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Forum Discussion
I keep seeing conflicted copies for my audio files, after using a third-party software.
Hi!
Recently I've been getting problems with duplicate files when I export audio files from my software directly into a Dropbox folder . One of them is labled "conflicted copy", (I think that's...
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Can you specify what you want a screen shot of? Here's what the folder looks like after the conflicted copy has appeared. The text is smeared due to information under NDA. Notice the difference in file sizes, and time difference for one of them.
The main problem is not that the extra file is added, but that the original file is somehow broken by Dropbox. If i preview it before Dropbox has synked, it workes as expected. Then after a while, when the conflicted copy has appeared, the original file is not complete, as in the sound file being cut before the end, and also generally has a smaller file size.
Any more ideas? If not, I'll probably have to stop using dropbox. It's been great for years, but this issue makes it pretty much unusable for me.
My theory, which seems more and more likely, is that Dropbox starts uploading the file while it's still being written, which I consider a straight up bug. I'll probably have to leave dropbox if this is not fixed asap, I've had to disable syncing in order to work so i'ts pretty much useless right now.
I started discussing the topic in a different thread but since the dropbox team stopped answering there without providing any answers, I'm giving it a new attempt.
Since a few months back now, starting this summer, I'm getting "Confliced Copies" when exporting audio files from my software Logic Pro straight into a Dropbox folder. I've been doing that for years and years without any problem. It seems to have started with Dropbox latest update.
I can see the dropbox sync icon on the file as it appears in the finder folder, even though the file is still being written. The export process can take a couple of minutes. And when that is done, and after a few additional minutes, the original exported file is broken (cut too short, not containing the full audio file) and there's an extra file added with the file name extension "(Conflicted Copy for [Username] [Date])". Usually that file is complete, but not always.
I'm not using Dropbox on multiple places simultaneously, it's technically impossible to write these files at the same time from multiple locations even if I tried to.
Pausing syncing solves the problem, but takes away the point of using dropbox in the first place.
I've not updated any other software around the time this started.I'm about to quit dropbox completely and move to some other service, because right now I have to disable syncing to avoid dropbox corrupting my files.
So this is my last attempt att solving this. Any ideas?
On a macbook pro with Ventura 13.7.1- Jay
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hi JoelBille, I've merged your post to that thread to keep related topics together.
in order to look into this matter in more detail, I'd recommend contacting the support team directly for them to investigate further.
I have run into the same issue, I am running a very similar setup on Mac. The "conflicted copy" issue has started to occur consistently. It is not a big issue that destroys my workflow, it is just annoying more than anything else. I was wondering if either of you had found a solution to this issue that I could try.
Additionally, this only occurs when I export WAV files from Logic Pro, not mp3s. I thought this information could be helpful.
Just let me know if you have found solutions, thanks!
- Jay
Hi grantcrenshaw, could you clarify exactly what happens, step-by-step, during this process and when the conflict is created on your machine?
Of course!
Usually what happens, I am editing audio files on my computer. I will export the file by bouncing it into a WAV file on Logic Pro. I will select a location to bounce/export it to, and I select a folder within my Dropbox on my MacBook. This folder is always synced. It'll then "bounce," and go through the whole exporting process. Once this has finished and Logic Pro appears to be done with any exporting processes, the file begins to sync online. This is where the issue appears to occur. The downloading icon usually progresses for a second, and then a second file appears with the same file name, but the date and "Grant Crenshaw's conflicted copy" appears next to it. This file is always the correct file, complete and not corrupted. The original file the appeared to be the correct one is always smaller, and the audio cuts out about halfway through. Both files are then synced to my online Dropbox. I then delete the original file and make the conflicted copy the one I use.
I hope that this is in-depth enough, if you have further questions about this process I'd be happy to continue helping! Dropbox is not open on any other device in this scenario, and this only happens with WAV files, which are larger than mp3s. This has not occurred to an mp3 export to my knowledge. Again, it only slightly disrupts workflow, and is more annoying than anything else. There is a slight concern that it will begin to corrupt full files, which would be a problem, but there have been no further signs of that.
- Jay
Thanks for the info, most likely this is due to the rapid changes in the file itself during the export process, preventing the file from being fully synced, and then causing the conflict for the incomplete file and the complete file.
If you pause the Dropbox desktop application before you begin the export process, do you get the same behavior?
It sounds like we have the exact same problem. I have not found any solution, contacting support gave me what I believe was a bot answer that mentioned general information about conflicted copies, not really considering my question, and then marking the issue as solved.
For me, the behaviour stops if I pause sync form the Dropbox app drop down menu.
Also for me, it's been more than a slight annoyance since I export lots of audio files every day. Renaming, deleting and double checking them multiple times every day is a big bump in my workflow and I've simply put Dropbox syncing on a permanent pause. I'm looking into alternatives and will probably have to transfer if I can't find a solution to this.
