"Connection is not defined" error on Chrome OS

[LundGB]

Describe the issue you are experiencing
A clear and concise description of your issue:
Bookmarks synced from Firefox on desktop Windows 10 PC can no longer be synced to Chrome browser on Chromebook. Syncing has worked flawlessly for months but has just stopped working suddenly.
How can the issue be reproduced?
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Install latest 1.5.1 version of Xbrowsersync on Firefox latest version 72.0.2 (64 bit) on Windows 10 desktop PC. Initiate initial sync on https://xbrowsersync.freerangecloud.com/ service
2. Install latest 1.5.1 version of Xbrowsersync on Chrome browser latest version 79.0.3945.119 (64 bit) on fully up to date Chromebook.
3. Click on 'Already got a Sync ID?'
4. Enter sync ID and encription password. Click on 'Sync'.
5. 'Syncing' message appears and never finishes, even when left for 20 minutes or more.
6. Setting up a new sync and repeating the process results in the same error. Has previously worked fine with no issues.
7. No new extensions have been added or updates to other extensions have been carried out on the affected Chrome browser which may conflict with Xbrowsersync.

Screenshots
If applicable, add screenshots to help explain your problem:

Desktop browser
Please complete the following information for all affected desktop browsers:

• OS: Windows 10
• Browser: Firefox
• Version: 72.0.2 (64 bit)

Laptop browser with error
Please complete the following information for all affected laptop browsers:

• OS: Chrome OS
• Browser: Chrome
• Version: 79.0.3945.119 (64 bit)

Application log
Please include the logs from the affected clients:
Download the Application log from the Settings panel and paste the contents here.

2020-02-11 07:50:34.268 [trace] Installed v1.5.1
2020-02-11 07:50:34.288 [trace] Starting up
2020-02-11 07:50:34.352 [trace] {"displayHelp":true,"displayPermissions":true,"appVersion":"1.5.1","platform":{"name":"chrome","version":"79.0.3945","mobile":false,"os":"Chrome OS x86_64"}}
2020-02-11 07:50:45.676 [trace] Optional permissions granted

End of log

[nero120]

Unfortunately I do not have a chrome book, and there are no errors in the log so I can't see what's wrong. Can you try syncing in Chrome on your Windows 10 machine that you're running Firefox on and see if you get the same issue?

[zampanoo]

Same problem here: update 1.5.1 broke syncing with chrome browser on chromebook. Reinstalling did not help.

2020-02-11 21:16:10.644 [trace] Installed v1.5.1
2020-02-11 21:16:10.662 [trace] Starting up
2020-02-11 21:16:10.699 [trace] {"displayHelp":true,"displayPermissions":true,"appVersion":"1.5.1","platform":{"name":"chrome","version":"79.0.3945","mobile":false,"os":"Chrome OS x86_64"}}
2020-02-11 21:16:22.951 [trace] Optional permissions granted

[nero120]

@LundGB @zampanoo I need more info to figure out what's going on here, can either/both of you do the following please:

1. Browse to chrome://extensions
2. Toggle the "Developer mode" switch to enabled
3. Under xBrowserSync in the list of extensions, click on background.html where it says "Inspect views"
4. The console tab should be visible in the DevTools window, clear the current entries (Ctrl+L), then open the xBrowserSync extension and attempt to sync
5. Paste the contents of the console in this thread

Also, you need to do the same for the extension window itself (it has a different console context to the background page):

1. Open the xBrowserSync extension, right click anywhere in the extension window and click on "Inspect"
2. Select the console tab in DevTools, then attempt to sync
3. Paste the contents of the console in this thread

[LundGB]

Will do tommorow. However, today I have done a fresh install of Chrome on my desktop computer with no extensions, so no possible conflicts. A clean test. Syncing from Firefox to Chrome browser on Windows 10 desktop worked fine. So it seems to be a platform specific issue, which is the result of either: (a) changes incorporated in version 1.5.1 of Xbrowsersync which inadvertently broke syncing on Chromebooks, or (b) changes made by Google in the Chrome OS on Chromebook which broke the ability to use Xbrowsersync on such devices. Unfortunately, Chromebooks are updated regularly whether such updates are desired by the device owner or not, so not easy or impossible to roll back.

[nero120]

Thanks @LundGB. Yes that's what I'm thinking, however I'm hoping that it's not a coincidence and that there is a change in v1.5.1 that is causing the issue on the chromebook platform as at least then I can fix it! 🙏

[LundGB]

Console logs:
Chrome extension list log:
Empty - no log produced

Xbrowsersync window console log:

app.min.js:127 ReferenceError: Connection is not defined
at Object.isNetworkConnected [as IsNetworkConnected] (app.min.js:1373)
at app.min.js:1866
at q (app.min.js:142)
at checkNetworkIsOnline (app.min.js:1865)
at Object.checkServiceStatus [as CheckServiceStatus] (app.min.js:1711)
at Object.startSyncing [as syncForm_ConfirmSync_Click] (app.min.js:5803)
at app.min.js:267
at e (app.min.js:198)
at m.$eval (app.min.js:154)
at m.$apply (app.min.js:154)
(anonymous) @ app.min.js:127
(anonymous) @ app.min.js:99
$apply @ app.min.js:155
(anonymous) @ app.min.js:198
sg @ app.min.js:40
d @ app.min.js:40

This based on setting up a new sync. Sync failed.

Hope this helps. This is a great project and I hope that @nero120 you can fix this issue for Xbrowsersync users. I love the ethos of the project and I appreciate how hard you are working on it. I plan to make a donation to the project. Good luck! Let me know if there is anything else I can do on this end to assist.

[zampanoo]

Thanks Nero, for looking into the issue. Would love to see the project continue. Logs below.

I do not thinlk that my Chromebook updated before the new xbrowsersync version was installed.

BTW, the syncing arrow spins round both on the large paenl after entering pw & un. And there is another little spinning arrow next to the api.xbrowsersync.

Thanks again, Stefan

First console log: empty

Second console log:
app.min.js:127 ReferenceError: Connection is not defined
at Object.isNetworkConnected [as IsNetworkConnected] (app.min.js:1373)
at app.min.js:1866
at q (app.min.js:142)
at checkNetworkIsOnline (app.min.js:1865)
at Object.checkServiceStatus [as CheckServiceStatus] (app.min.js:1711)
at Object.startSyncing [as syncForm_ConfirmSync_Click] (app.min.js:5803)
at app.min.js:267
at e (app.min.js:198)
at m.$eval (app.min.js:154)
at m.$apply (app.min.js:154)

[nero120]

Thanks @LundGB @zampanoo, I can indeed fix this! Could one of you please run the following commands in the console and paste the output here, it would help me:

JSON.stringify(window.navigator.connection)

JSON.stringify(window.navigator.onLine)

I'll try to release a fix within a week or two, in the meantime please downgrade to v1.5.0.

[LundGB]

First command output:
No output. {}
Second command output:
"true"

Commands were run in Xbrowsersync popup.

How do you downgrade to 1.5.0?

[nero120]

Lovely thanks @LundGB.

To downgrade:

• Download xbrowsersync_1.5.0_chrome.zip from the v1.5.0 release page
• In Chrome, browse to chrome://extensions and ensure Developer mode is enabled.
• Remove the existing xBrowserSync extension.
• Drag the downloaded zip file onto the window so that "Drop to install" appears, then drop the file.

Chrome will display warnings intermittently as the extension was not installed from the Chrome Web Store, but you can safely ignore these warnings.

[zampanoo]

Hi Rick, I get the same output as Lund. Thanks for the downgrade info - was wondering about that, too. Maybe add the option to use an earlier version inside the extension? Bye, Stefan 1. JSON.stringify(window.navigator.connection) "{}" 2. JSON.stringify(window.navigator.onLine) "true"

…

On Wed, 12 Feb 2020 at 09:07, Rich ***@***.***> wrote: Thanks @LundGB <https://github.com/LundGB> @zampanoo <https://github.com/zampanoo>, I can indeed fix this! Could one of you please run the following commands in the console and paste the output here, it would help me: JSON.stringify(window.navigator.connection) JSON.stringify(window.navigator.onLine) I'll try to release a fix within a week or two, in the meantime please downgrade to v1.5.0. — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#161?email_source=notifications&email_token=AOFSJSLTFCZHAAH5Q3U74KTRCO35ZA5CNFSM4KS4IIJ2YY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOELP7V5Y#issuecomment-585104119>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AOFSJSPYJYPU2WAZTNVU2GTRCO35ZANCNFSM4KS4IIJQ> .

[LundGB]

I am happy to test any new version prior to release, if that would be helpful.

[nero120]

@LundGB thanks I'll take you up on that!

[zampanoo]

I installed vs 1.5.0 as described. Syncing does work but the extension does not seem to stick: after rebooting it's gone.

[LundGB]

Same here as @zampanoo. I installed 1.5.0 which worked yesterday, but it had disappeared by itself this morning! What?

[nero120]

That's strange, I haven't experienced that on Chrome v80.0.3987.106 (Official Build) (64-bit) on Win10. Did either of you see this alert:

[nero120]

@LundGB @zampanoo I've released a beta for Chrome with a possible fix for your issue here. Could you both please give it a try and let me know how it goes?

[LundGB]

I have tried the beta, both with an existing sync and with a new sync. It failed both times with an error message even though credentials were 100% correct:
"Invalid credentials - Check your sync ID and password, and ensure the active service is where the sync was created"
In the extension, there was an error noted: "Error: [10106] NoDataFound" There are hundreds of lines in the log created. Let me know if you want me to post them here, or carry out any other investigation on your behalf.

[nero120]

@LundGB sorry I should have said, with beta releases I hard code the service to the test service (https://api-test.xbrowsersync.org/). You can't use your existing sync so just create a new one. The test service is cleared down regularly.

[LundGB]

OK. Good news and bad news. The sync worked fine on the Chromebook - it completed very quickly. I then rebooted Chromebook due to the 'disappearing extension' problem. When I rebooted, extension had vanished. This is apparently a thing.
I have 'Sync Extensions' ticked in my Google account. I don't think I can use my Chromebook without being logged into my evil Google account. I could try reinstalling and unticking this option, as it appears that it is during the reboot process that evil Google decides that a particular extension is unwanted. I don't know if there might be an obscure Chromebook setting that might get around this for Chromebook users. I will do some digging.

[nero120]

@LundGB that's great news, the fixed worked! Don't worry about the disappearing extension as it won't be long before I release the fix and you can go back to using the version from the chrome store. Or yes, you should be able to disable syncing of extensions which should stop it being removed. Thanks for your help!

Also just to say, make sure you aren't syncing bookmarks to your Google account (I'm guessing you're not) otherwise you'll get conflicts.

[LundGB]

OK. Thanks. Just one question, Rich. I thought Xbrowsersync synced every 15 minutes. However, when I am reorganising bookmarks, it seems to sync every few minutes, displaying a message that latest changes may not have synced. Is there anyway to have any control over frequency of syncing or to pause syncing? Perhaps simply disconnecting from the internet while I reorganise bookmarks is the way to go?

[nero120]

@LundGB yes it does indeed sync every 15 minutes, however there is a known issue currently in xBrowserSync for Chrome and Firefox where if you move a bookmark into a sibling folder or certain other folders you can get an issue. There are other issues with moving bookmarks in Firefox as well.

Can you attach a log file containing the error occurs?

[LundGB]

Log file attached. It is a long log from Firefox. I think I had an error on the 15th. There may also be errors logged from a few days ago as well. I tried to produce an error myself today, but couldn't.
You may be able to spot something useful.
xbs_log_20200216104914.txt

[zampanoo]

Rearranging of bookmarks was always buggy for me too. It was impossible to move an item into a folder above it in both hierarchy and sidebar position - the hack was to first move it up in hierarchy but into a folder below in sidebar position. And from there into the desired position, somewhere above... (Sorry, probably sounds silly and won't help anybody.)

[LundGB]

@zampanoo By sidebar position, do you mean subfolder position or nested subfolders? Perhaps you can give an example of what you mean? I have been trying to reproduce the error without success. It can't be random, so I must occasionally trigger it by certain bookmark moves.

[LundGB]

Any news on when a new version will be released which includes a fix for this issue? Let me know if I can help in any way.

[nero120]

@LundGB just moved house so things are a bit chaotic at the moment, bear with me!

[nero120]

@LundGB @zampanoo v1.5.2 has now (finally) been released that includes a fix for this issue. Sorry about the wait guys!