Synch of Apple Mac "Package" files

[davesomers]

I'm considering having Dropbox hold my iPhoto library, which is a 200GB "package" containing thousands of files.  

When I add a few photos, the "package" changes, but really it's just 100MB of new files being added and a few small index files changing.

After the initial upload (which will take days and use up my ISP data limit for the month), will Dropbox be able to sync the smaller deltas within?  Or will it be syncing the whole 200GB each time I edit a photo?

[Jay]

Hi Dave, we don’t recommend moving your iPhoto library into your Dropbox folder.

This is because each photo in your library will create a symlink, and will degrade the performance of the Dropbox desktop application, so it uses more RAM/CPU, and could result in endless syncing, even deleted files.

We’ve had experiences with other users doing the same thing, and the only solution to stop this behavior was to move the iPhoto library out of the folder again.

To answer your question, it would always sync the changes, since the package itself makes minor changes, the delta sync would take place.

I hope this helps clarify matters!

[davesomers]

I still don't understand what Dropbox would detect as the delta.  Is it the whole package, or the files within it that changed?

Thanks for your recommendation for iPhoto - I will implement a hardware solution instead.

But for other package types ... 

[Jay]

Technically, a package file can be seen as a container for a folder containing more files and subfolders. If you view an iPhoto library package file on a Windows machine, you don’t see the file, but a folder with all the files inside it.

Therefore, amending the ‘package’ file on the Mac, by adding an image or two via iPhoto, would add the files in the container (namely, adding them to the internal file structure). It would look like a delta sync to you however.

Even .numbers, .keynote and .pages files can be package files, so the same thing applies to them. You would see it as a delta sync, since there’s only ‘one’ file to sync. For the Dropbox site, it would be adding new data to the internal structure, thus only performing a normal sync of those files.

Hope this sheds some light on the process!

[davesomers]

Sorry Jay, I know you're trying, but I'm just not getting it.

Will Dropbox copy the whole big package?  or just the little parts inside it that changed?

[Jay · Accepted solution]

Only the little parts in the package will be changed, just like a delta sync.

[davesomers]

thank you, that's what I was trying to understand.

Dave