Restore previous version of file

[Tom-PA]

The content of a file that I edit nearly every day was inadvertently all deleted on Jan 12, 2023 (just the content, not the file itself).  The version history now shows 0 bytes for the current version, and only a single previous version, dated Dec 22, 2022.  There should be many previous versions with more recent dates--where are they?  

When I click on the current version of the file, this message pops up: 

Error (415)

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[Jay]

Hi @Tom-PA, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

If you're not seeing the version history on the events page, then it means that the file wasn't syncing to your Dropbox account since December 22nd.

Is the Dropbox desktop application showing that the files are up-to-date? Does your file have a green tick on it, or a blue icon?

If you have any further queries, feel free to message back.

[Tom-PA]

Hi Jay,

Thanks for replying.  Dropbox shows the file with a Modified date of 1/12/2023.  When I click on the file, the Error 415 message pops up.  The Version History shows two entries: 1/12/2023 with 0 bytes, and 12/12/2022 with 43.45 KB.   (Typo in my first post;  I said Dec 22, but it was actually Dec 12)

There are no ticks of any color on the file.

What does Error 415 mean? 

Why wasn't the file syncing in Dropbox after Dec 12?  As I said before, I edit this file nearly every day, and there have certainly been changes more recently than Dec 12. 

  Thanks, Tom 

[Jay]

Were you editing this file on the Dropbox site itself, or from another device, or were you only editing in the local Dropbox folder?

Do you recall the Dropbox icon on the file changing to show that it was syncing, and then later have a green tick?

[Tom-PA]

I always edit on the same device, a MacBook Pro computer.  I've downloaded the Dropbox app, so the file appears in the MacBook finder, under the Dropbox folder.  I open the file from the finder, do the editing, and save the file.  That's how I've always done the editing, and I assume that saving the file means that it would be saved in Dropbox.   

[Megan]

Hi @Tom-PA, when was the last time you checked for the file online, to make sure it was synced?

You used the correct steps, however it's possible that the app wasn't syncing for some reasons. In that case, when the app started syncing again, the changes might have synced from the web, to the app. 

It's rare, but it happens sometimes. What file type was the file? Have you tried checking with the app you used to edit it, in order to see if you can find any previous sign of the edits there?