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Failure to sync changes from subfolder locally, online.
My documents folder was copied in its entirety to DB several months ago. A sub-folder is named New Files. I created a test file in the New Files folder two weeks ago. DB has still not copied that file to my online files, and it isn't in the Dropbox folder on my computer, in spite of the fact that the DB notification icon always reports "Up to date."
When I compare the Dropbox New Files folder and the Windows Explorer New Files folder side-by-side, there are several differences: 6 of the 10 sub-folders are missing, and 2 deleted sub-folders are still showing, whereas all but one of the docx and jpg files that are NOT within sub-folders are there.
This is just one of dozens of sub-folders within my documents folder. It makes me wonder how many other files are not being updated/synced.
I paid for 2 TB of storage. Am I getting what I paid for in terms of syncing? No, apparently I'm not.
Is this a problem I can fix?
5 Replies
- Rich
Super User II
FLYONTHEWALL wrote:
My documents folder was copied in its entirety to DB several months ago. A sub-folder is named New Files. I created a test file in the New Files folder two weeks ago. DB has still not copied that file to my online files, and it isn't in the Dropbox folder on my computer ...
I could be mistaken, but I think you've misunderstood how Dropbox works.
If all you've done is copied your Documents folder to your local Dropbox folder, and are expecting those two folders to be kept in sync, you're mistaken. All you've done is create a separate copy and stored it in Dropbox. Changes you make in one will never be reflected in the other.
Dropbox can only sync the files and folders that you place in the Dropbox folder, and it will sync those to your account online. So the new copy of Documents that you placed in Dropbox will sync, and anything new you place within THAT copy will sync, but it does not sync with your original Documents folder.
If that is your intent, you either need to move the content of your Documents folder to Dropbox and just work on your files there, or you can enable the backup feature which will MOVE your Documents folder to your local Dropbox folder.
Well, this gives me a lot to think about. Yes, I was mistaken about how DB works. I'll try to wrap my mind around this. Thanks for the insight.
Rich wrote: If all you've done is copied your Documents folder to your local Dropbox folder, and are expecting those two folders to be kept in sync, you're mistaken. All you've done is create a separate copy and stored it in Dropbox. Changes you make in one will never be reflected in the other.
I copied my Documents folder to my files here on Dropbox, not to my local Dropbox folder. I did indeed expect DB to reach into my Windows files and update/duplicate/sync anything that had changed -- been deleted, renamed, moved. The local folder has a copy of my Documents folder, but apparently it isn't looking for local changes; it's just duplicating what's already been copied to DB online.
Rich: Dropbox can only sync the files and folders that you place in the Dropbox folder, and it will sync those to your account online. So the new copy of Documents that you placed in Dropbox will sync, and anything new you place within THAT copy will sync, but it does not sync with your original Documents folder. If that is your intent, you either need to move the content of your Documents folder to Dropbox and just work on your files there, or you can enable the backup feature which will MOVE your Documents folder to your local Dropbox folder.
When I save a new or changed document on my computer, I've been in the habit of browsing for the folder I'll save it to on C:\, but I never open the Dropbox local folder. I think what you're saying is I should be browsing for the folder within the local DB folder as if it's my main Documents folder and saving it there. Because that's the only location DB has access to, is that right?
- Hannah
Dropbox Staff
Hey FLYONTHEWALL, thanks for your post here!
The local Dropbox folder is the folder created on your computer, when the Dropbox application is installed.
This folder will sync and contain all the files already existing in your Dropbox account, and any changes you make to those files in that folder, will sync to your account online.
So, if you've created a copy of your Documents folder within this local Dropbox folder and you want to update files for them to sync to your Dropbox account online, all these updates will need to be made in the Dropbox folder.
I hope this helps!
Okay, I understand now. I'm trying hard to remember to save new or changed files to the local Dropbox folder, instead of to the old stand-by My Documents folder. Thanks.
