Selective Sync Changes when I add files

[stephang]

I have folders and files on a local network share.  I want to upload them to Dropbox so that a vendor can use them.

The first time I used this, I copied all the files from a network share to a local PC and set the PC folders to be Selective Sync - Online Only.  This worked perfectly.

Next, I set up a script to copy only changed files on the network share to the PC.  However, when they are copied to the PC, the Online Only feature goes away and then all files from the network share are physically copied to the PC, which runs out of storage space and crashes it.

So, is there a way to get the changed files to the PC and retain the Online Only feature?

[Здравко]

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@stephang wrote:

... and set the PC folders to be Selective Sync - Online Only.  ...  However, when they are copied to the PC, the Online Only feature goes away and then all files from the network share are physically copied to the PC, ...

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Hi @stephang,

Actually there isn't any way Selective Sync folders files to get back to your HD (Selective Sync is only applicable on folders not files, so files cannot be affected in any way - they are just not there). Even more - since the folder is NOT there (missing), you cannot copy any file into! 🙂

Most probably you are thinking (erroneous) for Smart Sync (smart in quotes) as Selective Sync (those are different things). Dropbox application is not very stable and, if your script tries to touch in some way file content, files are getting in sync back. That's your issue.

The only stable way you may use is an your own application/script that instead copy files from your net drive to local Dropbox folder, copy files directly in your account using Dropbox API (or suitable SDK). In such a way Dropbox application lefts unaffected. 😉

Hope this helps.