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Re: Some of my files show up as zero bytes

Some of my files show up as zero bytes

saguilar2012
Explorer | Level 3
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When I save file, the file will appear in my DropBox, but when I open it the file is completely blank or only kept an older version of the document. I realized some of these "saved" items are being saved as Zero bytes. I am not sure why this is happening. 

82 Replies 82

elainemorrison
Explorer | Level 3
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Hi @hannah

 

When I go to Dropbox in finder on my Mac it says zero bytes.  When I try to attach photos to email in Gmail it shows that they have zero bytes.

 

How do you tell the when using the online version of Dropbox what the bytes are?

 

I'm using Mac OS Monterey version 12.6

 

I'm not able to see what version of Dropbox I'm using.  The article you attached doesn't open when I click to see instructions on how to find it on Mac.

Hannah
Dropbox Staff
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Thanks for getting back to me, Elaine. 

 

I'm able to open the article on my end, can you try again and let me know what you see?

 

In any case, to see the version of Dropbox, you need to hover over the small Dropbox icon in your menu bar, at the top of your screen, by the WiFi icon.

 

Also, are the files in question currently set to 'online-only?

 

If you right/control click on them and switch them to 'available offline', do you see the same behavior?


Hannah
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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idontgetoutmuch
Explorer | Level 3
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@Jay that worked thanks - I don't think the permissions are right but this is good enough.

elainemorrison
Explorer | Level 3
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Hi @Hannah,

 

I'm using version 159.4.5870 of Dropbox and it says the latest version.

 

Can you please be more specific with instructions on where to find out if photos are available online or offline?  There's the icon up by the wifi, there's an icon underneath my search bar, and I can find photos in my Mac Finder.  It's all very confusing to me.  Where do I right-click to find this information?  Loom videos are a fantastic idea for explaining your platform if that's a possibility.

Walter
Dropbox Staff
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Hey @elainemorrison,  sorry to jump in, but I just wanted to mention that you should be able to tell your Dropbox files status, be it online only or available offline by their syncing icons

 

Hope this helps a tad. 


Walter
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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elainemorrison
Explorer | Level 3
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Hi @Walter I don't see those icons anywhere.  I find Dropbox to be terribly confusing.  Can you send me a screenshot or Loom video of how one locates these icons?

 

All I know is that I am unable to access my photos as it says zero bytes no matter how I try to access them.  It should not be this difficult and take this many messages for me to resolve this issue.

Walter
Dropbox Staff
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I'm afraid I don't have a  tutorial video to provide, but these icons should be visible on the files you've stored in your Dropbox folder on your computer while the desktop app is running and syncing normally @elainemorrison 

 

Apart from that, could you send us a screenshot of the exact error you're getting so that we can have a visual too?


Walter
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
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elainemorrison
Explorer | Level 3
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Hi @Walter the issue is when I search them in the Finder on my Mac or I try to attach images within GMail they show as zero bytes.  I then have to go to Dropbox and search and download the images in order to use them.  I can no longer just attach them.  This is a time waster.  My understanding is that this is all due to the most recent IOs update.  Dropbox hasn't fixed the bug on your end and from what I was told there's no intention to fix it.  I'm left inconvenienced and frustrated and want to move all my photos to Google and get rid of Dropbox. 

Walter
Dropbox Staff
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Can you maybe send us a screenshot of how and where the files is showing zero bytes @elainemorrison

 

Also, since you're using Gmail, have you considered using the Dropbox for Gmail add-on


Walter
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
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DUDLEYKCET
New member | Level 2
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My problem is a little different:  I archived files from Dropbox onto an external drive a couple of years ago.  The files were then deleted from Dropbox.  Now all those files on my external drive are zero bytes.  They were not zero bytes on my drive two years ago.

 

My fear/guess is that in spite of taking forever to archive, Dropbox never really archived the media at all but just made file-names that pointed to the Dropbox media.

 

Or does someone have another idea?  Yes, it's a disaster ...

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