Install/move Dropbox to MacOS location outside user profile path

[JeffK1]

Our company uses PC and Mac and I'm less familiar with the Mac side.  We use a program where we want to have a library of common files and it paths them from the root.  The program uses a template that I'd like to have a common path for Mac users instead of adding a list of a dozen users.  What is the best location to move Dropbox on Mac outside the Users path that doesn't have any permissions or other issues.  A side benefit is also that we won't have duplicate Dropbox locations for the couple of Macs that have two users sharing the computer so we save some drive space.

By default the program wants to look like this for each OS:

C:\Users\Jeff\CompanyName Shares Dropbox\Library

Macintosh HD\Users\Steve\CompanyName Shares Dropbox\Library

In this case we'd have to input a path for each employee.

And I've changed the Windows Dropbox install path to be this to get user Jeff out of the path:

C:\CompanyName Shares Dropbox\Library

For MacOS where can we install as a common location for all Mac users?

[Daphne]

Hey @JeffK1, thanks for reaching out to us here!

You can move the Dropbox folder directly under the hard drive like you did with the Windows computers.

If you want to keep the path consistent between the Windows and Mac devices, you can rename the "Macintosh HD" to the same as the Windows path (eg. "C").

I hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions!

[JeffK1]

Here is a screenshot of the actual program.  If I rename Macintosh HD to C would this actually allow the program to only have one line entry?  I'm thinking the start would still be two different things -

C\CompanyName Shares Dropbox\...  (Mac)

C:\CompanyName Shares Dropbox\...  (PC)

The difference being the colon.  Is this correct?

Or can a drive on the Mac be renamed 'C:' instead of just 'C'?

[Daphne]

Thanks for getting back to me here @JeffK1!

I've had a look on my side, and it seems that it's not possible to move the Dropbox folder location outside of the User profile on Mac devices. Apologies for the incorrect info!

I'm afraid I won't be able to suggest how to make the filepaths the same between the difference Operating Systems here, as it seems that it's not possible due to compatibility.

For making the filepath the same between Mac user profiles, I would suggest doing a web search to see if there are any possible methods you could use to make a common path as this would fall outside our scope of support.

Sorry that I couldn't help much further with this, but please don't hesitate to get back to me with any other questions.

Thanks!

[Здравко]

Hi @JeffK1,

Your question is in fact multiple different questions, which can have different answers of course.

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@JeffK1 wrote:

...  We use a program where we want to have a library of common files and it paths them from the root.  ...

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Here you should clarify to yourself, what exactly you mean "root"! That could be a project main folder. Another option is filesystem root. In the filesystem case that's very system dependent! In Windows there isn't universal system root (like, for example, on MAC, Linux or other systems), but every one partition used is a root byself! So what exactly you mean?

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@JeffK1 wrote:

...  What is the best location to move Dropbox on Mac outside the Users path that doesn't have any permissions or other issues. ...

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There is not any limitation. @Daphne is wrong here, you can create a folder on root and move your Dropbox folder there. Only requirement is - you be an admin user. When you try create such folder Finder will ask you for authentication.

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@JeffK1 wrote:

...  A side benefit is also that we won't have duplicate Dropbox locations for the couple of Macs that have two users sharing the computer so we save some drive space.

...

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Yes, in the above way, that could be achieved, BUT all users sharing the computer must use same Dropbox account. Otherwise, Dropbox will refuse using same folder and make a new copy! Another important thing (when same computer have to be shared with multiple Dropbox users of same account) is the system group, which all users participate in, be assigned right permissions (i.e. read and write) so every new file/folder there to be fully accessible to ever member (so no permission issues) - take care for users 'mask'!

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@JeffK1 wrote:
...

For MacOS where can we install as a common location for all Mac users?

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As explained above - Yes, with attention to noted conditions.

About interoperability Windows - Mac: only way is usage of folder root (no drive/partition), if possible in your case (some software aren't happy with relative paths and refuse using them). The problem comes from the different way Windows manages filesystems roots (seems Microsoft follow their own standards, ignoring everything else). That's it.

Hope this adds some clarity (at least).