P: Syncing no longer possible - sync icons do not appear

[The Keeper of the Garden]

Syncing Collections is no longer possible in LrC 13.0.1. on macOS Sonoma 14.1.1.

1. Syn is on (in LrC and in Adobe Creative Cloud app on desktop).
2. No error messages anywhere (not in LrC, not on Lightroom on the Web, not in Adobe Creative Cloud app on desktop).
3. Collections cannot sync because "Sync with Lightroom" command (on right-click) is not present/available/visible.
   
   
   

[The Keeper of the Garden]

Update:

1. Syncing Collections to the Cloud is still broken.
2. Pausing the Sync in LrC makes the Sync Arrows and all the other Sync options re-appear, but upon closing and restarting LrC, the bug is there again...
3. Weird thing that I noticed and possibly related to the problem: In the Creative Cloud desktop App, Syncing Libraries has been set to Paused! I can "unpause" it and upon doing so everything seems OK, but closing the CC app and restarting it makes the problem come back: Syncing Libraries is paused!...

Can someone from Adobe at least acknowledge this problem, as 12 other users have upvoted this post. There seems to be no easy solution. I've already tried things like Rebuilding the Sync database, Deleting all Sync data, Checking for errors in Lightroom on the Web (none present), Deleting the Lr on the Web Library, ... all to no avail. Syncing Collections from LrC to the Adobe Cloud is still unavailable without "Pausing" it and then "Starting" it again, but the bug returns as soon as LrC is restarted.

[richardplondon]

just to check - when "closing the CC app", you are not signing out? 

[The Keeper of the Garden]

No, I'm not checking out when I close the CC app.

[cords33294383]

Same problem here; I used to sync albums from Classic to Lightroom and then to Portfolio. It's not possible anymore; the sync icons simply disappeared

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Greetings, 

I'm not able to discern any specific bug from your descriptions. I am syncing from 13.0.1 using Sonoma, to the cloud and multiple devices with no issues. The catalog is about 400K, and in the past 20 days, I have had my number of items synced vary between 17K and 28K as collections have been brought in and out of the sync bucket. I've experienced no stuck syncs on any device. 

I would recommend contacting a Tier 2 support agent and work with them on restoring your sync service. Sync is one of those things that is pretty easy to fix when I am at the computer, takes longer via phone, and is glacial when attempting over a forum. 

Standard troubleshooting would apply in your situation.  Determine where the sync fails, Local, Cloud, Destination Device and then work on that device to restore service.

Regarding
"Can someone from Adobe at least acknowledge this problem, as 12 other users have upvoted this post."

This statement is likely not accurate. There are rogue bots at work upvoting posts.  See: https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-discussions/bots-generating-bogus-upvotes/m-p/14210...All that can be said right now is that between 1 and 12 persons have legitimately upvoted your post.  The Forum team is working on resolving this issue. 

There are several Community Experts who are quite adept at chasing Sync issues. 

[The Keeper of the Garden]

Thanks for your reply. However, it doesn't help at all. Why not? Because Sync works normally, but only after unpausing it manually, whilst the icon in the upper right corner says "all green, all good". So, to re-write it once again:

1. I start up LrC. Cloud Sync icon in upper right corner says all is OK. But it's not!...
2. It's not OK because none of my synced collections actually show the double arrow nor the small square (for unsynced collections) to the left of the name of the collections in the left part of the user interface under Collections. There are no error messages anywher, not in the Cloud Sync icon, not in the Sync tab of Preferences, not in Lightroom on the Web!
3. ONLY when I manually go to the Cloud Sync icon and CLICK to PAUSE the Sync, all the double arrows and small squares re-appear to the left of the Collection names. And ONLY when I of course UNPAUSE it, Sync happens again.

So it's not the actual syncing that's not working, it's the fact that somehow LrC thinks everything is ok with my Synced Collections and that Sync is ON, whilst it is not.

Strange thing is also that "Libraries" in the CC app erratically are on Paused Sync as well! Once they're fine, once they're not.

I have tried every trick out of the book already: rebuilding the sync database, deleting all sync data and start again, deleting the LrC preference file(s), re-installing LrC, repairing and then also reinstalling the CC app. Nothing helps. Syncing in LrC is switched off by default, so to say, whenever I restart LrC. Otherwise, pausing and unpausing Sync makes Syncing work OK (seemingly).

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Based on the list of things you've done, the next step is to use Adobe Cleaner to remove all Adobe Products and reinstall them from scratch completely. https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html?PID=7221644 

I would expect this to be an artifact of App Configuration and have nothing to do with the Sync data. 

Of course this step needs to be accompanied by appropriate backups. 

[The Keeper of the Garden]

I could do that, yes, perhaps. But what makes me doubt is the fact that at least 13 other users are having the same problem at the very same time (upvotes...). Is this problem caused on server-side or client-side... ? 

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Votes are suspect: see https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-discussions/bots-generating-bogus-upvotes/m-p/14210...

All we can say with surety is that there are between 1 and 13 persons upvoting.  

The forum team is looking into the vote count issue. 

I have literally seen 8 new votes on a post less than 10 seconds old and all were bogus. 

[The Keeper of the Garden]

OK, I did what you advised me to do: Use Adobe's Cleaner Tool. No change... 

I still think this is a problem on server-side, not on client-side. I will explain in more detail why I still think so.

1. What actually happened earlier today, in a positive way and *before* I used the Cleaner Tool: The Adobe Creative Cloud App no longer has any issues with the syncing of Libraries. When I start it up, it shows a grey cloud icon in the upper right corner of the interface, nothing is paused, no errors, everything is OK there. So something definitely changed on the server-side of Adobe Sync, as I did nothing, yet until this afternoon the Creative Cloud App's sync icon had issues, and erratically so. On one startup everything was OK, on the next the syncing of my Libraries was paused and I had to turn it on manually.
2. However, concerning Lightroom Classic, I had hopes that the very latest version update of today (13.0.2) would solve the weird issue with the Syncing of Collections being turned off when starting LrC, yet the cloud icon in the upper right corner of LrC showing Syncing of my photos was turned on. The latest version (13.0.2.) didn't change anything. Still I had to manually pause Syncing in LrC to have the double arrows left of my synced Collections appear, then unpause Syncing to actually activate the Syncing again...
3. After using the Adobe Cleaner Tool and re-installing all apps (Adobe Creative Cloud app, Bridge, Photoshop, and Lightroom Classic), everything seems fine and no settings were lost. But... the issue in LrC is still very much present. Whenever I start or restart LrC, the cloud icon in the upper right corner of LrC tells me syncing is active (not paused) and all photos have been properly synced to the Cloud, yet no double-arrows are to be seen left to my synced Collections, nor can I choose to Sync a new Collection to the Cloud when I create that new collection. 

I'm persuaded it's a problem on server-side, as the Creative Cloud app's issue disappeared without me doing anything to resolve it, and as the Adobe Cleaner Tool didn't help to solve the "inactive" Sync in LrC whenever I start or restart LrC.
To limit the number of clicks from three to two, I have LrC now start up with Syncing on Pause, which actually makes the double-arrows appear instantly and automatically, and then I click the cloud icon and unpause syncing to activate the syncing of my photos to the Cloud.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Since your Cleaner pass, you should really attempt a Preference Reset again.  I don't expect it to work but we want to cross the 't's'.

Barring that, my money is on a problem with the LRCAT file itself.  How large is your Catalog file?

A server-side issue is not out of the question, but if it exists, it is likely specific to your account. Once we've ruled out your catalog file, we will collect some logs from you. 

[The Keeper of the Garden]

I'm in Europe, and it's almost midnight here. Preference file reset will have to wait until tomorrow.
My LRCAT file is just over 7 GB, with some 100,000 photos in it, and over 15 years of work. I have backups... 

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

If you Zip the catalog and put it in a Dropbox or similar, I can take a look at repairing it and returning to rule out a catalog corruption as a possible source of issue. 

[The Keeper of the Garden]

Update:

Resetting Preferences: no change.
Rolling back to Catalog that was saved as a backup a couple of days before the problem appeared: no change!

This has to be some kind of issue on server-side or firewalls not properly configured.

[The Keeper of the Garden]

Update ... 

Something weird is going on but it may lead to a solution, I think.
Some information first: 
I have only one catalog file and it's located in the default folder on my iMac (~/Pictures/Lightroom). 
I have LrC starting up and opening this catalog file by default, all the time.
When I do that, i.e. starting up LrC, the issue is there: Every collection that was synced previously (before the issue arose), no longer has the double arrow to the left of its name, nor does the right-click menu (on the Collection's name) show any Sync commands. However, like I said before, the cloud icon in the top right corner of LrC's interface shows "everything OK" (green tick). No error messages about syncing either in the Creative Cloud app, nor in Lightroom on the Web.
But... when I double-click the actual catalog file (.lrcat) - the very same one LrC opens automatically and by default - in its surrounding folder in macOS' Finder, everything is back to normal! The double arrow is back to the left of the synced Collections, the little square is back to the left of the unsynced Collections, and the right-click menu has all the Sync to Lightroom commands in it!
Of course, now I have done the following, but without any success! I have started up LrC holding the Option (Alt) key, which brings me to the popup window that allows me to choose another catalog file (or the same one), have it open always when LrC starts, and verify the catalog's file integrity (the latter I have done a few times already without any errors appearing). So, of course, I chose "another" catalog file, meaning I clicked throught the Finder window to my ~/Pictures/Lightroom folder, and chose the "other" (yet actually the very same, because I have only one) catalog file. I thought that would solve the issue, but no... Apparently, if not obviously, LrC "thinks" that the catalog file that it opens automatically when starting up, is not really linked to the "library" in Lightroom on the Web (which I of course also deleted, thinking it would help to get things straightened up). Yet whenever I double-click on the actual catalog file (.lrcat), making LrC start up with this (very same) catalog, LrC thinks everything is fine and shows the little squares, the double arrows, and the "green" light (or tick) in the cloud icon in the upper right corner of the interface.
Weird... very weird... I have thought that perhaps renaming this catalog file could bring the definitive solution, but I'm afraid of doing that until I hear the opinion or advice from Rikk or another Adobe expert. What I have found is not a real solution but just a workaround. LrC should accept/know/understand that the catalog file that it opens by default, is actually the very same catalog file that I double-click on to make syncing Collections work normally again. There must be a reason why LrC "thinks" that they're somehow different. 

[The Keeper of the Garden]

Extra info (but do read my previous reply): The "Catalog Settings" window in LrC shows the wrong information about the catalog. The name and location are correct, but the size and last backup time are wrong.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Again, a catalog repair does seem to be a prudent test at this point. 

[The Keeper of the Garden]

I have no means to upload or transfer a file that size (over 6 GB).
Why don't I try creating a brand new catalog, empty, and import the "old" one into it? I read that "everything" is transferred (edits, metadata, keywords, collections...) but what about the "Published Folders" that I use frequently and have a dozen of, with a few thousands of files inside the folders and subfolders? Are those imported as well into a new catalog?  

[The Keeper of the Garden]

Update:

Importing the old catalog into a new one, would not keep the Published Folders/Services... 

So, I've been doing some more trial and error testing and I've come perhaps even closer to the culprit, but a solution may not be so simple.

When I untick/uncheck the option "Show Auto Sync notifications" in the Interface tab of the Preferences window, LrC opens the catalog and all the "sync to Lr on the Web" options are suddenly visible, available, and functioning! When I tick/check the same option, LrC opens the catalog but all the options to sync to Lr on the Web are gone again...
I could be wrong, but having verified the integrity of the catalog file many times now without getting any errors at all, and because the problem seems to have to do with Syncing or the Sync data stored somewhere, my more or less educated guess is that the catalog file is fine but LrC somehow is puzzled about how or when to show the syncing options for this catalog. Needless to say that I've already deleted all sync data from Lr on the Web, have currently no Collections in LrC marked as synced or to be synced, and that I've uninstalled and re-installed a few times LrC, the Creative Cloud app, Photoshop, and Bridge (i.e. all the apps in my Photography plan).
To summarise: What file or what line in what file could be giving LrC the wrong information about the Syncing of the catalog. It's seemingly something related as well with this option in the Interface tab of Preferences: "Show Auto Sync notifications".

[The Keeper of the Garden]

Update:

I continued testing to find the cause of the problem. It's not related to the catalog file. It's a bug in the LrC app or somewhere in the data it uses or stores. Why do I think this? Because I've created a new catalog, without importing the old one into it. Upon opening it for the first time, I can choose to sync it with LR on the Web, instead of continue to sync the previous catalog. But as soon as I tell the LrC app to open this new catalog by default every time, all the Sync options are disabled, notwithstanding the fact that the cloud icon in the upper right corner of the interface keeps on telling me everything is fine. Only when I pause the syncing, the Sync options for my Collections re-appear and are enabled. That's the very same problem from the very start of this thread.
After that, I even "repaired" the old catalog file with sqlite3. Same thing happened: Upon first use, the "repaired" catalog showed the syncing options of my Collections. After telling LrC to use this catalog as the default one to open, the same problem re-appeared: no sync options for Collections! Pausing the Syncing using the cloud icon in the upper right corner of the interface, made the options re-appear. But every restart of LrC disables them again. Only when pausing the Sync OR right-clicking on the catalog file (.lrcat) and choosing to open it with the LrC app, the syncing options for collections appear and are enabled.
Very, very frustrating, since more than a week now, and no solution in sight. It cannot be the catalog file. It must be app-related or system-related. 

[The Keeper of the Garden]

Unsolved problem. I consider this a bug. 

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

This still sounds like a Catalog/Installation issue and not a bug. My recommendation is a catalog repair. 

Zipping your catalog (LRCAT file only) how large is it?

[The Keeper of the Garden]

It's more than 4 GB large, zipped.

If it would be a catalog issue, why then does a new catalog (read above) with just a few and different photos in it,  have the same issue? 
And why did a cleaning up (the Adobe cleaning tool) of all apps (CC, PS, LrC) and re-installation not solve the issue if it's installation-related? 
Couldn't it be a problem related to permissions on files? Also, in the recent past, many users have had the very same problem (I'm not talking about the upvotes here), as I can read in another post here in the Community?
It's very weird. If I choose to have LrC start up and ask me which catalog to open (I only have one, having deleted the test catalog, which showed the exact same issue), everything is OK, the small icons left of the Synced Collections appear, the horizontal bar above the grid of the synced collection is visible including the button to make the synced collection "public", I can create a new collection and choose to sync it immediately from within the "new collection" popup window, and the grey cloud icon in the upper right corner of LrC's interfact has the green checkmark in it. However, choosing to have LrC always open that catalog, makes the problem reappear instantly.
Also, syncing issues with my Libraries where present in the CC app until a few days ago, and went away by themselves (not after the cleaning nor the re-installation!)...

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

The best option for diagnosing this issue is to rule out the catalog by sending it in for repairs.  Support can handle this request as well.  That is best accomplished by: 

1.  Find a time when you can be without your catalog for 24-48 hours
2.  Upload the Catalog to a sharing service (Dropbox or similar)
3.  Initiate a support call and share the catalog with them.
4.  When the repaired catalog is returned, substitute it and see if resolves the issue. 
   
   Note: I do not work in support. My task here is to ascertain if a genuine bug is present. Based on what I've seen so far, I don't have much evidence in the way of other reports, repeatable instructions, or known issues. 
   
   If you want to forego a support call, I am happy to repair the catalog for you to expedite things, but, if it ultimately is not the issue, I would be handing you off to support.