Media sync won't work

🙋 Support
21

That’s a great question! There’s no reason to protect any fields if you don’t plan to make personal edits to your cards. In fact, keeping all fields unprotected is the recommended approach if you want to receive all updates from AnkiHub.

Benefits of Leaving All Fields Unprotected

  1. Full Updates: You’ll receive all content updates from the deck creators, including text changes, new images, and corrections.

  2. Complete Media Sync: All media files will be properly synced across your devices through AnkiHub.

  3. Consistent Experience: Your deck will match exactly what the creators intended, ensuring compatibility with their study guides or resources.

  4. Automatic Fixes: If the deck creators fix errors or update outdated information, you’ll automatically receive those improvements.

When to Consider Protection

The only time you would want to protect fields is if:

  • You make significant personal edits to certain fields
  • You add your own media that you don’t want overwritten
  • You customize content in a way that you want to preserve through updates

Since you don’t plan to make any personal edits, leaving all fields unprotected is the perfect approach for your situation.

After ensuring all fields are unprotected, I recommend doing another sync and then checking media again to see if your missing Sketchy images issue improves.

22

Ok I unprotected all fields and then tried to do another sync, and it again produced the same error after 350 cards added this time

23

I see that you’re still encountering the same error after unprotecting all fields and attempting another sync. The consistent error after a specific number of cards suggests there might be a technical limitation or a problematic file rather than a field protection issue.

Troubleshooting Persistent Media Sync Errors

Since we’ve ruled out field protection issues, let’s try some more technical approaches:

  1. Try Tools > Check Media > Empty Trash

    • This removes any deleted media files that might be causing conflicts

  2. Check for Oversized or Problematic Files

    • Large media collections (~2200MB) can strain AnkiWeb’s sync capabilities
    • Try using a file explorer to check your Anki media folder for unusually large files (>50MB)
    • Look for files with unusual characters in filenames

  3. Try Syncing in Chunks

    • Temporarily move some media files out of your collection.media folder
    • Sync with the reduced set of files
    • Gradually move files back in smaller batches

  4. Alternative Media Transfer Methods

    • Export your deck with media as an .apkg file and transfer it directly to your iPhone
    • This bypasses AnkiWeb’s media sync entirely

  5. Check AnkiWeb Storage Limits

    • AnkiWeb has a 250MB storage limit for free accounts
    • Your 2200MB media collection exceeds this limit substantially
    • This could be the root cause of your sync issues

Common AnkiWeb Media Sync Limitations

It’s worth noting that AnkiWeb has known limitations with large media collections. The error you’re seeing might be due to hitting these limits rather than an issue with your specific setup.

Would you like me to provide more detailed instructions for any of these approaches? Alternatively, would you be open to trying the direct .apkg export method to get your media onto your iPhone?

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I understand your frustration as you’re still encountering the same error after unprotecting all fields. The fact that the error consistently occurs after syncing around 350-400 cards suggests there might be an issue with AnkiWeb’s media sync capacity or a specific problematic file in your collection.

Potential Issues with Large Media Collections

Your large media collection (~2200MB) could be hitting limitations with AnkiWeb’s sync capability. While AnkiWeb doesn’t have an officially documented size limit, large collections can cause problems during sync.

Alternative Approaches to Try

Since adjusting field protection didn’t resolve the issue, let’s try some more direct approaches:

  1. Manual Media Transfer:

    • Export your deck as an .apkg file with media included (File > Export)
    • Transfer this file directly to your iPhone and import it there
    • This bypasses AnkiWeb’s media sync completely

  2. Break Media into Smaller Chunks:

    • Temporarily move about 75% of your media files out of your collection.media folder
    • Sync with the reduced set of files
    • Gradually move files back in smaller batches (e.g., 300MB at a time) and sync after each addition

  3. Check for Corrupted Media Files:

    • The consistent error after ~350 cards suggests a specific file might be causing problems
    • Try using the “Check Media” function to look for any unusually large or potentially corrupted files

  4. Manual Media Import via AnkiHub:

    • Try using AnkiHub’s manual media import feature:
      • Go to AnkiHub add-on menu > Import Media
      • Choose the appropriate source for your media (local folder, etc.)

  5. Consider Contacting AnkiHub Support:

    • This specific error might require direct assistance from the AnkiHub team
    • They might have encountered similar issues with large media collections

The most reliable workaround at this point would likely be the direct export/import method, as it completely bypasses the AnkiWeb media sync process that’s giving you trouble.

Would you like more specific instructions for implementing any of these approaches?

24

I don’t see an option for empty trashing when checking media. Do you mean to delete unused?

25

Yes, that’s correct - I apologize for the confusion. The option I was referring to is indeed “Delete Unused” when checking media, not “empty trashing.”

When you run Tools > Check Media, you should see a dialog with information about unused media files and missing media files. The “Delete Unused” button allows you to remove any media files that aren’t being used by any of your cards.

However, this likely won’t solve your specific issue since your problem is with missing media (Sketchy images) rather than unused media. Based on the persistent error you’re experiencing after about 350-400 cards during sync, here are more targeted suggestions:

  1. Try Manual Media Import in AnkiHub:

    • In the AnkiHub add-on menu, look for “Import Media” option
    • This allows you to import media from different sources directly

  2. Direct Transfer Method:

    • Export your deck as an .apkg file with media included
    • Transfer this file directly to your iPhone and import it there

  3. Contact AnkiHub Support:

    • The specific error you’re encountering might need direct assistance from the AnkiHub team
    • They might have more specific solutions for large media collections like yours (~2200MB)

The media sync error you’re experiencing (“A network error occurred. Error details: error sending request for URL ()”) suggests there might be network timeout issues due to the large collection size. The direct transfer method might be your most reliable option at this point.

26

Once I have exported the deck as .apkg file, how do I download it on to ankiweb?

27

You actually don’t need to upload the .apkg file to AnkiWeb - the export and import process is a direct device-to-device transfer that bypasses AnkiWeb completely. Here’s how to do it:

Transferring .apkg Files Between Devices

  1. On your PC:

    • Go to File > Export
    • Select the deck you want to export
    • Make sure “Include media” is checked
    • Click Export and save the .apkg file to a location you can access

  2. Transfer the file to your iPhone using one of these methods:

    • Email the .apkg file to yourself (if it’s not too large)
    • Upload to a cloud service like Google Drive or Dropbox
    • Use AirDrop if you have a Mac
    • Connect your iPhone to your computer and transfer via iTunes/Finder

  3. On your iPhone:

    • Open the .apkg file (from your email, cloud service, etc.)
    • Your iPhone should recognize it as an Anki package and offer to open it in Anki
    • Anki will import the deck with all its media

This method completely bypasses AnkiWeb’s media sync process, which seems to be where you’re encountering errors. The .apkg file contains both the cards and all associated media files bundled together.

Note that if your .apkg file is very large (~2200MB), you might have trouble emailing it or using some transfer methods. In that case, using a cloud storage service like Google Drive or Dropbox would be your best option.

Would you like more specific instructions for any of these transfer methods?

28

How will I be able to sync progress and studying between my PC and iphone via this direct transfer method?

29

I understand your concern about syncing your study progress between devices when using the direct transfer method. You’re right to be concerned, as the direct .apkg transfer method doesn’t sync your study progress.

Balancing Media and Progress Syncing

The direct transfer method I suggested helps solve your media sync issue, but it creates a new challenge with progress syncing. Here’s how to address this:

Option 1: Combined Approach

  1. For initial media transfer:

    • Use the direct .apkg transfer to get all media onto your iPhone
    • This is a one-time solution for the media files

  2. For ongoing progress syncing:

    • Continue using regular AnkiWeb sync for your review history and card edits
    • Since the media files are already on both devices, you won’t need to sync them again

Option 2: Troubleshoot AnkiWeb Media Sync

Since maintaining progress sync is important to you, let’s try a more targeted approach:

  1. Check for large individual files:

    • Look in your collection.media folder for any unusually large files (>50MB)
    • These might be causing the sync to fail

  2. Sync in smaller batches:

    • Temporarily move most media files out of your collection.media folder
    • Sync with just a small batch of files
    • Gradually add more files back and sync again

  3. Try on a different network:

    • Some networks might have restrictions that affect large uploads
    • Try syncing on a completely different network

The goal is to get your media fully synced once, after which your regular reviews and progress should sync without issues.

Would you like me to provide more specific instructions for implementing either of these approaches?

30

The largest file is only 29.3 MB so that doesn’t seem to be the issue. How do I go about syncing in smaller batches in detailed steps?

31

I’ll provide detailed steps for syncing your media in smaller batches to help overcome the sync error you’re experiencing.

Detailed Steps for Syncing Media in Smaller Batches

Step 1: Locate Your Media Folder

  1. Find your Anki media folder location:
    • In Anki, go to Help > About
    • Look for “Media folder” path (typically in Documents/Anki/[User]/collection.media)
    • Open this location in your file explorer

Step 2: Create a Temporary Folder

  1. Create a new folder on your desktop or somewhere easy to access
  2. Name it something like “Anki Media Backup”

Step 3: Move Most Media Files to Temporary Folder

  1. In your collection.media folder, select approximately 75% of the files
    • You can sort by date or size to make selection easier
    • Leave about 500MB of files in the collection.media folder
  2. Cut these files (Ctrl+X) and paste them into your temporary backup folder

Step 4: Sync with Reduced Media

  1. Open Anki and sync normally
  2. This should now sync successfully since there are fewer files

Step 5: Gradually Restore Media in Batches

  1. Return to your temporary backup folder
  2. Select a small batch of files (about 300MB worth)
  3. Cut these files and paste them back into your collection.media folder
  4. Sync Anki again
  5. Repeat this process with small batches until all media is moved back and synced

Step 6: Verify Sync Status

  1. After all files have been moved back and synced
  2. Run Tools > Check Media to confirm the status of your media files
  3. Sync on your iPhone to ensure media is available there

This approach helps overcome sync limitations by breaking up the large media collection into smaller, more manageable chunks that are less likely to trigger the network error.

If you encounter the error during any of these partial syncs, try reducing the batch size even further. The key is to find a batch size that consistently syncs without errors.

Would you like any clarification on any of these steps?

32

I will have to wait to see if a different internet connection will solve this issue. In the meantime, will I still see all media properly on my PC when I go to study these cards even though I can’t sync and check media says some are missing?

33

Based on your question about viewing media while dealing with sync issues, I can provide some clarity about how this works.

Viewing Media on Your PC Despite Sync Issues

Yes, you should still be able to see all media properly on your PC when studying cards, even if:

  • You can’t sync the media to AnkiWeb
  • Check Media says some files are missing

This works because:

  1. Local Files Are Available: When you browse your cards and can see the Sketchy images, this confirms the files exist locally on your PC.

  2. Missing Media Report vs. Actual Files: The “missing media” report sometimes flags files due to reference inconsistencies rather than the files actually being absent from your system.

  3. AnkiWeb Sync vs. Local Study: Your ability to study with media on your PC is independent of whether that media has successfully synced to AnkiWeb.

What to Expect When Studying

  • On your PC: All media should display normally during study
  • On your iPhone: You might see missing images for cards where the media hasn’t synced properly

While Waiting for a Different Internet Connection

If you’re waiting to try a different internet connection, you can continue studying on your PC without any issues. Your progress will be saved locally, and when you do get the media sync working, you can sync that progress as well.

If the different internet connection doesn’t resolve the issue, the batch syncing method I described earlier or the direct .apkg transfer method would be your next best options.

Let me know if you have any other questions about studying with your current setup!

34

Hello,

Are you still experiencing this issue?

To make sure we understand the problem correctly, let’s clarify the two types of syncing involved:

  1. AnkiHub Sync: This is used to download new changes for a specific deck to your computer.
    image
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  2. AnkiWeb Sync: This is a feature of Anki itself that backs up your entire collection to the cloud, allowing you to sync between devices. This process is separate from AnkiHub, so we don’t have direct control over it.
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I’m a bit unclear on your mention of syncing media as a separate action. Typically, the standard AnkiWeb sync also syncs all media files, which keeps your other devices up to date.

You also said that disabling the AnkiHub add-on doesn’t solve the problem. If the error still occurs with the AnkiHub add-on turned off, it suggests the issue might be with your main AnkiWeb sync process.

Could you please provide a few more details about this and include some screenshots of any error messages you’re seeing? This would be really helpful for us to figure this out! :blush:

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