Files are not showing on Mac Finder

[reano]

I have been using Dropbox for many years now. Recently, some files are now showing up on Mac's Finder (I am using a Macbook Air M2 with Sonoma 14.2.1). Latest Dropbox desktop app version. 

Files are displayed normally on Dropbox website and also on my iPhone. On Mac they do not show up, but if I do a search on Mac, they appear, but then, if I choose "Show File on Enclosing Folder" on Mac, it shows up, but it is greyed out. If I try to rename it it says I can't because the file is hidden. 

I have already restarted the Dropbox app and the Mac. I have also uninstalled and reinstalled Dropbox app - same results after the reinstall. 

I am only still using Dropbbox on Mac due to being used to it, as I have plenty of space on my iCloud Drive - but if I cannot get it to work properly, this may be my final goodbye to Dropbox. It will be a pain in the butt to move all files but I am starting to be tired of trying to get this sorted. 

[Jay]

Hi @reano, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Could you attach a screenshot showing what you're experiencing?

This will help me to assist further!

[thunderboi]

I too am experiencing this issue. When I save files to dropbox from within an application, in this case Adobe Illustrator, the files are visible in the save/open dialogue. But when I visit this folder in the finder, the files are not visible. I could attach a screenshot but it would be hard to stage a scenario where it helped illustrate the problem.

[Nancy]

Hey @thunderboi. I understand it may be hard to show this via a couple of screenshots. However, it’d be helpful to have some visuals for sure. 

You can send over a screenshot of what you see when saving the files to your Dropbox account via Adobe (plus, the filepath they should be saved at), and then what you actually see in the Dropbox folder.

[reano]

Seems this was temporary. After a couple of days the files started appearing in Finder, that’s why I couldn’t replicate the issue and send the screenshots.

Anyway, it happened and I am sure I was not an isolated incident. I hope Dropbox figures this out and get it fixed.

[thunderboi]

Here are two screenshots of the same folder. The one with 6 items was navigated to through the finder. The one with 18 items was visible after opening a file from my recent documents in illustrator and saying "reveal in finder." I'm lucky my work is still in the recent documents.

I hope these images help you to understand what I'm trying to communicate.

[Nancy]

Thanks for the screenshots! Have you restarted your computer in the meantime? 

What’s the current syncing status of your Dropbox app, as well as its app version? 

Are you seeing all files on your web account?

[thunderboi]

I have restarted a couple times. The files are visible in my web account and sync status says everything is up to date.

Side quest: I used to have a bunch of contextual dropbox tools that would pop up if I right clicked on something in the finder, this no longer happens. Bug or feature?

[Nancy · Accepted solution]

Are you missing the Dropbox context menu options, when right clicking on a file within your local Dropbox folder?

Have you tried refreshing your Finder with these steps?

[kundrnik]

I'm not missing these Dropbox context menu options, but I am still only able to see results in Finder when I have Search: "This Mac" enabled. :white_heavy_check_mark:

Unfortunately, and frustratingly, when I want to search within my massive Dropbox folder and have Search: "Dropbox" selected, no matching search results within this directory (or any nested/children folders) appear — even when I know the file is there. 😡 :cross_mark:

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Dropbox didn't seriously remove the ability to search directly in Finder for files/folders that are stored in /Dropbox, did it?  (Imagine if Google Drive, Mail, Pages, Word, Excel, iCloud, and every other app required you to search that way after previously allowing to search all remote servers you subscribe to from Finder. Oh, I remember, Google Drive did this previously and lost tons of customers to Dropbox. Hopefully, consumers and business owners don't get tossed to the side from Dropbox this time.)

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Update: Search results in Finder is solved by following these instructions here in macOS Sonoma.

• NOTE: I just deleted and reinstalled Dropbox—not through the Advanced Reinstall—so when I reinstalled Dropbox, I opted not to upgrade to the File Provider version due to its known limitations,  so my Dropbox folder is in my Home folder on macOS.