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Moving available offline folder to online only folder sync
I have a top level folder set to "online-only" within file explorer on windows using the latest dropbox client.
Nested under this top level folder are 2 folders - 1 (current project) is set to "ava...
No problem, thanks for looking into this!
So the default sync status is: let admin manage is unticked, save hard drive space is off (I've also tried with it on), new files default is online-only.
All OSes are the same - Win10 21H2. I've even tried completely signing out of dropbox, uninstall, remove dropbox folder and reinstall and sign in again.
My workaround on one machine is selective sync and removing/hiding certain folders to overcome the problem, but I can't do that on other machines as I do need occasional access.
It's a real mystery to why it suddenly started, my only other thought is a recent windows update going through and breaking something.
Walter
Dropbox Community Moderator
Dropbox Community ModeratorHey prior2that, sorry to jump in and thanks for the additional information.
Do you have any 3rd party app that might be monitoring your files somehow? I'm asking as this would explain why some of your files are made available offline on your machine (synced).
Can you try with a test file that's initially online only and notice when it reverts to local? When that happens, are there any apps running at the same time on your computer?
Hey Walter, there's nothing else running that monitors files etc on these machines. They're all used for video production/conferencing so had a clean install last summer and only essential applications installed.
So if I create a file that's initially online-only then it will stay online unless I either move it into a folder that I've selected to be available offline on a machine - in which case that machine will start downloading it, or specifically select the created file/folder to be offline on a machine where it will start downloading of course.
There must have been a change perhaps on how dropbox client app receive a "this folder has been moved" message, and how it deals with it.
Previously if the client app was "sent the message" that someone has moved files/folders from within a folder that particular client app had been set to "fully sync offline" into another folder that particular client app had been set to "online-only do not sync" - it would then set the moved files/folders to "online-only do not sync" - which looks like it was respecting the settings of the new parent folder which is "online-only".
Now however, it seems that moving files/folders, the client ignores the settings of the new parent folder (online) and goes with the settings the moved folder previously had (offline sync).
So if we were in the same dropbox account, and I was working on files within a folder you had set to sync and be offline on your pc. I would then stop syncing on my pc (so I'm not offline effectively), work on the files, add 35Gb of video files etc to that folder then move it to a "completed" folder - which on your pc is set to online-only.
As soon as I tell my dropbox client to resume sync, the folder move would be reflected on both our file structures, and now your pc will be downloading 35Gb (and filling up your drive).
Whereas before, your client would briefly sync to acknowledge the folder move and be done - it would now be online-only for you as I've moved it to somewhere you've set to online-only on your client.
Does that make sense?
- Walter
Thanks for the additional information there prior2that
The thing is that folders do not inherit their sync behavior when moved and this is not something that has changed recently.
Have you tried setting the desired sync status, be it available offline or online only, before moving the folder in question?
Hi Walter
I haven't, but I'll try and remember to try that at some point and see what happens.
It's just very strange how it worked perfectly in a way that made sense up until a few weeks ago, and has now since changed behaviour after no changes or intervention by me.
I'll be doing a complete OS clean install over the summer as part of routine maintenance, so will be interesting to see what happens after that point all.
