Question

Can't export board as pdf for about a week. Spinning blue wheel in indefinite limbo

S

 

Tried it on every possible device and browser I have that allows the option: Brave, Firefox, Chrome and the desktop app, all on macOS.

Somehow I don’t have the option on either Safari, iPad or Android app.

I don’t understand why or how, and it’s quite frustrating. It used to work like a charm.

I use the free version, by the way.

Thanks for your answers!

4 replies

Kenneth Ritley
Userlevel 3

Hi @Source M Rod 

First things first: I cannot answer your question. I don’t know. 

But I can tell you this: it has happened to me, many many times. Since I am an instructor and want to publish my boards as a PDF file, this is really a showstopper for me when it happens.

Here’s what I’ve learned, when it does rear its ugly head:

  • Like you, when it happens, it happens on all browsers - so I think the problem is within Miro itself
  • On some occasions, I suspect the problem is with too many users? If I try again during a timeframe when I expect fewer people are using Miro, it will work.
  • On almost all occasions, it happens when I have boards that contain a lot of images, e.g. the boards are huge and the resulting PDF files are 50 MB or more in size.  In that case, I’ve had luck splitting my Miro board into sub-boards, so that the export PDF file size is smaller. But gosh, that is painful for me.
  • On a few occasions, something inside my board (and I never learned exactly what) was causing the problem. If I could find the right frame that contained whatever it was that Miro didn’t like, and deleted it or re-worked it, the export would start running again.

I have not had this problem for a good 2-3 months, and I still work with huge boards - so KNOCK ON WOOD the demons have given up on me and found you to torment instead!

For what its worth, I have a different license than you, so here is what it looks like for me; in other words, I have a low-res option and a hi-res option:

 

I’ve let the link be visible in case you want to check out how my boards might differ from yours.

So maybe someone in this forum will have a better answer than mine!

S

Hi Kenneth, I use the free version so I can only export in small quality, but it seems it's not the problem here! At least we know that.

 

I have 3 boards to export and none of them work. Nothing crazy about them though.

 

Miro, can you please get your stuff together? I'll have to use another app if nothing changes, as pdf export is important for me.

Kenneth Ritley
Userlevel 3

Hmmmm . . . that is strange, especially if you COULD export the boards and now you can’t.

But regarding “nothing crazy about them . . . “ Not sure if the free version offers “Board History,” but I can have a look at previous versions, and even restore them (in theory, I have never tried):

 

So if you CAN see the history and you CAN restore a version from prior to 3 days, then you’ll be WISER . . . but no guarantee it can solve your problem. :-). Naturally, make a copy first - you don’t want to overwrite your board.

Good luck!

Robert Johnson
Userlevel 7
Badge +12

To clarify for all readers, looking at the Board history: Versions help center article, the Free Plan does not support board versioning:

 

@Source M Rod - Since this is happening with all front-end interfaces, i.e., browser and desktop apps, and you haven’t mentioned testing from another computer/OS, let’s assume it is something to do with your computer or network connection, e.g., router software/VPN could be an issue here too.

I will preface by saying I have zero experience with Macs.  That being said, perhaps there is some OS-based setting to do with ad blocking? I say this as there were a few posts a short while back where adblock browser extensions where blocking the download prompt from coming through – here is one post that I could find:

https://community.miro.com/ask-the-community-45/i-can-t-download-or-export-in-pdf-10104?postid=58415#post58415

As one of the most basic tests, can you create a board with one 16:9 aspect ratio frame and one sticky note in it, and then using the board’s Export this board (hamburger menu) action → Save as PDF → Small file size → Export and see if that will export?

While I could suggest other tests, e.g., adding you to one of my Free Plan teams or my Business Plan team to see if you can export boards from there, I think we should start by ruling out your machine/network, and if it is your machine, at the OS level.

Do you have another computer you can try from? Or, using the Chrome browser on a smartphone, and forcing it into desktop mode by checking the “Desktop site” checkbox in the settings menu, can you export from there? I just did that from an Android device and it worked the same as on my desktop. And, also test from a smartphone while not connected to the same network as your Mac.

Visual Thinker | Volunteer Community Moderator

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