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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
973 Comments
stefna99
New member | Level 2

I think I've figured it out. 

 

Allowing to globally ignore node_modules would save some space, therefore less paying customers.

 

In my case:

- I have an old MacBookAir from 2011

- moved to a new one

- disabled Dropbox

- now the old machine is much faster (monitoring more than a 1m files is likely to drain some resources) 

- Today new machine went to Apple and is being repaired

- back to old one and I cannot believe the highest voted feature hasn't been implemented yet

- worried that once I've reinstall Dropbox the overal performance will be sluggish

 

Is it really the case where you deliberately ignore genuine user needs to squeeze some extra profit?

 

In the meanwhile - reviewing my .git projects stored in Dropbox (extra layer of redundancy) seems like the most practical idea. Yak shaving hell yeah.

 

Sorry not sorry, please implement .dropboxignore

Vít P.
Explorer | Level 3

 3rd year anniversary :champagne:

 

... :disappointed_relieved:

ksloan
New member | Level 2

I'm going to cancel my Dropbox over this issue. 3 years is too long to ignore your users.

Sherwino
Helpful | Level 5

There are a few third party clients that utilize the Dropbox API maybe we could bring this feature request to them. I'm sure everybody would be willing to pay for an app that solves all their problems. 

...But then that makes me wonder why I would still be paying for Dropbox. :upside_down:

XA X.
New member | Level 2

+1

 

Please implement.

altivan
New member | Level 2

Dear dropbox.

Go **bleep**yourself for not implementing this feature when it's clrearly needed for thousands of clients.

Regards

- Everyone who needs this feature

Floris K.1
Explorer | Level 4

Yes, please make this possible! A per-client setting to choose whether the Selective Sync is opt-in (new folders synced by default) or opt-out (new folders not synced by default).

Arthur l.9
New member | Level 2

 

 

dropbox .ignore file:

 

 

/clients

clients

*.clients

 

Stop using dropbox today.

KyleWebDev
New member | Level 2

+1

 

Would really like this feature, kinda sad seeing a company like Dropbox not keeping up with these community requests.

buntonn
Explorer | Level 3

Time to unsubscribe from this thread, clearly dropbox have no intention on adding this feature, so I have no intention on upgrading to a paid plan, moving on =>

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