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Tom_M
12 years agoHelpful | Level 6
Status:
In Beta
Add .dropboxignore directory to exclude folders without using selective sync
Please please please can you add a feature that allows folders to be excluded from the Dropbox account (on windows and mac). For sure I'm not the first person to request this, but I'm yet to find a good explanation of why it's not there. A quick google search reveals loads of people also looking for the same feature. I really like the workflow I have with dropbox, but it's getting to the point where I might switch providers in order to allow better selective sync.
I've seen hackish solutions using selective sync, but it would be great if this could be done in one of the following ways:
- global pattern matching eg "node_modules"
- a marker file in the directory like .dropboxignore
- a simple right click context menu "Ignore this folder"
Other than that, keep up the good work. Cheers.
Tom
Idea Status Update
We're launching a closed beta for Ignore Files feature, and weβd love your help testing it out.
1,031 Comments
- nei a.3 years agoExperienced | Level 11
and the silence off dropbox continues
- Justin from Just Front-end3 years agoExplorer | Level 3
Razvan Boxifier - Are you by chance, able to explain exactly what this command is doing?
"Set-Content -Path C:\Users\yourName\Dropbox\someFolder -Stream com.dropbox.ignored -Value 1"
I read the Microsoft docs on "Set-Content", but I'm perplexed exactly on how this stops Dropbox from syncing? Is there a list of files/folders somewhere on one's computer which Dropbox uses as a reference for what files/folders not to sync?
Or is such a reference stored in the cloud?
- Justin from Just Front-end3 years agoExplorer | Level 3
Wow ... same here. I can't believe that it's 2023 now, and we still don't have an easy way to accomplish local-only files.
- Justin from Just Front-end3 years agoExplorer | Level 3
Are you by chance, able to explain exactly what this command is doing?
Set-Content -Path C:\Users\yourName\Dropbox\someFolder -Stream com.dropbox.ignored -Value 1I read the Microsoft docs on "Set-Content", but I'm perplexed exactly on how this stops Dropbox from syncing? Is there a list of files/folders somewhere on one's computer which Dropbox uses as a reference for what files/folders not to sync?
Or is such a reference stored in the cloud?Can of confusion π
Thanks!
- Johnny W.23 years agoHelpful | Level 7
Wow, I can't believe they added this feature to Backup but not Sync! So close, and yet so far! They seem determined to ignore the most update users they have π
- nicc7774 years agoExplorer | Level 4
Razvan Boxifier- I would not hold my breath. They have been "investigating" since October, after they thought the solved the problem by not solving it. After 8 years, this is just absolutely ridiculous. You are better off using a competing product if you need a dropbox like solution with the requested selective ignore/sync feature.
- Razvan Boxifier4 years agoCollaborator | Level 10
Lars P.3 while it may feel that way, there is actually some hope for this feature to be delivered sooner than expected.
The Dropbox Backup FAQ contains a reference to a ".dbxignore" file that Dropbox places in the root of the external drive when you use Dropbox Backup with that drive. The contents of that file look like this:
You can quickly notice the structure of the .dbxignore file looks inspired by that of .gitignore files.
I tried to edit the contents of the file and added a new wildcard rule. The next time Dropbox backup was triggered (I had to restart Dropbox for that), the rule that I added took effect. Hooray!
Hope this helps at least with giving some hope that since Dropbox now has this implemented for backups, they could soon be adding it to their sync product as well.
Razvan
- Lars P.34 years agoHelpful | Level 6
Happy 8th anniversary to this basic idea. 8 years and dropbox are still thinking about it. This could be implemented in an afternoon if Dropbox wanted to. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the case and I'm pretty sure that we will make it to 10 years as well.
β
- nicc7774 years agoExplorer | Level 4
snatcherwelcome to the most requested feature which is seemingly impossible for the Dropbox team to figure out. You might be better of with a competing product for now.
- snatcher4 years agoExplorer | Level 3
This suggestion has been around for 8 years, is that right?! Do we have it yet?!
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