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MAJOR problem (v3.7.14 Mac)

Made some changes yesterday for first time in a few months. Made some minor structural modifications and went through a fair bit of data, updating to suit the changes (a new field or 2). All was proceeding according to plan.

This morning (not shut down in between) I wanted to remove an old field and since Ninox provides NO means to search for occurrences of a field, I duplicated the database first (structure AND data), before deleting the field, just in case. In fact I had only missed one instance and was easily able to fix that.

A while later I noticed some old data that I KNOW I changed this morning. On further checking, ALL data changed since I started yesterday has reverted back. So NOTHING I have done to the data has been saved. The modifications to the structure are intact, but changes to data have been discarded. E.g. a new (lookup) table I added is there, but NO records, zero, zilch. The entire table has been 'reset' and all records entered this morning are gone.

I checked the copy I had made and that is also missing all the data changes since yesterday, so presumably all that new data was discarded before making the copy.

Ninox updated itself a few days ago, but I only started making changes since then.

I'm not partial to wasting hours (or more)  to have it all thrown away. Either this is a HUGE problem, with Ninox failing to save data (its PRIME function of course) or somehow I have missed something that tells Ninox to not save changes to data, which would be news to me if it existed.

What can I possibly have done to cause this, or has Ninox completely let me down and trashed my data?

35 replies

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    • UKenGB
    • 1 yr ago
    • Reported - view

    Just had an interesting Zoom meeting with a couple of Ninox support bods and demonstrated the exact issue.

    The response is, they are aware of the problem, which can occur when using iCloud sync (with Mac app in my case). The problem is entirely related to their iCloud sync process that in some way can get screwed and not actually sync correctly. The result being apparent loss of data. Neither their own web/Cloud service, nor using the app in local only mode has this problem as they don't have to sync anything.

    They will submit this issue to their developers (hopefully to fix), but in the meantime it was suggested I switch to their own Cloud subscription (not gonna happen), or use Time Machine to backup (no help at all really as I already use multiple Time Machine backups plus regular Ninox archives, but reverting to any 'backup' still means losing everything since the last backup) or switching to local data storage which is probably the best option until they can fix the iCloud sync problems.

    The worrying aspect of all this and the recent change of the Mac app to 'Free' is a sure sign that subscriptions to their cloud based system is where their attention is currently focussed and that doesn't bode well for those of us who prefer a local app and if required, use Apple's iCloud to sync between devices.

    Oh, and they think their documentation is great. 😂

    • Fred
    • 1 yr ago
    • Reported - view

    Wow that is NOT good. I just switched to a cloud account, so I won't have this possible issue. Just the other issue of corrupt data when deleting records in the root table of a dynamic multi choice field.

    The frustrating thing with Ninox is there lack of communication of such issues. For a database to have any issues with data it should be communicated to all users so they can be aware of it.

    Then their lack of any bug fix information also makes it very difficult to know when you can start using features again.

    • up878844
    • 1 yr ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi there.

    It’s happening to me also.  Only today, but I have spent an evening thinking it was me and trying everything I could to rectify the problem.

    I am shocked that this is not being dealt with as an ‘emergency’. It has totally destroyed my faith in NINOX. This is a real reputation damaging event.

    I cannot trust their data so I cannot do my job. I will be hung out to dry if I screw people over this way. I cannot, for fear of corrupting other work, open any Ninox file. What can I do?

    I have invested a great deal of time and effort to develop my skills etc and as it happens I was going to upgrade my account tonight but I think I should look elsewhere for a mobile database app.

    I am still shocked …

     

    kgb

      • Mel_Charles
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      up878844 Sorry to hear this and understand your worry but I think this is beyond the scope of the user forum to help you. If this is really vital data (and it sounds like it is) then I would be banging the support@ninox.com email every hour demanding a zoom meeting/connection in order to get a resolution. They can upload your date and test their end too.

      I'm betting you use the mac/ipad app? - and I also bet it might lie in a syncing issue

      I can say that I am using the web cloud version with multiple users and my data is rock solid!  One of my tables has has over 900k records which contains vital client information that other business rely on and has been totally dependable - despite all the version up grades.  In using the forum over the last 2/3 years I have have only seen one other user experience this issue of losing data (and now you).

      My experience with my past issues is that Ninox have always been very attentive when a major issues has occurred and sort the put them right quickly.

      Thus I would not use confidence just yet ...  But please update us as to what develops.

    • up878844
    • 1 yr ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi Mel.

    Thanks for the reply and reassuring words.  It was panic stations that bit me.  I, and I am sure not the only one, worry greatly about the accuracy of data.  Losing data and not knowing is about as bad as it can get.

    I cannot start using NINOX today as the fear of screwing things up - and not knowing what is right or wrong - is a nightmare.

    I will contact support.

    I should add I really enjoy NINOX.

    kgb

      • Mel_Charles
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      up878844 Yeah - It's not in Ninox's interest to put all their eggs in one basket and publish a database and have lots of clients that cannot use it. They would soon cease to exist.

      The days of thoroughly testing updates behinds the scene before release have long since gone. Thus it is joe public that do this task for them and most other software houses.

      I'm sure it ids not as catastrophic as it might first appear. I bet it lies with the syncing of the data and it is there but not just showing your end for some reason.

      One thing to bear in mind is with views- if you set a filter and then change the view to another. then they don't always reset giving the appearance of data not being there. Caught me out. few time and even had to log out and re log back in the be sure the filter was undone. (sorry - that sounds like i am trying to teach you to suck eggs - Just trying to help :😉 )

      • up878844
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Mel Charles 

      Hi there.

      Understand about the filters that may cause an apparent problem.

      On a couple of occasions I witnessed the data disappear from the screen while I was watching ...

      kgb  

      • Alan_Cooke
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Mel Charles It was that very thjing - oops where is the dat - oh I have a filter on thing that got me asking Jacques TUR to look into the Ninext tweak that shows the filter in use.

      Works a charm and displays above the form too.

    • Fred
    • 1 yr ago
    • Reported - view
    up878844 said:
    I was going to upgrade my account tonight

     So this was happening on a cloud stored version? It was previously reported to happen only on iCloud stored DBs.

      • Mel_Charles
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Fred My cloud DB's are rock solid

Content aside

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