The desktop app on my Mac has been stuck indexing files. I can only access some of them.

Hi Jay,

I think I have solved the issue.

Thanks to this article: https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Create-upload-and-share/Having-problems-syncing-with-File-Provider-on-Mac-OS/m-p/761818/highlight/true#M83684

I checked all network filters (also nicely described here: https://help.dropbox.com/de-de/sync/files-not-syncing#:~:text=Check%20that%20the%20file%20isn,properties%20and%20uncheck%20that%20option.  )

I had to create a new allowing rule for DropboxFileProvider in LittleSnitch (see screenshot, it's a network filter software). Now everything works fine.

Somehow I must have missed the popup notification by LittleSnitch to ask for this new process to allow outgoing connections.

My apologies for not checking earlier!

Kind regards,

Lionade

I am unable to contact support on a Basic plan. Is there any solution for this?

Thanks

Sorry to hear you’re having the same issue, @jpglutting. What’s the current app version you’re running? 

Does the Dropbox app mention how many files it’s currently indexing, and if yes, does the number change at all?

Thanks Nancy,

I have version 205.4.5765 - I am on Sonoma 14.6.1. The menu bar icon says it is indexing 17,077 files, and this has not changed for at least a week. 

More concerning, most of the files in my Dropbox directories are not there - I can only get to them online. I have to admit I don't know how long this has been happening. The files I use more often are on my computer, but most of my directories are empty - the files are visible in the online interface. I tried right-clicking folders and choosing "Make Available Offline", but that doesn't seem to help. 

The oldest folder in my Dropbox folder was modified in 2016. But it is empty. 

The oldest files I can find on the online interface are from 2008 (I do need to clean up my Dropbox a bit). 

Hey @jpglutting, let me also jump in here!

Did you recently get any notification about an update of the Dropbox app to the version for File Provider? Where is your Dropbox folder currently located?

If it's still stuck at the exact same number of files, could you try fixing your hardlinks and permissions and let us know how it goes?

Thanks Megan,

No, I didn't get any notifications, I was just looking for some old files. My Dropbox is located at ~/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox

I have looked in Preferences, and all notifications are active. I don't see any options for "Fix Hardlinks" or "Fix Permissions" in any part of the preferences panel in the Dropbox App. Has that been deprecated? I believe I am using the latest version, although it is hard to find clear information online. I looked under "Accounts", as instructed in the link you sent, but that just gives me the option to sign out or add a new account. I could not find a "Fix Hardlinks" function in any other section of Preferences. As an aside, "View Sync Issues" shows no issues with sync.

Hey @jpglutting, you should be able to find the app's version by hovering your mouse over the little Dropbox icon on your menu bar, next to your WiFi.

As for fixing permissions, have you tried holding Option/Alt key (Mac), and then clicking "Fix Hardlinks"? 

What about signing out of the app, and then back in? 

I know what version I have, I posted it two responses ago. "I have version 205.4.5765 - I am on Sonoma 14.6.1. The menu bar icon says it is indexing 17,077 files, and this has not changed for at least a week. "

I was wondering what the latest is.

I did finally figure out the "press option to change the interface" trick. That is an incredibly obscure way to hide functionality, I must say.

I tried both fixing permissions and hardlinks, without any change. Earlier I did search all the files in my Dropbox folder for the characters that block indexing (?, \ / *, etc.). I did find one file with a "?" in it, and edited the name. It now says it is indexing 17,076 files, for what that is worth, but it has said that for 4-5 hours. Also, I looked at "Sync Issues" and it doesn't show any. 

Hey @jpglutting, our latest version is this one. 

Would you mind performing a quick re-install, please? 

Also, it sounds like your app has migrated to File Provider, so you might also need to take a look at this Help Center article, to make sure you've tried the steps there. 

Do you have any proxy, VPN, firewall, security software, or even ISP/router settings that could be restricting traffic to the following Dropbox domains?

Thanks Megan,

I don't seem to have the latest version. I downloaded Dropbox from the website yesterday, and I have installed it four times now (twice over the existing install, twice after deleting the existing install). It still says version 205.4.5765, while your link says the latest version is 206.4.6506. Update - I downloaded from that link, deleted and reinstalled, and it is updated to 206. Not sure why the standard install/update package is out of date. 

I have my VPN turned off. Dropbox.app is allowed access through the firewall. I even turned the firewall off for a while, no change. I also allowed Dropbox Accessibility rights. Still no change. 

Is there a way to download all my content from the Dropbox web interface? That might just be easier to do and move to another service.