Dropbox is Changing the file name to UPPERCASE letters

[Henrik K.3]

Sometimes filenames in my Dropbox folder(s) are changed to UPPERCASE letters. Seemingly random, but probably isn't 🙂

I can see from the version history that the file has been renamed (changing from lower to upper case or vice versa), but I have not done that. I don't think it is the client software either, as I experience this with different file types.

[Brian1]

I didn't follow that answer for OP and didn't see it as a solution at all. The conclusion ("there is no event that Dropbox can send to a Windows or Mac client that says "rename temp to TEMP") seems to exonorate DB completely. Is that what you meant?  If so, that precludes my following up on our issue, especially since Dropbox history doesn't even show any of it happening.

It would basically be me saying: DB must have done it, and you saying "Impossible."

Getting back to your temp/TEMP example, while I understand what you're saying about the impossibility of files by those names existing in the same dir in Windows, that's beside the point. We're merely talking about a file changing from one thing to another thing as humans see it. So, temp->TEMP or whatever, which is perfectly legal and supported by everything, DB included. We're not talking about temp and TEMP coexisting, and we understand that at a non-human level there is no difference. Keep in mind also that what I saw, at least, was DB reverting old changes that we made, not just up and deciding to do this to random dirs/files.

Looking at Ben's case would make sense, since it already exists.

[Jane]

Hey again @Brian1, 

I’ve had a chance to check Ben’s case & it wasn’t clear how the rename happened, as they also mentioned that the original filename was part of a script. I’m asking you more questions on that, in order to see whether Dropbox is indeed the cause. 

That being said, I’ve been able to play around with a few example files & it looks like renaming a file from “temp” to “TEMP” will stick once you refresh the File Explorer, however your last comment makes me think that the issue has been slightly different on this specific case. 

It would be more efficient if we discussed that checking back on the details we have on file for your account after this point. If you have some time to work on that with me, please let me know here.  

Thanks again!

[mauricev]

I have files with uppercase (capital) letters in the filenames. Recently, I've noticed that Dropbox is on its own converting them to lower case. Even if I manually change the name to something else and then set it back to with upper case letters, it will eventually get converted. I decided on an experiment to confirm Dropbox was doing this. I moved the parent folder out of Dropbox with all its upper case letters in the filenames intact. They didn't change*. Then after it finishing syncing their deletion, I moved the parent folder back. As expected, Dropbox converted the upper case letters. This is on a Mac Pro with Mojave.

*This is on an external ZFS RAID, but ZFS completely honors the lower/upper case distinction even though it's configured case insensitive. Dropbox is at fault here. 

[Jane]

Hey @mauricev, thanks for pinging me back with your findings! 

We currently support storing the Dropbox folder on a HFS+ or APFS-formatted hard drive on a Mac, so my hands are tied I’m afraid. 

Having said that, I’m wondering if checking the file’s Version History helps trace back how this appeared in the first place &/or which is the device that’s triggering the case conversion (i.e. if there's more than one devices accessing the file). 

Please let me know & I’ll try to help as much as I can. Thanks again!