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Symphonitron's avatar
Symphonitron
Helpful | Level 5
8 years ago

How to stop dropbox from syncing temp files?

Is it possible to stop Dropbox from syncing temp files and cache files that various applications create in the same folder as the file I want to sync? An example is MS Access, which has an accdb file that I want synced, but when I open that file on my PC desktop it temporarily creates a laccdb scratch file of the same file size or larger, and Dropbox syncs it. This file should not be used by any other device, and always resides alongside the accdb file. It's really tasking my other computers to constantly sync stuff they should not sync.

 

I have used the Selective Sync to exclude specific folders that include junk files but this only solves part of the problem. I have noticed on one of my Mac desktops that kernal_task is running amok when Dropbox is desperately syncing various large cache files (not even sure where they are - but pretty sure related to PC work in folders that I want to sync) and probably re-indexing. I do not want to sync cache files, temp files, scratch files.

 

To put my question another way, how to exclude specific file types / file extensions so that Dropbox ignores them even in my included folders?

 

--Chris

  • Jane's avatar
    Jane
    8 years ago

    Hey Symphonitron

     

    Everything put inside the dropbox folder is automatically synced on the website. The only workaround that I could think of, so as to avoid syncing temp files, would be to modify your files offline and then put these back inside the Dropbox folder on your desktop. 

     

    Hope this helps you clarify! 

     

    Kind regards, 

    JaneA

  • Rich's avatar
    Rich
    Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II
    There is no method to exclude specific files.
      • Jane's avatar
        Jane
        Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

        Hey Symphonitron

         

        Everything put inside the dropbox folder is automatically synced on the website. The only workaround that I could think of, so as to avoid syncing temp files, would be to modify your files offline and then put these back inside the Dropbox folder on your desktop. 

         

        Hope this helps you clarify! 

         

        Kind regards, 

        JaneA

  • thebelt's avatar
    thebelt
    New member | Level 2

    The way I go around this is temporary pause syncing in the DropBox settings and set a reminder message in Windows for when I stop working on something.

     

    [This thread is now closed due to inactivity. If you have a similar or new question, you can ask here]

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