Steps to reproduce
- Have a filename with ‘?’ in it on macOS
- Set up a new Android install and attempt to sync the vault
- Watch all your files get deleted
Did you follow the troubleshooting guide? N - I figured out how to restore it on my own
Expected result
Initializing a new Android install should not delete data in the sync. It might not sync a file with an invalid character, but it should not delete data!
Actual result
70+ files deleted in the sync after the Android app hit the file with the invalid character.
Environment
- Version on macOS: 1.7.7
- Version on Android: 1.8.4
Additional information
I just got a new phone (Pixel 8, Android 14) and was setting up Obsidian on it the first time. Everything went great until it started sync’ing data. It encountered an error about my “2025 Music?.md” file – saying it had an invalid character in it – presumably the question mark in the filename. I thought it odd that the Pixel only showed 2 files so I went into the Mac to remove the question mark from the title and all my files were gone except 2 – what I guess was the first file that got successfully sync’d and then the file with the question mark in the name. Everything else was gone.
It looks like the Pixel had deleted every following markdown document and sync’d that to the server and the sync log confirms that (see below). After a moment of panic I found the bulk restore option in the Mac app and restored them.
Abbreviated sync log
2025-02-02 18:47 - Fully synced
2025-02-02 21:00 - Connecting to server
2025-02-02 21:00 - Server pushed (deleted or renamed) [Pixel 8] Tech Stuff/Tech Lay of the Land Reminder.md
2025-02-02 21:00 - Connection successful. Detecting changes...
2025-02-02 21:00 - Server pushed (deleted or renamed) [Pixel 8] Weird Lists/Interesting places in Canada.md
... 70 lines cut ...
2025-02-02 21:00 - Server pushed (deleted or renamed) [Pixel 8] TODO.md
2025-02-02 21:00 - Server pushed (folder) (deleted or renamed) [Pixel 8] Weird Lists
2025-02-02 21:00 - Server pushed (folder) (deleted or renamed) [Pixel 8] Tech Stuff
2025-02-02 21:00 - Server pushed (folder) (deleted or renamed) [Pixel 8] Finances
2025-02-02 21:00 - Server pushed (folder) (deleted or renamed) [Pixel 8] Fitness
2025-02-02 21:00 - Server pushed (folder) (deleted or renamed) [Pixel 8] MinT
2025-02-02 21:00 - Server pushed [Pixel 8] .obsidian/appearance.json
2025-02-02 21:00 - Server pushed [Pixel 8] .obsidian/app.json
2025-02-02 21:00 - Deleting Tech Stuff/Tech Lay of the Land Reminder.md
2025-02-02 21:00 - Accepted Tech Stuff/Tech Lay of the Land Reminder.md
... 136 lines cut ...
2025-02-02 21:00 - Deleting TODO.md
2025-02-02 21:00 - Accepted TODO.md
2025-02-02 21:00 - Deleting Weird Lists
2025-02-02 21:00 - Deleting Tech Stuff
2025-02-02 21:00 - Deleting Finances
2025-02-02 21:00 - Deleting Fitness
2025-02-02 21:00 - Deleting MinT
2025-02-02 21:00 - Fully synced
2025-02-02 21:00 - Deleting remote file 2025 Music?.md
2025-02-02 21:00 - Uploading file 2025 Music.md
2025-02-02 21:00 - Upload complete 2025 Music.md
2025-02-02 21:00 - Fully synced
2025-02-02 21:05 - Server pushed [Javier.local] TODO.md
2025-02-02 21:05 - Downloading file TODO.md
... 288 lines cut ...
2025-02-02 21:05 - Server pushed [Javier.local] Tech Stuff/Tech Lay of the Land Reminder.md
2025-02-02 21:05 - Downloading file Tech Stuff/Tech Lay of the Land Reminder.md
2025-02-02 21:05 - Downloading complete Tech Stuff/Tech Lay of the Land Reminder.md
2025-02-02 21:05 - Accepted Tech Stuff/Tech Lay of the Land Reminder.md
2025-02-02 21:05 - Fully synced