it back in.. It's actually ready for archiving, and this will happen naturally, but not for a while. I can't remember when offhand.. If you want to reduce your dataset size we can do something; depends if you want to wait it out...
(not support, just a fellow user)
11 Posted by Peter on 16 Mar, 2021 11:09 PM
Hello Stuart,
I will wait it out and just let the program take care of it.
Thanks, Peter
12 Posted by Peter on 16 Mar, 2021 11:11 PM
Hello Stuat,
I will wait it out and just let the program take care of it.
Thanks, Peter
13 Posted by Peter on 17 Mar, 2021 07:43 PM
I previously stated:.
In my application folder,
I have a folder Moneydance where I have MD 2021 (2006)
I created folder MoneydanceTest. In it I put MD 2021 preview 3036 and the signed toolbox.mxt file.
PROBLEM: Phone is not syncing.
POSSIBLE SOLUTION: Go back to using MD 2021 (2006). Stop using MD 2021 preview 3036.
Should I delete folder MoneydanceTest?
What do you say?
14 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 17 Mar, 2021 07:53 PM
Er. I’m confused. Are you saying that since your test that syncing has stopped? Or that you have changed something with sync and now it’s stopped?
But no, 3036 will not break syncing. I use it. It’s fine. 3036 is better than 2006.
(Not support, just a fellow user)
15 Posted by Peter on 17 Mar, 2021 08:03 PM
I just checked it. It did sync. For some reason it was just slow. It is working fine.
Thanks. Peter
Melissa closed this discussion on 17 Mar, 2021 08:17 PM.