Aliases on Mac

[kikashi]

Dropbox 178.4.4811, MacOS Ventura

I upgraded Dropbox to use File Provider, so the Dropbox folder now lives in ~/Library/CloudServices. Aliases no longer work.

1. If I create an alias to a folder (actually, to a package) in Dropbox by right-clicking and selecting "Make alias", the alias appears with the correct icon, but after a moment the icon changes to generic file icon. Double-clicking it produces a message saying that it's "used by the system" and can't be opened.

2. If I pause Dropbox syncing, I can create an alias and use it. However, as soon as I turn syncing back on, the above happens. If the alias is moved out of the Dropbox folder before I resume syncing, it continues to work.

Similar aliases which were created before the upgrade to File Provider continue to work as well.

Clearly, it's something Dropbox is doing. It's rather a nuisance, as I use such aliases quite heavily. Is there a solution?

[kikashi]

PS: I tried using soft links instead of aliases and Dropbox got awfully confused, so that's not an answer.

[kikashi · Accepted solution]

The current version of Dropbox can't cope with aliases to packages. I hope it'll be fixed.

[Walter]

Hey @kikashi, I just wanted to mention that this is part of the expected changed with the new version of the desktop app for Mac OS.

You can read more about it here.

[kikashi]

I don't see anything at that link about aliases to packages. Aliases to files work; aliases to folders work; why do aliases to packages not work at all?

[LynnDbx]

Thanks so much for the detailed report! The engineering team was able to reproduce this behavior as well so we're going to file an issue with Apple and get their help to see what's causing this behavior.

[kikashi]

Jolly good. Just as well they didn't simply pay attention to Walter, isn't it?