Mac osx - strange extra files appearing when downloading files directly.

[JefW]

Just had a strange issue with some files that I directly downloaded from our DB folders.
On the website, I went to one of my shared folders from another team member, and clicked on 2 files (illustrator) and one folder that contained several photoshop images.
I chose to direct download option and downloaded them to my desktop. They downloaded to the zip file, like usual. BUT... when I uncompressed the zip file, there was an ADDITIONAL folder named "__MACOSX" - when I opened that, there was a repeat of the same Illustrator files and the PSD folder, but the file names were changed (most had underscores in them). In addition, these files were very small in size (70 bytes for example, when they should have been 3.3MB - same thing for the PSD images they were all around 100kb or less, when they should have been several MB).
I asked my co-worker to repeat the process on his computer (different OS that what I'm using, but still on a mac) and he had the same thing happen.

Any idea's what's happening? Is this just a glitch?

I'm on an imac, running OS 10.11.6

[Walter]

Thanks for the additional information and sorry to hear this persists Jef.

At this point, as I'll need account specific information to help troubleshoot this issue, may I reach out to your Dropbox associated email address so we can have a further look into this matter?

In addition, have you checked if your device is showing 'hidden files'? If that's the case here, to avoid seeing hidden files:

1. Open the Terminal app and click Applications, Utilities, and then Terminal
2. Copy and paste the following line into the Terminal app, and then press Enter:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles NO

In any case, I'll be waiting for your response so we investigate further!

[JefW]

Thanks again Walter. No my system is not set up to view 'hidden files'. This issue is only with the downloaded zip files from dropbox. (yes, I've also tried other zipped files and they work fine).
While I appreciate your time, I'm afraid my work has just gotten crazy and I no longer have the time to put into troubleshooting this issue on my system.
I would encourage you that if you know someone with a mac (surely someone on your team must also have a mac?) to have them check if this issue is just specific to myself and my co-worker or if this is happening to all mac users? 
I'd be really interested to know the answer to that.
Thanks
J

[lisahinson14]

I tried this solution and still get the weird _MACOSX folder and funny files.

This only started happening 2 days ago out of the blue.

[JefW]

Thanks @lisahinson14 for the reply. While I'm sorry it's happening with your system too, I am glad to know it's not just myself and my coworker. 

[lisahinson14]

Would sure like a solution though 8/

[Daphne]

Hey there peeps!

I just wanted to ask and clarify if the folder/file that you’re trying to download from the web is currently compressed (and shows as an archive file) within the Dropbox folder on your desktop? As in, was the folder compressed on a Mac system and then uploaded to Dropbox?

Let me know - Thanks!

[JefW]

Hi Daphne, 
Negative. I tried 2 options - one was a regular folder with multiple files (photoshop) files in it, and then 1 single file (Illustrator). The second several tries I just selected one Illus file and one text file.
Thanks

[lisahinson14]

When this happened to me.  I'm just downloading a regular folder like I've done a million times before. 

These are my steps.

1.  create a new folder within a folder that I share with someone else (so they also share this new folder I created)

2.  Upload 250 NEF files to the folder.

3.  The person that shares the folder with me creates a new folder within the folder holding all my NEF files. 

4.  I tick the box to indicate I want to download the files in the new folder and when they get to my mac / download folder they are zipped (all of this is normal so far).  I double click on the zipped file and they show up in a folder.

5.  this new folder has 2 folders inside of it.  One with the same name as the folder created when I clicked on the zipped file and one that is _MACOSX with a bunch of odd files inside.

Does that help?

[lisahinson14]

I have one other bit of information - an anomoly and a thought about the cause of this.

1.  I have a paid dropbox account and the person I share with recently upgraded to a Professional account - this happened right around the time of the weirdness.

2.  I rename a shared folder that is placed in my account which then causes the original folder put in by the person with the Professional account to show it is 'deleted.'  The renamed folder is still showing.

Is this caused when 2 people have different versions of Dropbox - i.e. profession vs. regular?

HERE IS THE HIERARCHY of the folders:

FOLDER AT THE ROOT WHICH WE SHARE
I fill will NEF FILES

PERSON with PROF. VERSION INSERTS A FOLDER OF MERGED FILES NAMING "X"

I RENAME FOLDER "X" to be X xyz and download to my computer

THE WEIRD FOLDER APPEARS ON MY SYSTEM ALONG WITH THE DOWNLOADED FOLDER.

[Walter]

I'm not sure how these facts could be related to be honest @lisahinson14.

Would it be OK if I reached out via the email address that's associated with your Community's profile so we can investigate further?