Smart sync - specific files still retained on local disk

[sgurdal]

Hi,

I have just downloaded Dropbox with Smart Sync Enabled but my files are taking all the hard disk space. 

In fact, I am not able to sync new ones because it looks like I'm out of Hard Disk space. I'm using Mac 10.14.6. Any recommendations on how to fix this?

[scottgreenwood]

Yes. Migrate to Google, MS OneDrive, or iCloud. There’s no fix, just a snipe hunt that Dropbox staff will send you on, as the previous 112 pages over several years will confirm.

[wollewat]

Too bad. I had bought Dropbox once because it was supposed to give me exactly this option. Now my hard drive is full and there seems to be no solution.

[Phill C.]

Two days ago I deleted this folder. I am on selective sync:

Y85L8Gj.png (536×500) (imgur.com)

The total size of my Dropbox files that are being synced is 30GB.

The old_files folder is 120GB. Four times the amount of the actual file size. I left it for two days to see if it'd automatically delete itself. It didn't.

Smart sync blows it out even more.

[Eadym]

Hi, I've recently activated Smart Sync and switched all my folders to 'Online Only' to save space on my Mac (Big Sur) hard drive. I am starting to regret this.

I'm a graphic designer. From what I've found, every time I need to work on a file, or email it to a client, I either need to download it first, or change it back to 'Local' from 'Online Only'. Over time this is going to add hundreds of extra clicks and micro-delays that will all add up. This seems to me to negate the point of Smart Sync in the first place: that I can quickly locate and open files from Finder, without them using up hard drive space. The 'placeholder' files don't seem to be much use to me.

Am I missing something? Does someone have some tips on how I can work more efficiently, because at the moment I'm sorely tempted to go back to 'Local' storage for quick, easy, useable files, and deal with the hard drive storage issues later.

Thanks

Matt

[Daphne]

Hey @Eadym, if you haven't already, please check out the info Emma provided here.

Give me a shout if you have any questions - thanks!

[Eadym]

Thanks Daphne. My main issue is that Smart Sync has made my workflow far more inefficient. I can't open/edit working files straight from Finder if something is 'Online Only'. 

I get this message:

Could not open “FILENAME.psd” because of a disk error.

Which means I have to log into my online account at Dropbox.com, find the correct folder/file, download it, then open the downloaded file so I can work on it. I'm seriously considering moving everything back to 'Local' and suffering the consequences of a full hard-drive.

[Daphne]

I see, thanks for getting back to me here @Eadym!

An online only file should sync locally automatically when you try and open it on your computer, so it seems there may be an issue with the files being recalled.

If you right click the file from your Finder, and choose "Smart Sync - Local", are you then able to open the file normally to work on it?

[Eadym]

If the file is changed to Local then I can open it and work on it as normal.

If the parent folder is set to Online Only, can subfolders and individual files be set to Local? Or will the parent folder setting override it?

Thanks

[holeshotphotos]

Eadym,

PSD files are huge as you know and the smart sync takes a while to “properly” download the file to open them. My guess is photoshop is opening the file before it’s fully downloaded.

Not saying this is a fix but I’d be curious to know if you right clicked on that file first. And said locally. And then opened it. If it would fix the issue.

Regardless. The workflow sucks as you mentioned.