ShareScan - Unable to Upload / Connect to DocuShare (Logon Failed, Connection, and License Errors)

Issue

Users are unable to scan or upload documents from eCopy ShareScan to a DocuShare server through the DocuShare connector (Paper-River connector or the Tungsten DocuShare connector). The DocuShare web interface usually continues to work normally with the same credentials; only the connector’s API-based login or upload fails.

Depending on the underlying cause, the error shown in ShareScan or the Administration Console can be one of the following:

• "Error Connecting to DocuShare Server: Logon Failed"
• "Connector License is not large enough to include this device"
• Invalid credentials / unable to log on with default credentials
• "The given key is not present in the dictionary" (generic connector exception)
• Connector times out or cannot connect after a DocuShare indexing repair action
• ShareScan Administration Console becomes unresponsive or crashes when testing the connector
• Connector repeatedly prompts for a username and password when it did not before

A common pattern observed across occurrences: uploading via the DocuShare web browser interface works fine, whereas the API-based connection used by the ShareScan connector fails. This points to the issue being on the DocuShare side rather than in ShareScan itself.

Cause

There is no single root cause. The confirmed causes below are listed roughly in order of how often they have been the actual cause.

1. The DocuShare service has been running for an extended period without a restart. Over time, the DocuShare API can stop responding correctly to connector requests, even though the web UI keeps working. This is the most frequently confirmed cause and typically develops after several months of continuous uptime without maintenance.
2. DocuShare index corruption. Following a power outage, an unclean shutdown, or an indexing/repair action on the DocuShare server, the DocuShare index can become corrupted, breaking connector authentication and uploads even though the web interface still functions.
3. Connector device license limit exceeded. The Paper-River/DocuShare connector license is typically scoped to a specific number of devices (often just one). If a simulator IP and a real device IP (or two devices) are registered at the same time, the license limit is exceeded, and the connector returns a "Connector License is not large enough" error.
4. Outdated or mismatched connector version. An older DocuShare connector build can be incompatible with the installed ShareScan version or with a recently upgraded DocuShare server.
5. Windows Firewall or the network path is blocking the connector’s API traffic. Browser traffic and the connector’s API traffic do not always use the same path; a firewall rule or blocked port can allow browser login while blocking the connector.
6. Unannounced changes on the DocuShare server. Security patches, DocuShare version upgrades, or configuration changes made by the DocuShare/IT team without a corresponding restart or without notifying the ShareScan administrator.

Solution

Work through the steps below in order; most confirmed occurrences were resolved at step 1 or step 2.

1. Restart the DocuShare service. Ask the DocuShare administrator to restart the DocuShare service first, not necessarily the full server or OS. This alone has resolved the majority of confirmed cases.
2. If step 1 does not resolve it, restart the full DocuShare server. Also, confirm when DocuShare was last restarted; if it has been running for an extended period (commonly several months) without a restart, this is very likely the cause.
3. Check for DocuShare index corruption. If there was a recent power interruption, unclean shutdown, or an indexing/repair action on DocuShare, ask the DocuShare/IT team to verify and, if needed, repair or rebuild the DocuShare index.
4. Review the connector license and registered devices. Open the DocuShare Connector configuration in ShareScan Manager and check the License tab. Confirm the number of devices allowed by the license and remove any extra or stale IP addresses, including test simulators, that may be consuming a license seat.
5. Confirm the connector and ShareScan versions are current and compatible. Check the installed DocuShare connector version against the current ShareScan release and the DocuShare server version. Update the connector if a newer build is available, especially after a DocuShare server upgrade.
6. Rule out firewall/network blocking. Confirm the DocuShare URL is reachable from the ShareScan server, and test connectivity directly, for example, with Test-NetConnection -ComputerName <DocuShareHost> -Port 8080. Temporarily disable the Windows Firewall on the ShareScan server to isolate whether it is blocking connector traffic.
7. If unresolved, collect diagnostics for further analysis.
   • ShareScan verbose trace logs (delete old trace files first, then reproduce the issue before exporting)
   • DocuShare server logs (docushare.log, docushare.out, error.log) and Tomcat logs (catalina.out, localhost.log)
   • DocuShare server version, OS, memory, and CPU specification
   • Exact error message and timestamp of the failed attempt
   • DocuShare connector version and license file/key

Recommendation:

Because this issue is strongly associated with DocuShare uptime and maintenance rather than with ShareScan itself, schedule a routine restart of the DocuShare server approximately every three months, along with periodic index maintenance, to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

Applies to  

References

• ShareScan - How to export verbose trace files