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Forum Discussion
Mackeroy
4 years agoNew member | Level 2
Creating an alias or symlink to a file within Dropbox
Is there a way to create a symlink or alias for a file or folder that points to a file within another Dropbox folder? For instance, making a symlink or alias for a large video file that resides in o...
- 4 years agoHello Mackeroy, I hope you're well today!
Symlinks and aliases are not currently supported by Dropbox, but perhaps I could suggest a work around for this.
Since you can create a shortcut to a web link with these steps, perhaps you could use this feature to add a shared link to the file you want to access from another folder.
When you open a shared link to a file that you already have access to, and you're signed into your account online, it will simply point you to the file within your account.
Let me know if that would do the trick!
Daphne
4 years agoDropbox Staff
Hello Mackeroy, I hope you're well today!
Symlinks and aliases are not currently supported by Dropbox, but perhaps I could suggest a work around for this.
Since you can create a shortcut to a web link with these steps, perhaps you could use this feature to add a shared link to the file you want to access from another folder.
When you open a shared link to a file that you already have access to, and you're signed into your account online, it will simply point you to the file within your account.
Let me know if that would do the trick!
Symlinks and aliases are not currently supported by Dropbox, but perhaps I could suggest a work around for this.
Since you can create a shortcut to a web link with these steps, perhaps you could use this feature to add a shared link to the file you want to access from another folder.
When you open a shared link to a file that you already have access to, and you're signed into your account online, it will simply point you to the file within your account.
Let me know if that would do the trick!
- learlo4 years agoNew member | Level 2
Not good enough!
I've got two folders in DropBox and I want to access the same file/folder from both. From any OS, directly in the OS file system. If I need to use a web link, then what's the point in using Dropbox rather than any of the gazillion cloud storage providers?
- Mark4 years agoSuper User II
From Dropbox's point its around data integrity and safety - syncing only occurs on symlinks as and when the software restarts which means that it doesnt always have the most up to date files on all systems.
- learlo4 years agoNew member | Level 2
Sorry Mark but I can't see the link (pun!) with the question.
- rpfaffmann3 years agoHelpful | Level 5
Can you explain how an Alias is not supported on a Mac? And then why NOT? Its is critical to using drop box. If I have hundreds of folders, I need to be able create short cuts to my files! No one has said this to me after many tech support calls!
Dropbox Support Ticket #15688184: Dropbox Support and Apple case 101599952443. This VERY frustrating!
- rpfaffmann3 years agoHelpful | Level 5
Here is what the alias looks like greyed out on my desk top. The normal Mac OS alias has an arrow. These examples dont for some reason. They work fine except for they are "invisible"--I make them visible by shiftCommandperiod. If I create new ones or I just leave it this way they come right back. I think the Mac desktop folder has been affected by DropBox, because sometime actual files on the desktop will disappear too. I tested the theory with Apple tech support level 3 and had no problems with a new user account not connected to Drop Box.
- brains3 years agoExplorer | Level 4
The current help doc
Symlinks in Dropbox | Dropbox Help
says symlinks and aliases are supported. Are they or not?
- Rich3 years agoSuper User II
brains wrote:
The current help doc says symlinks and aliases are supported. Are they or not?
Yes, but they can no longer be used to have Dropbox sync files that are located outside of the Dropbox folder. Dropbox simply syncs the symlink; not the content at the other end.
- brains3 years agoExplorer | Level 4
Yes, that is what I was asking. That's pretty bad, as we cannot have our whole information architecture placed in the user/db folder.
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