Android version forgets all but last linked device

[Alejandor]

I am using the Pro license, I have a single folder shared among several linux hosts.

When I scan the QR code in some device to link it to my phone, the previous one I had linked disappears. In other words, the phone always shows in My Devices the "this device" and another, last linked one. 

Not sure if this also results in the shared folder being re-added with (1) appended (I noticed this wrong new copy of the folder, but I'm not sure if it was caused by this issue).

Also, the folder has more peers (which is correct) than devices listed in My Devices, so certainly the app is aware of more devices.

[Helen]

take notice of who you link to who, it matters here. I suppose that first you link your phone to some some deviceA, and then re-link it to deviceB instead of linking deviceB to mobile+deviceA pair. see here for details

(1) appends cause, i guess, selected linked move is Synced on desktops, or your have Simple mode on the phone. Folders will be connected to the given default dir, where there's already a folder with same name. see here for details.

Folder can have more peers that devices in "My devices" list. It's totally OK, depending on whether you link devices  or just share the folder. 

[Alejandor]

Well, I guess that's part of my interpretation as a bug: one of the supposed Pro advantages is the unified view of your devices. If device A (PC) is linked to B (phone), and then B is linked to C (PC), it should work, even if A and C share a folder from before. And according to my reading of the link you provide, it is a supported mode of operation. But what's undoubtly a bug is that B is forgetting A when C is linked. (Also, C doesn't add A through its linking to B as a known device).

In regard to the "(1)", this was a folder in A, already known by B (through linking with A), with same key in C (through manual key passing before Pro). I don't think B should interpret it as a new folder from C, since it has the same key that it already knew? Although I see this is a known "feature" based on the link you provide. To me, it's related to the previous point in that B doesn't simultaneously remember A and C.

Thanks for the feedback. I will try to restart the identities and linking from scratch to see if things work out.

[Helen]

19 minutes ago, Alejandor said:

If device A  is linked to B, and then B is linked to C,

 

19 minutes ago, Alejandor said:

C doesn't add A through its linking to B as a known device

that's the contradiction. You need to link A to B, and then C to B, so that C joins A+B pair. If you link A to B and then B to C, B will unlink from A and link to C just as you instruct. 

[Alejandor]

Ah, I would have though those were symmetric operations (i.e., a set that grows with new members, regardless of the link direction). Just to add some new data, when I try to link A to C (both desktops) I get the following message:

I guess this is the same that's happening on the phone, just without the warning.

But now I definitely don't understand how linking works... so back to reading.

[Alejandor]

On second thought, I don't know how is it possible to reverse the link direction when it involves a phone? The desktop versions lets you copy a text link, but the phone only allows you to scan a QR (i.e. only one direction).

[Helen]

you scan the QR code from desktop - you link phone TO desktop. Desktop takes over the phone and propagate its folders (and possibly other linked devices) to the phone. The phone just joins the desktop.

If you want to link desktop TO the phone, you need to take the key from the phone: My devices -> link (at the upper right) -> three_dots_menu (at the upper right) -> show key. Copy and send it to desktop, paste to Sync there. desktop will link TO the phone. The phone will send all its folders (and possibly other linked devices) to the desktop.

[Alejandor]

Ah, I hadn't seen the three dots option when already on the camera, thanks.

Still not getting why the direction on linking is important on a conceptual level, but I guess that's another topic.

P.s: after going ahead with the manual linking of A & C and the message I reported previously, I think the problem resided on having several identities from may pre-Pro times, because before I had differing fingerprints in the desktops which now are the same.

Thanks for following through with this issue.

[Scott Lindner]

I just encountered this and I was stuck in the scenario of Who's On First. I do believe there is a real usability issue here since not one single client will let you link without creating an identity which runs the risk of not actually knowing Who's On First and you make one mistake and your trust chain is borked and you have to start all over again. It almost feels like it is intended for one and only one phone to be in the chain and it must by first.

[clankill3r]

Yes, I agree, the way linking devices work is such a pain. Everytime I use this program again I have to look it up.

[eltopo]

My experience: there's no real advantage for you to get when linking Android devices.

1. Resilio Sync Android app already has Selective Sync feature even if you don't link the device to desktop clients with Pro license.

2. I hate that, when I linked an Android device to my desktop clients (with Pro license), all my shares showed up in the Android device, some of them don't apply to mobile clients even remotely.

So, I stopped linking Android devices. I just picked individual shares from a desktop client and shared them to my Android devices.

[Helen]

1. Selective sync is an independent feature, it does not depend on linking or not linking devices. Selective Sync is available on all mobiles and licensed desktops regardless of them being linked with one identity or not. 

2. Actually this is the core idea of linking devices - to share folders automatically across all devices without having to do it manually. If you don't need this functionality, don't link them