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Forum Discussion
Dimples
3 years agoHelpful | Level 5
Couln't download. Remove incompatible characters from the filename
Recently all of my computer with Dropbox have started showing a sync error "Couln't download. Remove incompatible characters from the filename. e.g. emojis, /\"<>:|?*"
The problem filename isn'...
- 11 months ago
Hey Roy2010, no worries let me share Sam's response here as well.
Hi everyone,
Sharing an update on the topic: our team is working on adjusting this, and it's expected to roll out in our next Stable Build (V190).
You can check our releases here, and we'll keep you informed on the progress.
Thanks,
Sam
I appreciate your patience on this, thank you!
Roy2010
Helpful | Level 5
Hello Megan,
Unfortunately, I can not access the related thread you are referring to. I get this message when clicking on the link: "Access Denied
You do not have sufficient privileges for this resource or its parent to perform this action."
Moreover, the problem still isn't fixed on Dropbox v.190.4.6383 and I do not understand why my thread was mixed with other ones, which seem related to special characters that my "problematic" files do not have, except an underscore. Could it be the reason for my issue? Anyway, the current error message "Dropbox can't sync this file or folder" does not help at all to understand the origin of the problem.
Thanks in advance for helping me out in troubleshooting the long standing issue.
Best,
François
Megan
11 months agoDropbox Staff
Hey Roy2010, no worries let me share Sam's response here as well.
Hi everyone,
Sharing an update on the topic: our team is working on adjusting this, and it's expected to roll out in our next Stable Build (V190).
You can check our releases here, and we'll keep you informed on the progress.
Thanks,
Sam
I appreciate your patience on this, thank you!
- Здравко10 months agoLegendary | Level 20
Hi Roy2010,
Your files aren't too big (tens to hundreds KB), so you can try something else. Download your troublesome file (let's say the last one - Mob6344872.pdf) to a folder outside Dropbox folder (let's say on your Desktop). Just to make it sure - not to move the file from Dropbox to Desktop as you have done already, but to download it - important difference! After that, remove/erase the file from your Dropbox folder and make sure it's gone both locally and online. At the end, move the downloaded file to the original place in Dropbox folder. Shouldn't take too long to sync. Does this exercise works for you? 🤔
Good luck.
PS: Another option: instead to move the downloaded file locally to Dropbox folder, after making sure it's gone, upload it back to the folder where was downloaded from.
- Roy201011 months agoHelpful | Level 5
Hi Megan,
As of today, I still have the same sync issues. Is the Stable Build you are mentioning already out?
Best and thanks for your help,
François - Roy201010 months agoHelpful | Level 5
Sure, I'm running Dropbox v191.4.4995.
- Megan10 months agoDropbox Staff
Hey Roy2010, thanks for confirming the version of the app that you're using.
It's been a moment since we last spoke, would you mind sending me a new screenshot of your app's current syncing status, and any if the issue you're still facing is the red-icon pop-up, or the app's current status not syncing files?
- Roy201010 months agoHelpful | Level 5
Hi Megan,
Please find attached the requested screenshots.
The app is sync'ing new files successfully, but for some reason these very old files (from 2016) started to cause sync issues.
Let me know if I can help you any further to troubleshoot this issue.
Best,François
- Nancy10 months agoDropbox Staff
Hi from me too, François! Out of curiosity, can you please rename one of the files you’re having trouble with on the desktop app, and let me know if the same syncing icon appears next to them after that?
- Roy201010 months agoHelpful | Level 5
Hi Nancy, I've renamed one of these troublesome files. Just added a dash '-' character in the name. The "alert" icon is still there next to the file in the Finder. (see screenshots below)
I've restarted the Dropbox app, but it did not help.Now I get the same sync issue reported with the file having its new file name.
Any clue what to do next?
- Walter10 months agoDropbox Staff
Hi there Roy2010 - sorry to jump in here, but could you try renaming your files to something simpler and let us know if the issue persists?
If it does, could you move the files out of your Dropbox folder and then back in and let me know how it goes?
- Roy201010 months agoHelpful | Level 5
Hi Walter,
It tried renaming a file to a simpler name, i.e. "Mob6344872.pdf" which is shorter and does not have spaces nor special characters. The "alert" icon is still present next to the file on the Finder (see screenshot).
I've also tried to move this file out of the Dropbox folder (i.e. on the Desktop) and then back in the Dropbox folder. The sync issue persists and is listed with the new, simpler, file name.Any other idea how I could get rid of these sync issues?
Best,François
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