Select collection to keep. The collections can't be combined

Anki Syncing & AnkiWeb
1

Hi,

I’ve had problems with syncing since September 13th. Has anything been changed on AnkiWeb?
I’ve got this message on my AnkiDroid many times:

Anki_AnkiDroid_Select collection to кееp.The collections can't be combined_short

I have two devices for Anki. Anki Desktop is on the notebook (Windows 8). AnkiDroid is on the smartphone.

I repeat and learn the words on my smartphone only. After learning I always make sync to AnkiWeb. Once a week I start Anki Desktop and make sync also there, in order just to have a copy of my desks on the PC. Syncing worked like a charm the whole time.
There are no reason for any conflicts between the devices because I learn the words only on the smartphone and make syncs manually.

Now it’s different. Once or twice a day the sync works on AnkiDroid but then I get this message again: “Select collection to кееp. The collections can’t be combined. Which collection do you want to keep? CANCEL ANKIWEB ANKIDROID”.

In this case, I click “CANCEL” and I go to my notebook and try to sync Anki Desktop first, even though the “Sync” button is not marked blue. After that it often works with Ankidroid Sync again.

But this message “Select collection to кееp…” comes again and again.

What is the reason for NOT syncing in this case? I mean… Why the app asks to choose between ANKIWEB and ANKIDROID, if AnkiWeb can’t have any changes?
How can I solve the problem?

2

Sounds similar to this:

Can you try the solution suggested there and let us know if it works?

1 Like
3

While I’m not sure about what causes the problem to begin with, I’m confused as to why in the case of a conflict you don’t overwrite the AnkiWeb data with your local data directly form AnkiDroid (i.e simply clicking “ANKIDROID”) if that’s the only device you’re actually using.

Does that not work for some reason? Syncing between anything other than the two sources which are in conflict in this case seems weird to me

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4

Both your AnkiDroid and desktop version appear to be somewhat out of date. Please upgrade to the latest desktop, use tools>check database, and force a one-way sync to AnkiWeb, then download on your phone, and see if that helps.

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5

@dae ,
thanks for your reply!
Should I try to sync (AnkiDroid → Ankiweb → Anki Desktop) them before upgrading? All my latest scheduling data is on the mobile phone after all.
.
My Windows 8 has now Anki 2.1.44 (b2b3275f), I can upgrade to Anki 2.1.49.
I have Android 6 on my mobile phone, Ankidroid has vers. 2.15.6, I can update to the latest version, 2.16.5 I think.

6

Staying on the latest possible version is always a good idea, as it will minimize the chances of compatibility issues. If your Android phone has your latest changes, please upload from it, and download to the desktop, then use check DB and upload again, downloading to AnkiDroid.

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7

@dae
Thank you, then I am going to take this way.
Do you think, it is a good idea to enable the option “V2 scheduler” in AnkiDroid (in the advanced preferences), before upgrading it?
Will it make the “communication” und sync between AnkiDroid - Ankiweb - Anki Desktop better or not?

8

It probably won’t make a difference either way. If you want to try it, make sure you enable v2 using the computer if you have any cards currently in learning.

9

Thanks to the tips and replies I’ve updated everything as we said above, check DB, uploaded to AnkiDroid etc.
I hope it will work. :slight_smile:

10

What I don’t understand… Why after the Start Anki Desktop shows “Sync” with blue colour (normal sync required?) if there is nothing new on AnkiWeb? If there can’t be something new on AnkiWeb?

11

Because something has changed either on AnkiWeb or the desktop. Bear in mind that even the action of clicking on a deck causes a pending change, since the currently-selected deck is synced between devices.

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12

I didn‘t know that.
I thought one should change something or at least have learned one word to cause a „change“.

13

I am traveling now and don’t really have a lot of time to use Anki. But I tried a few times and the sync works so far. :)))))
The solution was a mix of 2 answers of dae:

First I forced a one-way sync to AnkiWeb from my phone, then downloaded to the notebook, after that I updated the desktop, then used check DB + media and uploaded everything to AnkiWeb, then I made the update on the phone and after that downloaded everything from AnkiWeb to my AnkiDroid. The sync has been working normally since these updates. And I hope it will work in the future. :)))

Thank you very much for the help!

14

@dae
If you learn the words on your smartphone only and make sync to AnkiWeb every day. How often is it necessary to start Anki Desktop on the notebook and make sync to Desktop as well? Once a week? 2 times a month? Or more often?

15

If you’re not opening the computer version at all, then there’s no need to open it just to sync. If you are opening the computer version and making changes, then you should sync at the start and end of your session.

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16

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