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Forum Discussion

HVS's avatar
HVS
Helpful | Level 5
2 years ago

How to Sync (the same file) between the Dropbox App and the Desktop?

I wish to place on my desktop screen a copy or a "duplicate" file of an Excel file that exists within my Dropbox Folder and be able to edit it from there, as opposed to edit it within the Dropbox A...
Desktop
Folders
Sync
  • Rich's avatar
    Rich
    2 years ago
    HVS wrote:

    Yes, indeed, that's what I want: - I simply don't know how to do it...

    Do a Google search for "[your OS] how to create a Desktop shortcut" and replace [your OS] with Windows, macOS, Linux, etc., based on whatever operating system you're using.

Rich's avatar
Rich
Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II
2 years ago
HVS wrote:

I wish to place on my desktop screen a copy or a "duplicate" file of an Excel file that exists within my Dropbox Folder and be able to edit it from there, as opposed to edit it within the Dropbox App.

Dropbox doesn't sync with files located outside of your Dropbox folder. If you truly want a duplicate of the file and want it to sync back to the original, you'd need to look at a third-party tool (such as SyncToy) to handle the syncing, separate from Dropbox.

 

This will save me a lot of mouse clicks by opening and editing that Excel file with only one click from my desktop, whereas if I must go to my Dropbox folder, I must click on the File Manager (or open it from the taskbar link), click to open the folder, click to open the subfolder and finally click on the file!

If your goal is to reduce the time to open the file, why not just create a shortcut to the file on your Desktop. You don't need a separate copy of the file on your Desktop. A shortcut is just a pointer that when clicked, opens the original file in its original location.

  • HVS's avatar
    HVS
    Helpful | Level 5
    2 years ago

    Thank you Rich, for your information.

    You said that: "If your goal is to reduce the time to open the file, why not just create a shortcut to the file on your Desktop. You don't need a separate copy of the file on your Desktop. A shortcut is just a pointer that when clicked, opens the original file in its original location."

    Yes, indeed, that's what I want: - I simply don't know how to do it...can you please help me on that and give me a short instruction for it?

    With kind regards,

    Henrique Silva

    • Rich's avatar
      Rich
      Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II
      2 years ago
      HVS wrote:

      Yes, indeed, that's what I want: - I simply don't know how to do it...

      Do a Google search for "[your OS] how to create a Desktop shortcut" and replace [your OS] with Windows, macOS, Linux, etc., based on whatever operating system you're using.

      • HVS's avatar
        HVS
        Helpful | Level 5
        2 years ago

        Right. It worked, thank you!

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