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Why do my tags disappear when I set my files to online only?

Why do my tags disappear when I set my files to online only?

raziel79
Helpful | Level 6
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Dear, 

i have installed dropbox app on 2 macs, i have sync my box and i have used colored native tags system on first mac to tag some files with custom tags. It was correctly replicated on second mac. So i switch all my files in "only online" mode and i lost all my tags. If i restore "local mode" it appear. Why? can i use my tags also with "online mode" and share with all dropbox installations?

 

Best

 

25 Replies 25

Walter
Dropbox Staff
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Thanks for providing your extensive feedback on this people - I'll make sure to pass your comments on to our dev team for their consideration.

In the meantime, I checked on this internally and here's what I found about this:

When we remove a file and create a placeholder that’s not a real file, so the metadata isn’t part of it anymore. 

Syncing Mac Os's custom tags is not an expected behaviour at this time so if any of you guys has seen this previously it's an exception rather than the rule. The tag is stored in the metadata of the file, which isn’t present once evicted.   

I know this isn't the answer you were looking for, yet, I hope it helps clarify things a tad further. 


Walter
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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Nick_zz
Helpful | Level 6
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Here is another version of the same issue. Most of my (Dropboxed) files are online-only. I noticed that when I edit the name of a file in Finder, the tags sometimes disappear. This can get pretty annoying since I selected a group of files with that tag in Finder. So I edit the file name, press enter, and the file disappears from Finder because its tags are lost. It sounds like this has to do with the discrepancy between online-only and locally synced files. 

Walter
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution

Although it seems that these two are connected, the problem you described sounds like an issue with your Finder not refreshing the window correctly to reflect the changes made by an application within your Dropbox folder @Nick_zz.

To resolve this issue, could you try relaunching Finder by using the following steps?

1. Save any files that you have open and close any applications
2. Click on the Apple icon in the top left of your screen
3. Click on "force quit"
4. Relaunch the Finder.

You should now be able to navigate to this folder and see that the folder has been refreshed to its current state. 

If the issue persists, please send a screenshot of what you are seeing in the window with the issue so I can have a better look. 

Thanks in advance and happy Monday!


Walter
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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Nick_zz
Helpful | Level 6
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Thank you for the quick response. I actually did relaunch Finder and the problem persists. 

I can also confirm that the issue occurs only with online-only files that have not been downloaded (I assume that is the meaning of the cloud vs. green checkmark icons). 

If I edit the name of a file that has a tag and a cloud icon, once I hit enter after the name change, Dropbox quickly updates and the macos tag disappears. If I relaunch Finder, I see the same thing (the macos tag is gone).

However, the same sequence of actions leaves the macos tag intact on a file with a green checkmark icon. So there. 

I generated a sequence of screenshots but i'd rather not post them here for the world to see my desktop. Is there a way to upload / email them ? 

 

Walter
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution

Of course there is Nick. Just submit a ticket through the following page:

https://www.dropbox.com/support

Feel free to include any information you think might help our investigation too!

PS: If you'd like me to reach out to your Dropbox associated email from my end instead, please let me know. 


Walter
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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Elizabeth20
New member | Level 2
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Dropbox is designed to sync the tagging metadata by default and you can either save a local copy to tag instead of the dropbox copy or not tag to avoid that sync. This feature works well for those backing up folders and files on Dropbox. 

Syncing tags should be an option a user can turn on or off. We use Dropbox for backing up folders and files and collaborating with everyone in our company. By the tagging metadeta being a default feature, we cannot personalize tagging on our own computers without it syncing with everyone elses.

F Stuart L.
Helpful | Level 6
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This *must* be fixed. Since there is no "master copy" in DropBox, it is quite possible for tags and file comments to be completely sync'ed out of existence.  This has actually happened to me - and I was forced to save local, unsync'ed copies of certain folders in order to preserve metadata.

 

As a workaround, I have since moved these folders to Eagle Filer databases, because this app has a very robust and resilient metadata management system.  C-Command's documentation even mentions that this functionality is necessary to combat the tendency of cloud sync'ing systems like DropBox to destroy metadata. 

thomashermant
New member | Level 2
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Hi I've a problem concerning tags to.

 

- My original has the tag.

- I activate the sync of the folder

- The 'online-only' version loose the tag

- When I open the file, to get the original, the tag is back

What I don't know is when the file is resync again the 'online-ony' version loose the tag or not ?

Is there already a solution or a trick for now ?

 

Best regards,

Thanks in advance,

NobleSoul27
Helpful | Level 6
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What is the status of fixing this? Because clearly, it is "broken" for having never been implemented.

 

A previous example about the possibility of tags being synched out of existence is something I had not considered, and extremely alarming. The lack of this feature is not acceptable. So what progress has been made in nearly two years???????????

 

I use macOS tags for productivity, keeping a search window open for certain tags and working my way through files by tagging and de-tagging them. I thought DropBox would be a great solution to my could usage, but instead, there are thousands of offline files whose tags do not populate in my tag-search windows.

 

This is a failure on DropBox's end. I may actually revert to iCloud.

 

So again, what progress has been made?

F Stuart L.
Helpful | Level 6
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My solution to the problem was to move all my tagged files into DevonThink Pro. I tried several other file/document managers, but DevonThink proved to be vastly superior in almost every respect. It has turned out to be a real blessing, because DevonThink has so many other useful features - especially the search tools, which are miles ahead of Spotlight.

DevonThink syncs across DropBox (and now iCloud), so my metadata is accessible everywhere. I really love it. I have no relationship to the company or anyone associated with the company — just relating my experience, one frustrated DropBox user to another.
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