Can someone explain synclog.dat files?

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Robyn
Robyn Member ✭✭
edited April 2022 in Errors and Troubleshooting (Windows)
I have several Quicken data files, because I create a new file yearly, plus I am running Quicken for myself and also for someone else. Most of these files don't have any synclog.dat files associated with them, but a few do, and most of the synclog.dat files are dated in 4/2021. What are these files, and is it OK to delete these old files? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

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  • Chris_QPW
    Chris_QPW Member ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2022
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    Sync log.dat is the Quicken Cloud Sync Log file, in a “scrambled” form.
    It is scrambled because it can have sensitive information in it.
    To view what is in it select: Help -> Log Files Quicken Cloud Sync Log

    Edit you can delete it, but it will just get recreated the next time you do any kind of update in Quicken.
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  • Robyn
    Robyn Member ✭✭
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    Thanks so much for your fast response. When you say the synclog file will get recreated when I do any kind of update, do you mean an online update? In other words, just making a manual entry will not generate a synclog file, right? Thanks.
  • Chris_QPW
    Chris_QPW Member ✭✭✭✭
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    Actually, I believe the cloud sync file will get recreated as soon as you start Quicken, because it "phones home".  Besides what it will put in there depends on if you use Express Web Connect, or sync to Mobile/Web, ...

    The bottom line is that you can freely delete it, but it will get recreated.
    A manual entry wouldn't be something that would get logged in this log provided you aren't using Sync to Mobile/Web.

    The one thing to understand though is if you have a problem and you are going to send the logs, this is one of the logs they need to track down some kinds of problems.
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  • Robyn
    Robyn Member ✭✭
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    Thanks so much again for your help, Chris. I have never touched those synclog files, but I think I'll delete them just from folders containing old Quicken files. Since I create new files every year, I have several of those older files. I do open them periodically so that Quicken updates them when a new version is available, and I occasionally open them to look up some old info, but I don't make new entries to those prior year files. Synclog files associated with them do NOT seem to update by "phoning home" just because I open the file. If they did, then these files would have recent dates rather than the old dates that they have.
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