How can I correct the dates of my files in Dropbox?

Hi,

I upload pictures/videos with new dates (not correct) from Linux to dropbox. After update the mtime (old correct dates) in the local disk, I can not find a way to sync the date in dropbox.

I tried stop the daemon delete the files from Dropbox and then start the daemon. I found that it remove the local file and had to restore it with the non-correct date.

I stopped the daemon and rm -r ~/.dropbox and start again. It just caused indexing again but date didnt change.

How can I remove the dropbox folder and make it forgot so after start daemon, it will resync with the correct date.

Thanks,

Rafi

edit

Organize

Jay
7 months ago
Hi raficohen12, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

The way the Dropbox desktop application syncs files would be when changes are detected in the files themselves.

As using the mtime command on files within the Dropbox folder isn't known behavior for the app, could you try using mtime on the files outside the Dropbox folder, and then move them into the Dropbox folder (after first deleting the incorrect files in the Dropbox folder)?

This should retain the dates you created, and should sync that way to the site.

Keep me updated with any progress!

12 Replies

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raficohen12
New member | Level 2
7 months ago
The dates updated with the below steps:
cd /storage
cp -r /storage/Dropbox/familyshare/ByYearVideo .
fix the dates.
Stop syncing using the icon in the bar.
delete whole folder using the website.
delete it permanently.
cp -pr ByYearVideo /storage/Dropbox/familyshare
Resume syncing
Walter
Dropbox Community Moderator
7 months ago
Do you get any different results if you pause syncing or even quit the app completely raficohen12?
raficohen12
New member | Level 2
7 months ago
Please ignore the last message.
debian12:/storage> ls -l Dropbox/familyshare/ByYearVideo/2014/20140808_124425.mp4
-rwxr--r-- 1 rafic rafic 8333667 Jun 4 22:05 Dropbox/familyshare/ByYearVideo/2014/20140808_124425.mp4

debian12:/storage> rm Dropbox/familyshare/ByYearVideo/2014/20140808_124425.mp4

debian12:/storage> ls -l ByYearVideo/2014/20140808_124425.mp4
-rwxr--r-- 1 rafic rafic 8333667 Aug 8 2014 ByYearVideo/2014/20140808_124425.mp4

debian12:/storage> cp ByYearVideo/2014/20140808_124425.mp4 /storage/Dropbox/familyshare/ByYearVideo/2014

debian12:/storage> ls -l Dropbox/familyshare/ByYearVideo/2014/20140808_124425.mp4
-rwxr--r-- 1 rafic rafic 8333667 Jun 4 22:07 Dropbox/familyshare/ByYearVideo/2014/20140808_124425.mp4
raficohen12
New member | Level 2
7 months ago
You can see the commands that I run and it doesn't help to make the mp4 date correct.
ls -l /storage/Dropbox/familyshare/ByYearVideo/2014/
total 8140
-rwxr--r-- 1 rafic rafic 8333667 Jun 4 19:39 20140808_124425.mp4
debian12:/storage/ByYearVideo/2014> rm /storage/Dropbox/familyshare/ByYearVideo/2014/20140808_124425.mp4
debian12:/storage/ByYearVideo/2014> cp 20140808_124425.mp4 /storage/Dropbox/familyshare/ByYearVideo/2014/
debian12:/storage/ByYearVideo/2014> ls -l /storage/Dropbox/familyshare/ByYearVideo/2014/20140808_124425.mp4
-rwxr--r-- 1 rafic rafic 8333667 Jun 4 19:41 /storage/Dropbox/familyshare/ByYearVideo/2014/20140808_124425.mp4
raficohen12
New member | Level 2
7 months ago
Hi,
When I did the same with bigger folder that contains video too.
mv /storage/Dropbox/vidoes /storage
fixes all videos in /storage/videos
mv /storage/video /storage/Dropbox
I got the below and the dates return to wrong date.
Thanks,
Rafi
Megan
Dropbox Community Moderator
7 months ago
That's awesome to hear raficohen12! 😇

If you need something else, we'll be one post away!
raficohen12
New member | Level 2
7 months ago
Hi Megan,
It fixed...
i just had to wait ~20min...

Thanks,
Rafi
Megan
Dropbox Community Moderator
7 months ago
Hey raficohen12, let me also jump in here!
Would you mind attaching a few screenshots of your photos tab, and what you see there?
You should be able to click the camera-like icon and send them our way. It'll help us get the visual.
Also, how long has this been happening for?
raficohen12
New member | Level 2
7 months ago
Hi Jay,
In iphone app in the folder I can see only pictures with correct dates. But in the photo tab I see for each picture black picture next to the good picture. When I click the black picture I get "couldnt load photo" and "there was an error loading the file." and "You have saved a new version" with refresh button. click the refresh button do nothing.
Thanks,
Rafi
Jay
Dropbox Community Moderator
7 months ago
No worries, glad to have helped out!
If there's anything else we can assist with, feel free to reply back here.