MAXQDA

Codes shifted to different text

30.05.2019, 15:38

So, this is a problem I've been having on a small scale, but I just noticed this morning that it happened in a major way that has cost me at least a couple hours of work.

A lot of the codes in a certain document have shifted slightly to different portions of text. In this case, it looks like the text that the codes refer now begins about 30 characters before where I originally selected the code to begin. This would create a number of problems for me in data analysis.

Please see the attached screenshot. Originally, these codes referred to each stanza individually. Now the codes are referring to random selections of the text that go across stanzas. The highlighted portion of the text became highlighted when I clicked on the second code.

Is there a way to fix this?

Version: MAXQDA 2018
System: Mac OS X 10.13 (High Sierra)
Attachments
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team_uni
 
Posts: 17
Joined: 05.03.2018, 19:16

Re: Codes shifted to different text

04.06.2019, 16:06

Hi team_uni,

Thank you for letting us know about this! Unfortunately, it's very difficult to tell from afar what exactly went wrong here; I also haven't heard of a case yet where coded segments move randomly around. The only thing that we know of that could explain such behaviour has to do with the following question:

Have you maybe opened your project file not from a local hard drive, but from a network resource, USB flash drive, external hard drive, or from a folder that's being kept synchronized with a cloud service?

One common cause for all kinds of issues results from not opening the project file from a local hard drive, but from a network resource, USB flash drive, external hard drive, or from a folder that's being kept synchronized with a cloud service. Since MAXQDA is a database program, all changes get saved automatically. If however the connection gets interrupted, this can lead to errors in the database structure. This is why we strongly recommend to always open the project file from a local hard drive. (You can save it anywhere you want of course, this is just about opening.)

In any case, it would probably be best if we could have a look at the project file in question. Would it be possible for you to send it to us? If so, you can use our support form to send us the project file as an attachment. Otherwise, if it's too large, you could create a ticket (simply copy the text from above) and we'll send you a link for upload. This way, we still have all the relevant information like operating system used, MAXQDA version etc.

Best regards on behalf of the MAXQDA support team,

Andreas
Andreas V.
 

Re: Codes shifted to different text

14.06.2019, 02:39

Hi Andreas,

Thank you so much for the reply. I have been more diligent about backups and haven't noticed an issue since this post. I would rather not send a copy of the project due to confidentiality reasons.

I think you nailed the problem. I am keeping my project in an encrypted dmg folder that's also being synced to dropbox.

I will move my project to a folder outside of dropbox. Hopefully that will fix the issue. Can I still keep my project inside of a .dmg folder? What is the best way to save the project securely, and to keep backups of the project in dropbox?

Best,

John
team_uni
 
Posts: 17
Joined: 05.03.2018, 19:16

Re: Codes shifted to different text

14.06.2019, 12:47

Hi John,

Without being familiar with the exact backup strategy in a .dmg folder, it is important to know that keeping a MAXQDA file in a synced folder is not a problem at all. It is however very important to copy the project file to a local folder (e.g. your desktop) before opening the file.

After you have finished your work for the day you can close MAXQDA, and then move or copy the project to the synced folder.

My personal strategy is to create a folder on my computer where all the project files are stored locally and additionally create regular backup files of the projects, which are stored in a Dropbox folder. This way MAXQDA can work uninterrupted and there are always backups on the computer as well as in the cloud - should the computer ever break down or get stolen. Hope this info helps.

Best regards,
Julia
Julia Gerson
MAXQDA Team
Julia Gerson
 
Posts: 12
Joined: 15.07.2011, 14:15

Re: Codes shifted to different text

14.06.2019, 23:05

Thank you Julia and Andreas. Much appreciated.
team_uni
 
Posts: 17
Joined: 05.03.2018, 19:16

Re: Codes shifted to different text

22.04.2020, 08:57

i've been having this same issue for years -- codes shift slightly off. it happens especially when i inserted any new text in the middle of the document. now i don't dare to revise anything in the middle of my documents, because once the codes shift off, it often takes an hour or more to restore the codes to their right places.

can you please fix that problem?
lauri
 
Posts: 17
Joined: 08.07.2015, 16:41

Re: Codes shifted to different text

23.04.2020, 11:23

Hello lauri,

We are sorry to hear about your issues! Would it be possible for you to contact our support team? You can easily reach out to them using the following contact form:
https://www.maxqda.com/help-support/onlinesupport

It would be very helpful if you could send them your project file for troubleshooting.

Kind regards,
Maren
MAXQDA support team
Maren_eng
 
Posts: 90
Joined: 27.11.2019, 11:44

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