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Forum Discussion
Smart Sync and Quick Preview on Mac
Smart Sync causes my quick preview function (spacebar) to not function properly on my Mac. I can't preview thumbnails, or quick preview any videos or photos. Any ideas why this happens?
Likely because you're trying to preview a file that doesn't exist on your computer.
When you set a file to Online Only, the only thing that's left of that file on your computer is the necessary information to make it appear in the folder. Since there's no content in the file, your OS (nor any other program) is able to preview it.
Remember, when you set a file to Online Only, the file is removed from the computer leaving behind only a marker file. In order to access that file, whether it be to open and edit it or simply preview it, the file needs to be on the computer (Smart Sync doesn't allow you to open files directly from the Dropbox servers). When you open a file, it's synced back to your local drive and then opened as normal. When you're done with the file, if you want it to be online-only again, you need to mark it as such.
Jane
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox Staff
Well, here we are at the end of June. A whole year since this problem was originaly reported and it's still an issue. This is absolutely pathetic. If I didnt already have so much backed up on your servers I would be bailing out right now and going somewhere else.
1) Stop lying, this is not a "solved" issue. Unmark it as such. If you cant, then you should definitely develop that capability to prevent false advertising.
2) After enabling smart sync as part of your upgrade I immediatley lost ability to quick look at files. Additionally, my mac's backup jumped from a typical 1-1.5GB backup to a whopping 576GB backup. WTF!?
3) After numerous reboots, qlmanage-r terminal commands, uninstalls and anything else you could imagine I couldnt get quicklook back.
4) I finally was able to disable smart sync (which was a pain in the ass to find). After a reboot, quicklook is back. Thanks to absolutley no help from Bret, the support individual I spoke to on chat online. Through his bad english I could see he had zero comprehension on how my mac worked, so how am I supposed to get support from someone who has no idea how my computer runs to begin with? He also had no idea how to solve the issue and eventually, once he understood my issue, practically just said "just email us" WITH NO HELP WHATSOEVER.
You guys are pathetic. I'm sorry, but no bug should take a year to be resolved, and even then customer support shouldnt be clueless about the issue after it's been around for a whole year. So now my plan (which they just raised the price of) includes smart sync, which disables a more important feaure on my mac so I cant even use it. Awesome! I always loved paying for features I can't use!
- Jane
I find this answer from Jane, so annoying, "how you determined that this was attributed to Dropbox & what were the steps you followed along the way" it's been said here, again and again.
1. The Problem didn't exist before smart sync, once I activated the feature this issue started happening.
2. The Problem dissapeared once I disabled smart sync, have been using dropbox since then, just not the "smart sync" function.
There's a lot of "relevant information and details" in this thread 14 pages of details. The support interaction has had nothing of support about it. It's been you guys saying this is a problem with the OS, not caused by smart sync, not related to dropbox at all. We are annoyed and uncool about this situation because it has been handled poorly to say the least.
Jane Your response is insulting.
How have you NOT attributed this to dropbox yet? There are dozens of posts around the internet of people not having this issue until enabling smart sync. I made absolutley 0 changes to my system except enabling smart sync and then the probelm started. How in the world could you possibly push that off as anything else? And then it is furter confirmed after I disabled smart sync that the problem went away. Stop blaming something else and just accept the fact you guys screwed up, and have been screwing around on this issue for the past year. I've got degrees in computer engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science. I have a better understanding of how software and technology works probably better than most of your support team. So dont talk to me like I dont know what the hell I'm referring to or like I dont know how to troubleshoot and diagnose an issue.
I also have absolutely zero confidence in your colleague. He responded to me saying the same exact thing you said a year ago on this forum, "However for the time been I am afraid that you will need to make the files local to be able to preview". HE DOESNT UNDERSTAND MY ISSUE EVEN AFTER I CLEARLY EXPLAINED TO HIM THIS WAS ON EVERY FILE ON MY COMPUTER EVEN OUTSIDE OF DROPBOX! He also doesn't understand how a Mac system works since he had zero idea what I meant by quicklook and preview. I dont want him working my case anymore, move me to someone else who actually knows how a mac works.
