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Author Topic: How does (or does) Library syncing really work?  (Read 698 times)

bblue

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How does (or does) Library syncing really work?
« on: August 22, 2019, 05:07:26 pm »

Hi All,  Been a long time.

Running 25.0.92 X64 right now on all machines.  For years I have been using a main library server for just MC serving, and an Audio workstation with a MC client for most all listening, and a portable which can use the server, or parallel playlists if a local filesystem is supplied.  Clients are configured to always look for the Library files on the E: drive, and use what's there whether it's an import from the server, or a local filesystem.  That much all has worked fine and still does. 

Up until recently I have been able to make changes on the selected Playlist on either the server or client, and the changes would auto-magically appear in the other system.  I have used the Administrator as a default login on these machines.  But lately, I'd guess around early version 25, that stopped working either direction.  The playlists always remained unique from each other regardless of changes made (e.g. recently played, etc)  I have been trying numerous configuration changes prompted by various documents I find online and error message (when received) if something isn't working right.

In the mode (all server and client MC's using the Administrator login) there is no auto-syncing, and a manual sync from the client library manager fails saying that auth permission id and passwords must be set on the server.  So I changed both the server and client to have an id and password that matches each other, and I log as that user.  I re-connect the server to the client (re-selecting it) and it works for a short while, but only one way, meaning that in no case will changes made on the client, show up on the server.  But instead the client is always overwritten with the older server data.

If I turn off and then on, auto-sync, it will usually say the server is set incorrectly, but AFAIK it is correct.  If I re-connect the client to the server, auto-sync will seem to activate, but nothing seems to happen, no updates going either direction.  And when sync is executed manually from the client, it always updates to the client, old data from the server.

Does anyone have a thought about what I might be mis-configuring to cause this?  Or exactly what needs to be set how to make this syncing truly bi-directional?

The documentation so far, sheds no clues, but describes what I want as what should be happening!  Is this me, or a bug of some sort creeping in.

Thanks for any assist.

--Bill
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RoderickGI

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Re: How does (or does) Library syncing really work?
« Reply #1 on: August 22, 2019, 07:44:29 pm »

a manual sync from the client library manager fails saying that auth permission id and passwords must be set on the server.

G'Day Bill,

The above quoted text is the issue, and it isn't the Windows UserID and Password that needs to be fixed, which it sounds like is what you did.

You need to redo the MC Media Network Authentication setup, and the MC Client needs to be forced to log in to the MC Server again.

1. Shut down the MC Client
2. On the MC Server, go to "Options > Media Network" and untick the "Authentication" setting.
3. Close MC on the Server, wait a minute, then restart MC on the Server.
4. Go back to "Options > Media Network" and tick the "Authentication" setting, then enter a Username and Password to be used on all Clients in future. The Username could be the same as what you already had, but the Password should probably be new.
5. Make sure that "Read-only Authentication" is Disabled.
6. Start the MC Client and try to connect to the MC Server (load the Server Library). You should be prompted for the Username and Password that you just added to Authentication in the MC Server.

That should be all that is required, as long as all the other sync settings are correct. i.e. On the Client, "Options > Media Network > Client Options > Auto sync with server" should be ticked.


If the MC Client doesn't ask for a Username and Password at step 6.;
Go to "Options > General Advanced > Reset all confirmation messages", then restart MC on the Client and try again.

If that still doesn't work;
Go to "Options > General Advanced > Reset reset saved internet passwords", then restart MC on the Client and try again.



Let us know how that goes, and at which stage it worked.
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What specific version of MC you are running:MC27.0.27 @ Oct 27, 2020 and updating regularly Jim!                        MC Release Notes: https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Release_Notes
What OS(s) and Version you are running:     Windows 10 Pro 64bit Version 2004 (OS Build 19041.572).
The JRMark score of the PC with an issue:    JRMark (version 26.0.52 64 bit): 3419
Important relevant info about your environment:     
  Using the HTPC as a MC Server & a Workstation as a MC Client plus some DLNA clients.
  Running JRiver for Android, JRemote2, Gizmo, & MO 4Media on a Sony Xperia XZ Premium Android 9.
  Playing video out to a Sony 65" TV connected via HDMI, playing digital audio out via motherboard sound card, PCIe TV tuner

bblue

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Re: How does (or does) Library syncing really work?
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2019, 06:31:38 pm »

Thanks for the response and suggestions, RoderickGI.  Much appreciated.

G'Day Bill,

The above quoted text is the issue, and it isn't the Windows UserID and Password that needs to be fixed, which it sounds like is what you did.

Point of clarification: All of my message described MC only.  No Windows changes were made.  I wasn't talking about Windows Administrator, I was referring to the Administrator ID for the MC User.  Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Quote
You need to redo the MC Media Network Authentication setup, and the MC Client needs to be forced to log in to the MC Server again.

1. Shut down the MC Client
2. On the MC Server, go to "Options > Media Network" and untick the "Authentication" setting.
3. Close MC on the Server, wait a minute, then restart MC on the Server.
4. Go back to "Options > Media Network" and tick the "Authentication" setting, then enter a Username and Password to be used on all Clients in future. The Username could be the same as what you already had, but the Password should probably be new.
5. Make sure that "Read-only Authentication" is Disabled.
6. Start the MC Client and try to connect to the MC Server (load the Server Library). You should be prompted for the Username and Password that you just added to Authentication in the MC Server.

That should be all that is required, as long as all the other sync settings are correct. i.e. On the Client, "Options > Media Network > Client Options > Auto sync with server" should be ticked.


If the MC Client doesn't ask for a Username and Password at step 6.;
Go to "Options > General Advanced > Reset all confirmation messages", then restart MC on the Client and try again.

I did those steps and MC is working as it should now.

I confirmed that changes made to a playlist entry on the server correctly propagate to the client and vice versa.  Perfect, thanks!

Just for grins while this was working, I changed to the Administrator user on the client, and the data update stopped working between server and client.  When changing back to my configured userid on MC, it again asked me for a password, but wouldn't accept the server password that I assigned (the id's on both remained the same, only the password was changed, and only on the server).  The client did, however, accept the original password I had set for the id.  Once I was back on the correct account, the data between the two resumed updating.

From this I'm taking that the password I was asked for from the client for the server (the new one) via a pop-up window is part of a set of credentials that the server tracks and typically wouldn't be used again, except possibly for a new library connection to the client?  And that the password that is actually present on the client (which also is running a server) would only be relevant to a different client accessing the server on this client?  (I do use this second server periodically for special MCWS control projects), Or asked differently, does the new password ever come into play on the client under certain circumstances?  I hope I am explaining this clearly enough.  So I guess the bottom line to the question is do both the id and password on the client need to match that of the main server under some condition?

Thanks for getting me going again.  I have to wonder, though, how it ever worked when I was using the Administrator account on both the client and server?  Perhaps this logic has changed over the last couple of versions?

Thanks again

--Bill
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RoderickGI

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Re: How does (or does) Library syncing really work?
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2019, 07:51:26 pm »

From this I'm taking that the password I was asked for from the client for the server (the new one) via a pop-up window is part of a set of credentials that the server tracks and typically wouldn't be used again, except possibly for a new library connection to the client?

Correct. Well, except for the last bit. You only need to re-enter the Username and Password on an existing Client of the Server if something gets broken, and on a new Client connecting for the first time.

And that the password that is actually present on the client (which also is running a server) would only be relevant to a different client accessing the server on this client?

Correct.

Or asked differently, does the new password ever come into play on the client under certain circumstances?

The new password on the server, once entered on the Client to allow the Authenticated connection, is stored with the Client for future connections to the Server. There is normally no need to ever enter it again, unless MC has a glitch of some sort as in this case, and it needs to be reset using the method I described. That glitch has happened to other people with certain changes that have been made to the software in MC25. The glitch doesn't seem to happen for everyone though.


I hope I am explaining this clearly enough.

Actually your use of the term "Administrator ID" had me confused for a bit. It is really just an Authentication Username, and matching Password, for the Server on the specific PC it is entered. It sounded to me a bit like you were using the same Username as you use for Windows, which is not necessary, although you could if you wanted to. I used to do that, but I found it a bit confusing, as all Usernames in Windows, my MC Server, and for the Media Server that runs on my Client (I'm doing the same as you), were all the same and I couldn't be sure what was asking me for credentials. Now I use different Usernames all around, so I can tell what I am connecting to and therefore what credentials are required.


So I guess the bottom line to the question is do both the id and password on the client need to match that of the main server under some condition?

No. As above, the Authentication Username and Password set in the "Options > Media Network > Authentication" setting on the Server and the Client do not have to be the same. They are, in fact, used for different things.
The Authentication Username and Password set on the Server is used by all Clients to connect to the Server with an Authenticated connection, which enables updates to the Server from the Client via syncing. They only need to get entered once, and are stored on the Client for future connections.
The Authentication Username and Password set on the Client is only required and used when the Client is running as a Server, and something else is connecting to it as a Client (of the Client).


Thanks for getting me going again.  I have to wonder, though, how it ever worked when I was using the Administrator account on both the client and server?

I think you may understand how that worked now. The Authentication Username and Password set on the Server and the Client can be the same, but they don't have to be, and are used for different things.


Perhaps this logic has changed over the last couple of versions?

I don't think so.
Logged
What specific version of MC you are running:MC27.0.27 @ Oct 27, 2020 and updating regularly Jim!                        MC Release Notes: https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Release_Notes
What OS(s) and Version you are running:     Windows 10 Pro 64bit Version 2004 (OS Build 19041.572).
The JRMark score of the PC with an issue:    JRMark (version 26.0.52 64 bit): 3419
Important relevant info about your environment:     
  Using the HTPC as a MC Server & a Workstation as a MC Client plus some DLNA clients.
  Running JRiver for Android, JRemote2, Gizmo, & MO 4Media on a Sony Xperia XZ Premium Android 9.
  Playing video out to a Sony 65" TV connected via HDMI, playing digital audio out via motherboard sound card, PCIe TV tuner
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