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-   -   [FIXED] WTF? "Your database needs to be reopened" (http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=9275)

wealthychef 2008-08-07 10:00 AM

[FIXED] WTF? "Your database needs to be reopened"
 
I get the message "your database needs to be reopened" frequently when updating. Then I'm given the option to reopen it now, or reopen it later. How the heck am I supposed to know which one to do? How about "reopen never?" Why am I bothered with this dialog? What am I supposed to do about it? It's poorly thought out.

Lizard 2008-08-07 10:41 AM

OmniFocus has just completed a sync, and the data it's displaying on-screen doesn't match what it just received from the server. It needs to re-display at some point. It doesn't want to keep you from finishing the sentence you're currently writing. But it also doesn't want you to keep working with this old data, not realizing that it has new data available for you.

If you have a suggestion about how we can make this message clearer (or avoid it entirely), please let us know.

otter 2008-08-07 02:57 PM

The message itself is far more disruptive (to me) than having to re-type a sentence. I'd appreciate the option to turn the message off completely (forever).

- Art

wealthychef 2008-08-07 06:15 PM

[QUOTE=Lizard;44096]OmniFocus has just completed a sync, and the data it's displaying on-screen doesn't match what it just received from the server. It needs to re-display at some point. It doesn't want to keep you from finishing the sentence you're currently writing. But it also doesn't want you to keep working with this old data, not realizing that it has new data available for you.

If you have a suggestion about how we can make this message clearer (or avoid it entirely), please let us know.[/QUOTE]
First suggestion: check to see if I'm actually in the middle of typing a sentence.
Second suggestion: Say what you mean: "You are in the middle of something and we need to refresh the window because we just synchronized. Do you mind if we do that now or do you want to finish the current sentence first? Click "Go ahead" when you're ready."
How's that? :-)

Young Daniel 2008-08-08 09:20 AM

What happens to the new data you just entered after you re-open the document to sync with the other database. Both have new information now.

Lizard 2008-08-08 09:52 AM

If both sets of new information are about the same task, one of them will be thrown away. (This is why we want to show you new info as soon as possible, so there's less chance of it getting thrown away.)

If the changes are on different tasks, or different projects, both sets of changes will be kept.

(We're working on making it even smarter about changes, so if you change a task note on one computer and the same task's start date on a different computer, we can keep both changes.)

Toadling 2008-08-08 10:42 AM

[QUOTE=Lizard;44192](We're working on making it even smarter about changes, so if you change a task note on one computer and the same task's start date on a different computer, we can keep both changes.)[/QUOTE]

That sounds good. But what if a task's note field has been edited on two different computers? Will OmniFocus prompt me to choose a version of that task or will one simply overwrite the other? And if I can choose a version (i.e. local vs. server), is it on a per-action-basis or do I have to choose one entire database over the other?

-Dennis

Lizard 2008-08-08 11:06 AM

Maybe "working on" was too strong a phrase. "Aware of the desire for" might be more accurate. So I can't really answer how it's going to behave.

Andrew 2008-08-08 12:24 PM

Toadling, the answer (at least for now) is that the most recent change wins. That is, if you change an action's title on client A and then later change its note on client B, when they get synced together both clients will end up with the new note and the old title.

jimbreen 2008-08-09 11:04 AM

I agree with wealthychef that the dialog is confusing as it is worded. In fact, the reason I came to the forums was to find out what it meant.

I don't think new OF users, like me, have any idea what "reopening the database" means. But I do understand that I'm syncing my data with a server, so I suggest rewording the dialog to explain the situation in that context.


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