Add .dropboxignore directory to exclude folders without using selective sync

It's there in a simple right click context menu. It works on both platforms. it's scriptable. Given it can be triggered, that means something can also trigger it (a trigger trigger) and this is how your ignore files could work but how thats better than the right click or double click a shortcut I don't know. 

If your work is project based, and you don';t want it to upload/sync until your done and out of the project, this works really well. two ways I've done it are
1 - right click the project folder and 'don't sync to dropbox', do your work save exit and then right click on the project folder and choose 'sync to dropbox'.

2 - use the code for Mac and PC I posted earlier and save a powershell/Mac script and you can set a global trigger to run that code, on the parent folder, of any project opened by app x. This is what I do at the moment, I only had to set up the code once, nothing has to be pasted around the place etc, I just carry on working as if nothing is any different and it works great.

This is a great example that if you don't want to build something, then just be transparent about it. Not let people vote, give them false hope to then continue ignoring them on the highest voted idea. I can't explain it anymore with being not clear, nor having not enough interest.

This is turning 10 years in two months, maybe some anniversary party though? 😅

Nancyor BenDBX    Reaching out as it seems no one at dropbox is taking this idea serious. At the moment there are numerous hacks and workarounds, but I think it would still be great if dropbox can consider a final solution for this idea.

Can we at least just get some feedback from dropbox or get an explanation about what the actual issue is with this solution taking so long?

Personally I have not used dropbox in a while because of this missing feature and the hacks does not always work everywhere (or with mixed results), but I would really not mind starting to use it again if this can be resolved.

EmmaTwo years have passed, are there any survey results for this feature? 

I'll say it one more time and then tap out before i get shot.

If you would like certain folders/files stored inside your dropbox folder (where ever that may be) you can right click on it and select 'don't sync to dropbox'. the files will no longer be synced, no copies will be kept, you will not see them appear on the web version, nor will anyone else associated with that folder or account be able to see them. They will be gone.

This process can also be easily reversed with right click command, sync to dropbox. 

This works on both mac and pc. if you don't have the right click commands there are simple PowerShell and Apple/Unix code that handle the process, see this article here or if you're struggling to get it to work message me.

Is there any official news about this feature? This is really a very important feature. I hope the official can pay attention to it.

Let it go. The ship has sailed.

Comparing Dropbox to GitHub is apples and oranges. There’s similarities, but there’s inherent differences. Whether or not Dropbox could have built something to solve this syncing dilemma, who knows. As others have said, it’s not that the hacks don’t work, in controlled environments, it’s that they always have tradeoffs. They never fully solve the problem, not in a way that’s truly usable.

And it’s ok. Well, it’s not really, but it’s ok to let it go. Until it’s solved by Dropbox itself, which I kinda feel isn’t necessary even a Dropbox issue, it’s a lost cause.

Seeing this thread has now reached 100 pages, I thought I’d login to commemorate where we started, where we’ve been, where we are, and all the progress we hadn’t made.

Keep fighting the good fight. Or don’t. 

It wouldn't be copy and paste a .ignore file because the .ignore file will autosync to Dropbox in the same way that GitHub does. The issue is the order of operations which have to be done when setting up any new device: (1) sync with current state of your dropbox, (2) turn off sync, (3) make new folder that will be ignored, (4) issue command to ignore that folder, (5) turn on sync. By natively supporting a .ignore file, dropbox would mitigate the need for steps 2-5. Those steps currently require either manual input or running an external script, that is much more prone to user error.

how do you know 'The folders will still natively sync with the Dropbox backend'? when you execute that command I'm seeing no trace of it anywhere including a watcher I've got going at the same time. It's using powershell and mac/linux native commands that are used for many things other than DB, so I'm not sure DB have much control over it as its not a command made by them they're just leveraging on it. at the end of the day, right click, don't sync, it's done and it'll be immediately replicated all on that account/shared in.

Having said that im not adverse to a full blown dropbox made solution necessarily but be careful what you wish for because there's no guarantee it'll be better or easier than this one and from past experience, it rarely is. Moving and copying an .ignore file around the place feels prone to lots of mistakes as you say. anyway, all good. working excellent for what i need. I have this going off when i open a particular app so it 'checks out' that project and returns it to dropbox on exit.

It's a nice hack, but doesn't quite accomplish the same features that would be available if Dropbox created an .ignore file. The folders will still natively sync with the Dropbox backend, which can cause item conflicts if any custom ignore script isn't executed in proper order. And let's be honest here, people are going to make mistakes. If Dropbox makes this an .ignore file natively then it will avoid item conflicts.