Troubleshooting

Start with preservation: if Lar can still export the workspace, create a backup before clearing storage, reinstalling, changing encryption keys, or attempting database repair.

The app does not start

When public builds are available, startup diagnosis will include:

Confirm the documented platform requirements.
Read the first startup error, not only the final message.
Keep the current workspace directory and diagnostic information intact while diagnosing.

Changes show “saving” or “save failed”

Stop editing and keep the app open briefly so retry can complete.
Check available disk space and whether the workspace storage location is writable.
Preserve diagnostics and create a backup if export remains available.
Do not remove WAL/journal files individually; they can contain committed recovery data.

Sync is offline or degraded

Confirm ordinary local editing still works.
Open Settings → Sync and inspect the configured mode, server, account, and device.
Check the status and pending transfer count.
For peer-to-peer mode, verify both devices can reach signaling and use the same room credentials.
For self-hosting, check the server health endpoint and logs without exposing tokens.
Leave the workspace open after connectivity returns.

An import did not look right

Import into a disposable workspace first when mapping a large archive.
Confirm the selected target Type and CSV/property mapping.
Inspect warnings for unsupported assets, malformed dates, duplicate identifiers, or unresolved links.
Re-importing some sources deduplicates by source identifier; others can create additional Objects. Do not assume every format has the same repeat behavior.
Keep the original export unchanged until the migration has been reviewed.

AI is unavailable

On desktop, verify provider, model, API key, and the provider’s Test action.
On web/mobile, verify the configured AI backend; local provider-key controls are intentionally absent.
Check whether the Object is excluded from AI.
Review consent or spend-cap denial in AI activity.
Semantic results require an available embedder and completed index; ordinary full-text search continues without it.

A shared or published Object cannot be opened

Confirm the recipient used the complete invite/publication URL.
For private sharing, verify account/server identity and that the invite was redeemed.
For publication, the fragment containing the decryption key must remain in the URL.
Revoked access and unpublished snapshots are expected to stop future retrieval.

Web workspace recovery

Do not clear site data or open the same browser workspace in competing active tabs. A recovery error should preserve local data for backup and diagnosis rather than silently replacing it with an empty workspace.

Gather diagnostics

Open Settings → About Lar and record the app version, runtime, host, storage/encryption status, and the exact error text. Remove workspace content, API keys, tokens, publication URLs, and local paths before sharing a diagnostic report publicly.

If the issue follows a destructive operation, distinguish whether you need Trash restore, workspace backup restoration, or server-account recovery.