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Add .dropboxignore directory to exclude folders without using selective sync

Add .dropboxignore directory to exclude folders without using selective sync

Tom_M
Helpful | Level 6

Please please please can you add a feature that allows folders to be excluded from the Dropbox account (on windows and mac). For sure I'm not the first person to request this, but I'm yet to find a good explanation of why it's not there. A quick google search reveals loads of people also looking for the same feature. I really like the workflow I have with dropbox, but it's getting to the point where I might switch providers in order to allow better selective sync.

I've seen hackish solutions using selective sync, but it would be great if this could be done in one of the following ways:
- global pattern matching eg "node_modules"
- a marker file in the directory like .dropboxignore
- a simple right click context menu "Ignore this folder"

Other than that, keep up the good work. Cheers.
Tom

Latest Update
Emma
Community Manager

Hi folks, 

 

Thanks for your feedback on this.
While ignored files delivers for some of the use cases here, I appreciate it does not for all. 
We'll be taking another review of this thread to isolate use cases for a .dropboxignore file feature in particular.

I've updated the status and we'll take this to the product team.
As a side note, it would be helpful for us if you could outline the gap between what ignored files offers, and what a .dropboxignore file feature would add to your workflows.

 

Thank you.

Status changed to: Investigating
982 Comments
Stefano Valicch1
New member | Level 2

Thank you for pointing at, Ray C, didn't notice that. They are not really competitive, aside from the initial free space. 

Jordan T.2
New member | Level 1

Well this latest blog post put the nail in Dropbox's coffin for me.

https://blogs.dropbox.com/tech/2016/05/going-deeper-with-project-infinite/

Read the comments at the bottom to see why this is such a bad idea.

Then read how to Drop Dropbox.

Adam P.12
New member | Level 1

I would also like to add, that some people may reject our request out of hand as they would say that it promotes an anti pattern for software developers, where you would use Dropbox instead of git, however we (or at least I) have never used Dropbox in place of git and instead use both of them together to compliment one another, where I use Dropbox syncing for myself only and git to mark meaningful changes and share those with others.

This allows me to switch between computers without delay (except for necessary large uploads, hence this thread) and have continuous, instant backups. This also enables me to avoid requiring a commit just to be able to carry my work over from one machine to another, which IMHO is in and of itself an anti pattern as it encourages premature commits.

Stefano Valicch1
New member | Level 2

… and you can sync config and other 'secret' files (like files containing API keys, passwords, etc) without committing them, which is very convenient (and secure) too. 

If Dropbox implements this feature it will become the natural complement to Git/SVN, making millions of developers very happy (and me too)

Jeremy B.
New member | Level 2

Does anyone have any good relationships with well-known tech journalists or bloggers? Maybe we could tweet at them, refer them here, and give them something to write about.

Taty G.
New member | Level 1

+1

Ben G.4
New member | Level 1

+1 

Daniel T.40
New member | Level 2

+1 

guys you must implement a .dropboxignore file (with a context-menu button that add a line to the .dropboxignore file for non-dev users)

that would be the perfect solution to everything.

Jared R.5
New member | Level 1

+1

Jan P.12
New member | Level 1

You know what's quite ironic? Wherever this post is stored - it's quite obvious in Dropbox' ignore folder.
Personally I have given up on this and probably so should you.