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Forum Discussion
Is it possible to have the directory of files visible locally, without downloading them?
I have a new computer and want all my Dropbox files online only (10TB). Is there a way to have the directory of files visible locally without downloading all files? My old desktop was set up to show ...
I have the same issue. When installing dropbox on my new computer you only get two choices. Either online only and nothing is visible in you dropbox folder in windows explorer, or selective sync. This makes everything you check visible in windows explorer BUT you HAVE to download it for some reason. 5tb and my harddrive is only 2tb so I am screwed. I just want the folder structure to be visible and then I want to choose which files to be synced manually when I need them. That is how it always worked on my previous computers. There MUST be a way??
Jay
Dropbox Community Moderator
Dropbox Community ModeratorHI JohanBang, you you install the Dropbox desktop application, the online-only option is the one you want, since the file structure, folders and names would appear in the Dropbox folder, but no files would be downloaded, thus taking up no room.
After the structure is completed, you can mark folders and files as available offline to download them to your machine.
Selective sync would prevent entire folders from downloading to your machine and you wouldn't see them visible in the Dropbox folder.
Hi Jay and thank you for your quick response. I did reinstall and try that option but not a single folder was visible in the dropbox folder then.
- Jay
Could you check the selective sync settings in the desktop app just in case to see if the folders were deselected?
Hi Jay.
I appreciate you helping, & for clarity, I think what we're asking for is below (excuse the caps, but I want to be clear).
I've been in many many forums about this and never received clear and concise STEP BY STEP process for how to do the following:
1. Install the Dropbox Desktop interface on a MAC.
2. Have the entire file structure VISIBLE but NOT DOWNLOADED - WITHOUT having to download EVERYTHING in that file structure and THEN select it for online only.
3. THEN be able to download files as desired.
This was possible years ago. It is not now, and hasn't been for some time. My last two installs on new computers have gone poorly for this reason. Going by all online suggestions, I have to compromise my computer's ability to function for days as I selectively download files one 250 GB grouping at a time (I have about 4TB of files on Dropbox), wait for them to successfully download, select them for online only, wait for them to be removed from my computer's storage, then do that again for literal DAYS.
Please, if it IS possible to do what I listed above, share the steps for this. If not, please admit it and plead with the people in the development department to create a method to make your users rejoice and use your product, and not suffer and succumb to the easy route - just cancel & use Apple's Cloud.
THANK YOU! Honestly, thank you, I know you're not the one who made the mess!!
- Nancy
Hey JohanBang, did you double check your selective sync settings, like Jay previously suggested? If you did, were you able to find your folders this way?
