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Forum Discussion
Android scratch folder disappeared
Hi, I have been using dropbox for a while to sync audiobooks between my pc & phone (S9+). After a phone restart today, the scratch folder & all files are missing. I tried redownloading the files & dro...
Hi PhantomRick, this is due to a recent change in the Android app, which you can see more details about here.
Tried that. I said that in my original post.
Jay
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox StaffHi PhantomRick, this is due to a recent change in the Android app, which you can see more details about here.
- Thank you for your reply Jay.
Since the update has hidden the downloaded files from outside the Dropbox app, this makes it unusable to me & I will be uninstalling. Having read your linked answer I struggle to understand what value Dropbox creates by denying access to my own files on Android outside of the app, when they're synced offline to my device. I only see inconvenience in this. You can also only export multiple files, not folders, and of course nothing is synced any longer. A step backwards for Dropbox IMHO. I now will have to manually manage the files I used to rely on dropbox to manage.
I am also not getting downloaded files into the scratch folder, it is missing.
They are downloaded to my android tab since I can access content with an editor which uses content addresses and I am offline, but where are they located.
Help.
Strange... 🧐 🤔 My local Dropbox files have never hidened and always reside on the same place:
I have verified this on Android 6, 9, and 10. The above is from my last phone running Android 10. 🤷 Dropbox version 214.2.6 (the last one at this post moment). All media files get accessible successfully. 😉 I'm successfully playing a song with VLC right now.
I'm having the same issue on my Note 9. This offline files folder randomly deletes for me after working for a few weeks. I've been through this cycle a few times, and sometimes it starts working again mysteriously. I would second the opinion that the feature is extremely limited bordering on useless without being able to have unrestricted file access to the offline files. It is still unclear to me whether the feature is supposed to work (i.e. should always be in the scratch directly) but buggy, or if Dropbox is intentionally clearing the scratch folder periodically even though I have offline files there.
Hi,
I had an important file in the scratch folder, which stopped syncing awhile ago, but didn't notice until recently.
Now, after latest Dropbox upgrade (226.2.2), I also can't access the file from Android FS...
So now I'm stuck with an old copy, missing some important data...
If I understand correctly, the file is hidden, not deleted? Is there any way to get access?
Hi cann0nball,
Yes, you are right. Unfortunately, Dropbox forcibly introduce their new "feature" without option to be turn off. The files/folders get hidden even before version 226.2.2. 🤷 Take a look here for more info (some option).
Good luck!
Hi @Здравко
Thanks for the response. Won't the file in the scratch folder get deleted if I uninstall Dropbox in order to install an older version?
The issue I have is that the file in scratch folder was newer (updated) than the one available in Dropbox.
It stopped syncing awhile ago, even though it was marked as offline , no idea why.
cann0nball wrote:
... Won't the file in the scratch folder get deleted if I uninstall Dropbox in order to install an older version?The issue I have is that the file in scratch folder was newer (updated) than the one available in Dropbox. ...
If you have updated your Dropbox application already to recent version, your "scratch" have gone wipe out already! I'm not sure what you mean "newer" here?! 🧐 If you have some new file version available, better make sure there is a copy on safe place. Generally the "scratch" is a buffer place and better don't rely to be in sync for any version, that's not guaranteed. The actual trouble here is place where this folder reside on for recent versions, nothing more (the new place gets visible only for the application for non rooted device). I'm not certain what's going on with the folder; on upgrade most probably just gets moved, but on application downgrade - folder residing on the hidden place just lefts there and the visible place gets filled as before (anew). If in mean time you have put something on the visible place... I have no idea because haven't tested. Just keep it on another safe place in your device by the way till downgrade process done. 😉 That's it.
Hope this clarifies matter.
