Read It Later's support system has moved! The content on this page is likely out of date but has been kept public for archival purposes.

To get help, please access the new support system: http://support.readitlaterlist.com

Solving 2.0 Migration Problems

First asked 780 days ago

This topic pertains to the Firefox extension (2.0) only

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If during the upgrade from version 0.9 to 2.0 your list went missing or got scrambled, here is what to do.

First, no fear, your list is not lost, 2.0 did not delete anything.

Version 2.0 stores your reading list in a new file system (instead of Firefox's bookmarks). When you upgrade it tries to transfer them over. Your items will still be perfectly intact inside your old Read It Later bookmark folder inside Firefox.

If you have a problem with this new system, please see:
http://www.ideashower.com/support/read-it-later/20-syncing-and-bookmarks/

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Where to find your items:
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If you do not know where to find your reading list, please see:
http://www.ideashower.com/support/read-it-later/where-can-i-find-my-reading-list/


If your list is completely missing:
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1. Open Firefox's bookmarks (Bookmarks menu -> Organize bookmarks)
2. Find the folder that contains your RIL items (normally named 'Read It Later'.
3. Right click the folder and select 'Save All to Read Later'
4. Open your reading list to confirm they are showing, if not, please leave a note below.


If you have a partial list or the sorting of your list is messed up:
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Version 0.9 had a few bugs in syncing (which 2.0 fixes). However, if some of your items were never synced properly, when you upgrade to 2.0, RIL will resend these to the server, making it seem like they were just added to your list (which is why they show up on top again).

Resolving this is a little trickier, the easiest thing to do is just leave it be, but the alternative is to resync everything. I've written two different guides for each user type.

Case A: If you use RIL to sync / store your items online.
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1. Open Firefox's bookmarks (Bookmarks menu -> Organize bookmarks)
2. Find the folder that contains your RIL items (normally named 'Read It Later'.
3. Confirm that all of your items are there. We'll be wiping everything else and starting fresh using these items only.
4. Open your reading list and click the options button
5. Select the account tab
6. Click 'Erase my online data'
7. Follow the steps to wipe your list from your online account
8. Click 'Erase my local data' (this will remove your items from RIL's storage system NOT firefox's bookmarks).
9. Reopen Firefox's bookmarks
10. Find your Read It Later folder again
11. Right click the folder and select 'Save all to read later'
12. Your items will be reimported into RIL, hopefully in the correct order.


Case B: If you use only use RIL on one computer and do not sync online
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1. Open Firefox's bookmarks (Bookmarks menu -> Organize bookmarks)
2. Find the folder that contains your RIL items (normally named 'Read It Later'.
3. Confirm that all of your items are there. We'll be wiping everything else and starting fresh using these items only.
4. Open your reading list and click the options button
5. Select the account tab
6. If it says you are logged into an account, click 'Logout'
7. Click 'Erase my local data' (this will remove your items from RIL's storage system NOT firefox's bookmarks).
8. Reopen Firefox's bookmarks
9. Find your Read It Later folder again
10. Right click the folder and select 'Save all to read later'
11. Your items will be reimported into RIL, hopefully in the correct order.


How to Downgrade:
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If you want to go back to 0.9, here is how:
http://www.ideashower.com/support/read-it-later/how-to-downgrade-from-20-to-09/


posted by Nate
  • Cliff Gerber

    A partial list of my RIL items showed up (70 of my 111), but neither Case A nor Case B applies to me. To avoid duplication and mistakes in syncing, since I do use XMarks, I have not used RIL to sync but have let XMarks handle it. I sync among 3 computers (1 work; 2 home). The good news is that all 111 of my RIL items are present in the RIL folder within my FFox bookmarks.

    What is your recommendation? I sense it may be something along the liens of deleting the 70 that now show up in my RIL dropdown list and then somehow getting the 111 in the folder properly synced.

    Thank you.

    Posted Dec 15 09 Version: 2.0 (as you yesterday) Browser: Firefox 3.5 reply
    • Nate

      Hey Cliff

      If all 111 items are in your bookmark folder, try the following:

      1. Open your reading list and click the options button
      2. Select the account tab
      3. Click 'Erase my local data' (this will remove your items from RIL's storage system NOT firefox's bookmarks).
      4. Open Firefox's bookmarks
      5. Find your Read It Later folder again
      6. Right click the folder and select 'Save all to read later'

      Just an FYI, if you didn't catch it, RIL 2.0 no longer stores your list in FF's bookmarks, so in order to sync, you'll need to use RIL's syncing. It's very easy to set up, and I've written about it here:
      http://readitlaterlist.com/firefox/guide/#syncing

      If you want to know more about the Xmarks/bookmark issue, check out:
      http://www.ideashower.com/support/read-it-later/20-syncing-and-bookmarks/

      Posted Dec 15 09 reply
  • H

    I had three computers.

    On PC1 I have FF 3.0.15 , and I can't upgrade that.

    On PC2 and PC3, I had FF 3.5.

    I had them synced through XMarks syncing but also enabled saving to the website.

    So the setup was perfect this way. All of them were in sync and I could had my stuff whenever I went.

    Yesterday I've worked on PC1, had 66 unread items, and read them down to 16.

    I went back home and the other PCs prompted me about the upgrade. I upgraded and was surprised that my unread list went back to 66. I have no desire to sort through them again.

    So now I'm on PC1 again, and Firefox update does not tell me that there is a 2.0 version. Probably because of incompatibility. The count on this PC1 is still 16 rightfully.

    I'm unsure of what to do.

    Posted Dec 16 09 Version: 2.0 Browser: Other reply
  • Bryan

    When I right click on the Read It Later folder in Firefox , there is no "Save all to Read It Later" in the drop down list. Any ideas?

    Posted Dec 16 09 Version: 2.0.1 Browser: Firefox 3.5 reply
  • Bryan

    Disregard - I see the step that I overlooked!    Private comment hidden

    Posted Dec 16 09 Version: 2.0.1 Browser: Firefox 3.5 reply
    • Walter J Kirsch III

      What was the step that you (and I) overlooked?

      Posted Dec 17 09 Version: Ril 2.01 Browser: Firefox 3.5 reply
    • Liz Z

      Yes I have the same problem - how did you fix it? Please!

      Posted Dec 22 09 reply
    • Liz Z

      NM - I found the solution. Do not stay in the Bookmarks toolbar. Select "Organize bookmarks" and then rightclick on the folder in the explorer and select "save to Read it Later"

      Posted Dec 22 09 reply
  • H

    Well, in the face of these problems I will have to permanently revert to the usually working 1.x version.

    Posted Dec 17 09 reply
  • Chris

    I sync between Safari, iphone, and Firefox using Xmarks. I upgraded RIL in Firefox and now all but two of my links are marked read. I can manually move them over. Is there a quicker way to move a large batch of links back to the unread list?

    Next time, a little more warning on what may happen to upgraders is in order.

    Posted Dec 18 09 Version: .9 to 2 Browser: Firefox 3.5 reply
  • Phil

    Hi everybody,
    I spent nearly two days trying to sync my old RIL list (firefox 3.5, XP PC1) to my new PC2 (Firefox 3.6, Vista). I deleted on both sides local / online data, restored from my pC1's bookmarks my RIL list online. But unfortunately PC2, even though it has the same account ID, does not sync with the online items PC1 previously sent online. On the other hand, PC2 seems to sync properly the NEW items from scratch, but it just behaves as if PC1 and PC2 were 2 totally different accounts. Any clue ?    Private comment hidden

    Posted Jan 22 10 Version: 2.03 Browser: Other reply
  • sehs

    than you nate everything is fine now and my reading list is arranged and organized like the old version using this tip :
    Case A: If you use RIL to sync / store your items online.
    ---

    1. Open Firefox's bookmarks (Bookmarks menu -> Organize bookmarks)
    2. Find the folder that contains your RIL items (normally named 'Read It Later'.
    3. Confirm that all of your items are there. We'll be wiping everything else and starting fresh using these items only.
    4. Open your reading list and click the options button
    5. Select the account tab
    6. Click 'Erase my online data'
    7. Follow the steps to wipe your list from your online account
    8. Click 'Erase my local data' (this will remove your items from RIL's storage system NOT firefox's bookmarks).
    9. Reopen Firefox's bookmarks
    10. Find your Read It Later folder again
    11. Right click the folder and select 'Save all to read later'
    12. Your items will be reimported into RIL, hopefully in the correct order.

    thank you again

    Posted Jan 23 10 Version: 2.0 Browser: Firefox 3.5 reply
  • sehs

    yes it's work but each time i restart firefox the sorting of my list is messed up
    again .

    i will downgrade until you found i solution for this problem .


    thank you for your efforts nate.

    Posted Jan 23 10 Browser: Firefox 3.5 reply
    • sehs

      when i downgarde to 0.9 things become worst so i restore the newer version.

      Posted Jan 23 10 reply
  • Hjetro

    When I import a folder from my Firefox bookmarks (Save All to Read Later), they all get today's date. It is impossible to sort the RIL bookmarks.
    Why can't imported bookmarks in RIL use the bookmark added date in the Reading List?    Private comment hidden

    Posted Jan 30 10 Version: 2.0.3 Browser: Firefox 3.5 reply
  • Ann Baxter

    Hi

    I looked in Firebox Bookmarks and the Read It Later folder is empty.

    Ann    Private comment hidden

    Posted Apr 29 10 reply
Read It Later's support system has moved! The content on this page is likely out of date but has been kept public for archival purposes.

To get help, please access the new support system: http://support.readitlaterlist.com