How will update/overwrite behave when a file is being updated by multiple devices?

[petal]

Hi:

    According to guide, there are 3 options about write mode: add, overwrite and update. But I don't really understand the way every option will behave when there is a conflict.

    Considering the situation that one file in dropbox is being updated by multiple devices. If write mode is add, will every update be added to the end of the file, or dropbox create some other file like file(1), file(2), and add every update to different file? And how will overwrite and update behave in this situation?

    Thanks!

[Daphne]

Hello there @petal, I hope you're having a good day so far!

When a file is opened on multiple devices, or by multiple users, then a conflicted copy will be generated for each saved version.

You can check out some more info about this here.

Let me know if this helps clarify the matter!

[petal]

Thanks, according to the link you give, I see a conflicting copy. 

So whether I set write mode to add, overwrite or update has no influence about this. The conficting copy will be created anyway, and I should handle these conficting file my self. is that correct? 

[Daphne]

That's right @petal, this will occur for any circumstance when the file is opened, and being edited on, multiple devices.

You would indeed need to manually check and merge the two versions of the files too, if the app you're using to edit the files doesn't have a feature to assist with this.

[petal]

Thanks, according to my understanding, this is how dropbox handle this case. If I want to integrate dropbox into my own app by, for example, Java SDK for API v2. Is there any other way to handle this case? It seems that manully  check and merge confilcting files a little inconvenient

[Daphne]

I would suggest maybe posting this question in the dedicated API section, @petal.

This way it can get the attention of someone more experienced in this area.

Sorry that I can't be of much more help with this, but please let me know if you have any other questions!

[petal]

Thanks anyway!