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Smart Sync and Quick Preview on Mac
Smart Sync causes my quick preview function (spacebar) to not function properly on my Mac. I can't preview thumbnails, or quick preview any videos or photos. Any ideas why this happens?
Likely because you're trying to preview a file that doesn't exist on your computer.
When you set a file to Online Only, the only thing that's left of that file on your computer is the necessary information to make it appear in the folder. Since there's no content in the file, your OS (nor any other program) is able to preview it.
Remember, when you set a file to Online Only, the file is removed from the computer leaving behind only a marker file. In order to access that file, whether it be to open and edit it or simply preview it, the file needs to be on the computer (Smart Sync doesn't allow you to open files directly from the Dropbox servers). When you open a file, it's synced back to your local drive and then opened as normal. When you're done with the file, if you want it to be online-only again, you need to mark it as such.
Minato
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox Staff
I did ask via Twitter about this issue, specifically how to remove the smart sync because it was messing the preview of all my files.
@minato well I had to remove it completely for everything to work again, a shame I'm really interested in the service but I value the quickpreview OSX has more =/
- Minato
I'm sorry to hear that but it's understanable.
Unfortunately, previewing files that don't exist physically on the computer, can't be previewed,
as Smart Sync creates a shadow placehorder.
Don't hesitate to contact us for any other issues or suggestions you might have!
- That was not the issue, I couldn't preview files that were actually saved locally, and it also messed files outside of my dropbox folder in my computer (for example those in my desktop or my documents that weren't synced to dropbox) Of course I understand you can't preview files that' don't exist, it messed ALL my files.
NorahI've been writing about the same issue in another post and will also write a ticket.
My observations about the problem:
- Occurs when opening finder preview images (spacebar) in "Online only" folder. It show's previews for few files but after that it stops showing them and will not show any preview files even in local files outside dropbox
- Only fix is to Force quit Finder when this happens
- Everyone in our work team who use High Sierra has this problem (we all use smart sync)
- Did not happen before High Sierra
- Still happens after clean High Sierra install / installing latest dropbox client
Hope it will get fixed soon!
- Norah
Please send the email with a guide to troubleshooting to me aswell. We have the same problem in our office.
- Norah
Has this issue actually been fixed or are Dropbox Support emailing individuals to troubleshoot?
It's a little misleading to consider this problem "solved" when the solve was support saying they'd go the email route, and not follow up with any information about what the fix was.
This is a big problem for myself and many of the art directors at the business I work at. I'm currently runnig OSX 10.13.4, and I hardly consider force quitting Finder to be a solve. Anyone know what the conflict seems to be?
- Norah
Hi Norah,
Attached below is a screenshot, although it should be noted that this isn't an isolated problem with dropbox files that are set to "local," and affects all local (not dropbox) image files on my system. It appears that this has something to do with selectively syncing files from "online only" to "local." On system restart or force quitting finder, things go back to normal and Quick Look is usable again, but only until I selectively sync again and it's wash-rinse-repeat.
After speaking with the other art directors on our business account, it sounds like this is a widespread problem.
Needless to say, my coworkers and I are usually pouring through countless images and files on a daily basis (many, if not most using Quicklook to bypass having to fully open a file), and having this affect our workflow is a bit restricting.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
I, too, have similar issues with Smart Sync disrupting my Quicklook and cannot get it to work. Is there a solution?
- Norah
I too am having the same problem. I now can't preview any of my files stored on my local drive (attached is a screenshot of items on my desktop, stored locally). Is there a fix for this? This is a huge deal breaker!!
I work on a Mac. When I first turn on my computer, I can view images with QuickLook and in the thumbnail, but after a short period of time QuickLook begins to fail and display an icon representing the type of file rather than the image. The image I attached in this email are local files that are on my desk top. One shows how QuickLook and the thumbnails are working properly, the other is after QuickLook malfunctions. Any other files that I preview in a different window will no longer display the thumbnail. Just an icon of the file type. Further, when I press the [Spacebar] to activate QuickLook, only the icon of the file type is displayed.
The images below are screenshots of a local PNG file on my desktop. The first was taken when I first start my computer. The second is the same PNG taken literally one minute after I previewed a Dropbox folder.
I have the same problem.
What is the solution?
Wondering if a resolve was ever discovered for this? I just had a chat with an online support person that went no where.
Hi Norah,
Were you ever able to pinpoint what could be causing this?
It's been a week since my last response, and it seems as if more and more people continue to have this issue.
While I'm not trying to be argumentative or points fingers, all documentation that I've been able to find on this issue seems seems to blame how Dropbox is handling QL in OSX. And so, for everyone else who continues to have this issue, I will continue to post here to keep search engines bringing this post near the top of results until we get some sort of explanation or a fix. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
How can you classify this problem as solved, when it clearly is not?
I have this problem too. Did they have a fix yet?
Norah - why has this forum been marked as solved? It clearly is not, and many of us have already been contacted by a DB rep which is also a dead end. Can we have this re-opened so that it is given some attention?
I'm having the same problem. The preview icons sometimes show up on files that are stored online-only, but most of the time not. I've found that deleting my finder preference file and relaunching finder works for about 10 previews, and then it's like it gives up and goes back to just loading the icon instead of a thumbnail of the image. And once it gives up, I can't see any images, including those that are only locally stored.
- Mark
Super User II
Leahlc - anybody is able to mark it as solved I'm afraid, so, even if one person found something that worked on here for them they can then flag that as a solution. Dropboxer's and Super Users dont mark anything as solved so its a third party person.
For everybody still having issues can you please log a ticket:
www.dropbox.com/support if you havent already done so. It may also be worth including a link to here.
You can then track at http://dropbox.zendesk.com I also had this problem, and fixed it temporarily with some terminal commands that were suggested on another forum. Now it is back again, and I am trying to find that information again so I can reset it again. It WAS a dropbox related problem.
