nextcloud / nextcloud/server

[Bug]: Previous file versions are not retained; Versions tab shows only current/latest version

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0. Needs triage 32-feedback bug feature: versions
Dominant language
PHP
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Description

⚠️ This issue respects the following points: ⚠️
Bug description

I needed to restore a previous version of a file, but found only the most recent version. I've been editing that file every day, so there should have been at least 1 version per day. The "Versions" app in enabled, and my config.php file says: 'versions_retention_obligation' => 'auto, 30', which according to ChatGPT is the normal recommended configuration. I also have over 13 TB of free storage out of 21 TB. There should be more than enough storage to keep versions for a measly 11 kB file. I'm not using encryption either. The file was uploaded automatically using the official Nextcloud Desktop client.

I'm honestly confused. Is there something I need to do for this file versioning feature to actually work? I'm pretty sure it used to work in the past.

Steps to reproduce
  1. create a file and wait for Nextcloud Desktop client to upload it
  2. edit the file (after maybe a day or so) and wait for Nextcloud Desktop client to upload it
  3. try to restore the previous version on the Web UI
  4. notice the "Versions" tab only lists a single version, which is the latest version
Expected behavior

There should be more than just the latest version of a file, especially for a file that's been edited every day for the last 30 days.

Nextcloud Server version

32

Operating system

Other

PHP engine version

PHP 8.3

Web server

Apache (supported)

Database engine version

PostgreSQL

Is this bug present after an update or on a fresh install?

Upgraded to a MAJOR version (ex. 31 to 32)

Are you using the Nextcloud Server Encryption module?

Encryption is Disabled

What user-backends are you using?
  • Default user-backend (database)
  • LDAP/ Active Directory
  • SSO - SAML
  • Other
Configuration report
Warning: Failed to set memory limit to 0 bytes (Current memory usage is 2097152 bytes) in Unknown on line 0
The current PHP memory limit is below the recommended value of 512MB.
{
    "system": {
        "one-click-instance": true,
        "one-click-instance.user-limit": 100,
        "memcache.local": "\\OC\\Memcache\\APCu",
        "apps_paths": [
            {
                "path": "\/var\/www\/html\/apps",
                "url": "\/apps",
                "writable": false
            },
            {
                "path": "\/var\/www\/html\/custom_apps",
                "url": "\/custom_apps",
                "writable": true
            }
        ],
        "check_data_directory_permissions": false,
        "memcache.distributed": "\\OC\\Memcache\\Redis",
        "memcache.locking": "\\OC\\Memcache\\Redis",
        "redis": {
            "host": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
            "password": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
            "port": 6379
        },
        "overwritehost": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "overwriteprotocol": "https",
        "passwordsalt": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "secret": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "trusted_domains": [
            "localhost",
            "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***"
        ],
        "datadirectory": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbtype": "pgsql",
        "version": "32.0.8.2",
        "overwrite.cli.url": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbname": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbhost": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbport": "",
        "dbtableprefix": "oc_",
        "dbuser": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbpassword": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "installed": true,
        "instanceid": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "maintenance": false,
        "updatechecker": false,
        "loglevel": 3,
        "log_type": "file",
        "logfile": "\/var\/www\/html\/data\/nextcloud.log",
        "log_rotate_size": 10485760,
        "log.condition": {
            "apps": [
                "admin_audit"
            ]
        },
        "preview_max_x": 2048,
        "preview_max_y": 2048,
        "jpeg_quality": 60,
        "enabledPreviewProviders": {
            "1": "OC\\Preview\\Image",
            "2": "OC\\Preview\\MarkDown",
            "3": "OC\\Preview\\MP3",
            "4": "OC\\Preview\\TXT",
            "5": "OC\\Preview\\OpenDocument",
            "6": "OC\\Preview\\Movie",
            "7": "OC\\Preview\\Krita",
            "0": "OC\\Preview\\Imaginary",
            "23": "OC\\Preview\\ImaginaryPDF"
        },
        "enable_previews": true,
        "upgrade.disable-web": true,
        "mail_smtpmode": "smtp",
        "trashbin_retention_obligation": "auto, 30",
        "versions_retention_obligation": "auto, 30",
        "activity_expire_days": 30,
        "simpleSignUpLink.shown": false,
        "share_folder": "\/Shared",
        "one-click-instance.link": "https:\/\/nextcloud.com\/all-in-one\/",
        "upgrade.cli-upgrade-link": "https:\/\/github.com\/nextcloud\/all-in-one\/discussions\/2726",
        "updatedirectory": "\/nc-updater",
        "maintenance_window_start": 100,
        "allow_local_remote_servers": true,
        "davstorage.request_timeout": 3600,
        "documentation_url.server_logs": "https:\/\/github.com\/nextcloud\/all-in-one\/discussions\/5425",
        "htaccess.RewriteBase": "\/",
        "dbpersistent": false,
        "auth.bruteforce.protection.enabled": true,
        "ratelimit.protection.enabled": true,
        "files_external_allow_create_new_local": true,
        "trusted_proxies": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "preview_imaginary_url": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "preview_imaginary_key": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "mail_from_address": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "mail_sendmailmode": "smtp",
        "mail_domain": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "mail_smtphost": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "mail_smtpport": "587",
        "mail_smtpauth": true,
        "mail_smtpname": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "mail_smtppassword": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "default_phone_region": "CH",
        "defaultapp": "files"
    }
}
List of activated Apps
Warning: Failed to set memory limit to 0 bytes (Current memory usage is 2097152 bytes) in Unknown on line 0
The current PHP memory limit is below the recommended value of 512MB.
Enabled:
  - activity: 5.0.0
  - admin_audit: 1.22.0
  - bruteforcesettings: 5.0.0
  - circles: 32.0.0
  - cloud_federation_api: 1.16.0
  - comments: 1.22.0
  - contactsinteraction: 1.13.1
  - dashboard: 7.12.0
  - dav: 1.34.2
  - federatedfilesharing: 1.22.0
  - federation: 1.22.0
  - files: 2.4.0
  - files_downloadlimit: 5.0.0
  - files_external: 1.24.1
  - files_pdfviewer: 5.0.0
  - files_reminders: 1.5.0
  - files_sharing: 1.24.1
  - files_trashbin: 1.22.0
  - files_versions: 1.25.0
  - firstrunwizard: 5.0.0
  - logreader: 5.0.0
  - lookup_server_connector: 1.20.0
  - nextcloud-aio: 0.8.0
  - nextcloud_announcements: 4.0.0
  - notifications: 5.0.0
  - notify_push: 1.3.1
  - oauth2: 1.20.0
  - password_policy: 4.0.0
  - photos: 5.0.0
  - previewgenerator: 5.13.0
  - privacy: 4.0.0
  - profile: 1.1.0
  - provisioning_api: 1.22.0
  - recommendations: 5.0.0
  - related_resources: 3.0.0
  - serverinfo: 4.0.0
  - settings: 1.15.1
  - sharebymail: 1.22.0
  - support: 4.0.0
  - survey_client: 4.0.0
  - systemtags: 1.22.0
  - text: 6.0.1
  - theming: 2.7.0
  - twofactor_backupcodes: 1.21.0
  - twofactor_totp: 14.0.0
  - updatenotification: 1.22.0
  - user_status: 1.12.0
  - viewer: 5.0.0
  - weather_status: 1.12.0
  - webhook_listeners: 1.3.0
  - workflowengine: 2.14.0
Disabled:
  - app_api: 32.0.0 (installed 5.0.2)
  - encryption: 2.20.0
  - maps: 1.6.0 (installed 1.6.0)
  - suspicious_login: 10.0.0
  - twofactor_nextcloud_notification: 6.0.0
  - user_ldap: 1.23.0
Nextcloud Signing status
No errors have been found.
Nextcloud Logs
N/A
Additional info

I'm using Nextcloud-AIO running on a Synology NAS (Linux 4.4.302+ x86_64).

PS: I don't know why I'm getting the PHP memory limit warnings. According to Administration > System > PHP the memory limit is 1024 MB, which is greater than 512MB.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with the files_versions app and the Versions tab path, then reproduce the reported workflow using the Nextcloud Desktop client with versions_retention_obligation set to auto, 30. Compare the stored versions after repeated edits; done means earlier versions appear in the tab and can be restored, with the PHP 8.3/PostgreSQL setup considered.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
php, postgresql
Domain
backend
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
48/100

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