Unable to open "Online-Only" files via Finder company-wide.

[nick_foojee]

Hi there. I offer IT support for a small law firm who recently started using Dropbox Business. Since we got everyone set up with their own accounts, all employees have been having the same issue. Any file that has they grey cloud icon (online-only) will not open with a double click via Finder. I am able to right click - Smart Sync - Local and once it downloads it opens normally. Opening the same online-only files via the Dropbox taskbar app works as intended. This issue persists after initial sync has completed.

Steps taken:

1. Signed in with client's account on my computer and was unable to replicate the issue. Files download and open normally from a double click.

2. Created a 0kb .txt document and uploaded to DB - this file opens as intended without downloading first. However, a 0kb .rtf document does not.

3. Attempted to right click - open with other applications with no luck - all applications have the same issue.

4. Created a new user on client's machine - issue persists.

5. Unlinked account and deleted all traces of DB from client's machine and reinstalled - issue persists.

This issue is present on all Macs in the company (around 12 - running various MacOS), but does not persist on my machine. I'm stumped. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Update: I have also tried closing all running applications and connecting to a mobile hotspot. Issues persist.

[Daphne]

Hi there @nick_foojee, I hope you're well today!

Just so that I can have a bit of a better understanding of the set ups, can you let me know which version of the desktop apps that are installed on the devices having this issue?

Also, when you click on the Dropbox icon in the menu bar, can you let me know if you see any errors shown in the window there? If so, please send over a screenshot of this (excluding any personal info).

Let me know and we can go from there - thanks!

[HC11]

Has there been a resolution to this issue?

I have the identical issue - that only started about 2 months ago. 

Smart Sync - online only - > I get an error that the file can't be opened when I try from Finder (any type of file from PDF, Microsoft Office suite, to images). If I go to the app, I can open it from that application.

The issue is, I need to be able to access the files from Finder but don't want the Local option. 

[Walter]

Hey there @HC11; thanks for joining the discussion and sorry to hear about this.

Could you try fixing your hardlinks and permissions through the app's preferences on the affected computer as outlined here, and let us know if it helped improve matters?

If you're still getting those errors afterwards, please send us a screenshot so that we can have a visual too.

Thanks so much!