No longer syncing with Nextcloud 31

[RayCulp]

Expected Behavior

UBsync synchronizes files between Ubuntu Touch and Nextcloud

Current Behavior

No files are synchronized

Steps to Reproduce

1. In UBsync, add an online account (select existing Nextcloud account)
2. In online account, create new sync target
3. In Settings, tap Sync button to manually start sync --> Message at bottom of screen says "Sync Starting". No error message is shown. Last Sync information shows "Just Now".
4. Check whether files were synced. --> No files were synced.

Context (Environment)

Phone model: Google Pixel 3a XL
Ubuntu Touch version: 20.04 (OTA-8)
Nextcloud version: 31.0.2
UBsync version: 0.8.1

Detailed Description

UBsync no longer synchronizes any files with Nextcloud.
I am running the latest versions of Ubuntu Touch , UBsync and Nextcloud.
This problem coincided roughly with the last major update to Nextcloud (Nextcloud 31, released end of February 2025).
I have deleted all UBsync settings using UT Tweak Tool and performed a full uninstall and re-install, including reboot.
I have also created new server-side folders to sync with.
Does UBsync create a log file on the phone that might help with further troubleshooting?

[belohoub]

Hello @RayCulp,
Logs for UBSync can be viewed by a logView application - there should be an owncloudsyncd daemon messages.

I probably have a root of the problem: Nextcloud 31 dropped suport for older sync clients, and some stopped working.
To be hones, I face(d) similar issues as well on two different systems:

• older Iphone SE - no option to update
• and current /e/ OS file Sync app

Both stopped working after upgrading my nextcloud to 31 ...

In case of UBSync, owncloudcmd 2.5 is used, while it seems, that Nextcloud 31 requires owncloudcmd 2.7+.

Thus fix should be simple, just replacing owncloudcmd binary here (and for other archs): https://github.com/belohoub/UBsync/tree/master/lib/aarch64-linux-gnu/bin

As soon as I find some time to update and test the package, I'll integrate it - additionally, I do not have a working UB-Touch phone now.

If you have some time to go through, the workaround would be updating the binary on your system manually, or modifying the package by your own and creating a pull-request here ;-)

Something is described here: https://github.com/belohoub/UBsync/blob/master/BUILD.md

[RayCulp]

I'll be glad to test, but I'm not sure which binary I should download / extract.

The page you linked (https://github.com/belohoub/UBsync/blob/master/BUILD.md) says the following:

The owncloudcmd binary and libraries for 20.04 (focal) were extracted from ubuntu packages @ http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/ubuntu-ports/pool/universe/o/owncloud-client/

If I navigate to the link http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/ubuntu-ports/pool/universe/o/owncloud-client/, I notice two things:

1. The version number jumps from 2.6.3 to 5.2.1. There is no version 2.7.x.
2. There are a number of different architectures to choose from:

• owncloud-client-cmd_5.2.1.13040+dfsg-2build1_arm64.deb
• owncloud-client-cmd_5.2.1.13040+dfsg-2build1_armhf.deb
• owncloud-client-cmd_5.2.1.13040+dfsg-2build1_ppc64el.deb
• owncloud-client-cmd_5.2.1.13040+dfsg-2build1_riscv64.deb
• owncloud-client-cmd_5.2.1.13040+dfsg-2build1_s390x.deb
• owncloud-client-cmd_5.2.1.13040+dfsg-3.0.1_arm64.deb
• owncloud-client-cmd_5.2.1.13040+dfsg-3.0.1_armhf.deb
• owncloud-client-cmd_5.2.1.13040+dfsg-3.0.1_ppc64el.deb
• owncloud-client-cmd_5.2.1.13040+dfsg-3.0.1_riscv64.deb
• owncloud-client-cmd_5.2.1.13040+dfsg-3.0.1_s390x.deb

I extracted and tested owncloudcmd from owncloud-client-cmd_5.2.1.13040+dfsg-3.0.1_arm64.deb, but it does not seem to work. Do you know which version I should try?

[RayCulp]

I extracted and tested owncloudcmd from owncloud-client-cmd_5.2.1.13040+dfsg-3.0.1_arm64.deb, but it does not seem to work. Do you know which version I should try?

That is to say, I performed the following actions:

1. Downloaded the *.deb file
2. Extracted contents of *.deb file to local folder
3. Uploaded owncloudcmd to /opt/click.ubuntu.com/ubsync/0.8.1/lib/aarch64-linux-gnu/bin/ on phone
4. Changed permissions on file to allow execution (chmod +x)

[ruedigerkupper]

Confirming. Nothing gets synced with NC31, no error reported.

[RayCulp]

@belohoub If you could provide any additional information, I would be very glad to test the binary.

However, although I have a bit of programming experience on Windows, I'm not a professional developer (no formal programming training) and I have no experience coding for Linux / UT, so I currently have no overview of what updating the package would involve. I'm sure I could learn the skills, but it would currently be exclusively for the purpose of updating this package. I have no other use for these skills at this time.

[belohoub]

Hello,
I found some time to investigate, but I'm not done yet.
owncloud client 5.X.X will not work, as it depends on QT6 ... this is too new.

The update unfortunately involves a bit of dependence elaboration or cross-compilation.

If you give me few days, I'll probably be able to deliver and test a working package.

The simplest way for now will be probably employing nextcloud cmd (which is the equivalent of owncloudcmd and should be available in a matching version), extracting to the location you pointed and creating a symlink to nexcloudcmd called owncloudcmd.

In the meantime, if you want to try, you can extract nextcloud cmd from here: http://ports.ubuntu.com/pool/universe/n/nextcloud-desktop/

But you have to track also dependencies not satisfied by system libraries ... similarly to the description here

I recommend to test the binary from the command line first. If it does not work as a standalone command line tool, UBsync will not work as well.

[ruedigerkupper]

May I ask if you already found the time to try your proposed solution?

[ruedigerkupper]

I tried extracting nextcloudcmd as you suggested, but didn‘t manage. And even if I did, I would not know how to properly use and appy it to UBsync.
Please tell me if I can be of assistance. This really is one of my core tools using UBPorts, I rely on it for all of my data storage. Getting a bit nervous, data have not been synced from my phone for weeks now ;-).
Thanks for all your effort!

[belohoub]

Dear @RayCulp and @ruedigerkupper ,
I'm sorry for delays - I'm still busy on many fronts including broken phone ... but now I was able to do it: the owncloudcmd client is replaced by the nextcloudcmd for Ubuntu 20.04.

Unfortunately, Xenial compatibility is probably completely broken now, but it is how it works :-) You will need Focal.

Now - for 2 days, I have back my Ubuntu phone, so I was even able to test it a bit as well - and it looks good. I'm able to sync with recent Nextcloud HUB.

Please test the pre-release.

As soon as you report it is stable, we can request its delivery to the open-store.

[ruedigerkupper]

It appears to be working fine :-). But I had to stop and start the service once.

[belohoub]

This is normal, as the backend daemon has been changed as well as a result of nextcloudcmd binary change, as it has a bit different switches, than the older owncloudcmd.

[ruedigerkupper]

Thanks!

[RayCulp]

@belohoub I finally got around to testing, and it works well so far. Thanks!

[RayCulp]

I'm noticing some erratic sync behavior now.

When I press the Stop button in Settings, the Sync button disappears and does not come back when I press Start. It only reappears if I close the app and restart it.

Some files are synced, but others are not.

I will continue testing and report back.