I want to see all my folders, online or -off, in OSX Finder.

[Svante Loden]

I am moving into a new Mac. Installed the desktop app. I have always had a dropbox folder available in finder where I can easily see everything stored on my DB, and bveen able to right-click and choose which ones to have off line and on. Now it seems I can only achieve this by choosing EVERYTHING in my DB to be offline/visible in Finder, and then go through all of them and decide which ones should be offline. The problem is, this seems to overwhelm the app, while syncing my 1,1 TB of crap to my too small system drive. It doesn't seem to react when I try to jump in and choose "online only" for as many large folders as possible, the app is busy, doggedly syncing a lot of data I just want to keep organized and visible but not on my actual drive. There has to be a reasonable way to configure this from the start, right?

Thank You

[Megan]

Hi @Svante Loden, let's jump right into this! 

When you say that you can now achieve this when choosing everything in your Dropbox folder to be offline, are you referring to the start-up page when you first install the app, or later on once the app is finally installed to the device? 

Do you have issues with the app not syncing the changes when you choose "online only" for your files/folders? 

Can you clarify the app's current syncing status, along with the version you're using on your end?

Keep me posted, and we'll take it from there! 

[Svante Loden]

When you say that you can now achieve this when choosing everything in your Dropbox folder to be offline, are you referring to the start-up page when you first install the app, or later on once the app is finally installed to the device?

- No, after installing, I could only see the ones I had chosen during installation. I chose very few because my drive is smaller than what's on dropbox. Then I tried to add folders to the list of visible things - that's when syncing mayhem started. Right now, I have managed to first choose a few more folders (important ones) to be visible, then repeatedly right-clicking on them and choosing "online only"  - dropbox was busy syncing something like 44000 files and did not give any feedback when I did this,  so I left it over the night and now those folders look OK. It's just very impractical and weird. It would mean at least a day's work to do it this way.

Do you have issues with the app not syncing the changes when you choose "online only" for your files/folders?

Yes, they take forever to change status and there's no feedback - the app seems busy "syncing" stuff I do not want synced.

Can you clarify the app's current syncing status, along with the version you're using on your end?

It says "Your files are up to date" but that's only because I couldn't handle adding everything I need to have visible but online in one go. Or even five.

I would have expected a chance to make these choices during installation, with clear definitions and options for hidden, visible, online, and offline files/folders. Very confusing and impractical to me.

Version is v184.4.6543 on Silicon Mac OS Ventura 13.6

Thanks for helping!

S

[Hannah]

Hey @Svante Loden, thanks for the additional info and the feedback on this.

When you sync the folders, by updating the selective sync settings, do these folder sync to your computer as "available offline" or as "online-only"?

Also, you might need to change your bandwidth settings, for syncing to go faster; perhaps it's limited?

[Svante Loden]

I belive I am giving it all the bandwith that I have with no limits. It’s a 4g modem, so not monstrous, but covers most of my needs, even for larger video files.

No, when I chose what folders should be visible, it started syncing. There was no other option. Has something gone wrong during my installation or is it just redesigned in a way that doesn’t really work with my preferred way of using it? Will I find the options I need if I reinstall carefully?
Thank you

[Hannah]

Hey Svante!

The app should definitely start syncing, when you update the selective sync settings and you choose which folders to sync.

However, can you confirm that they're actually syncing as available offline? Meaning, when a folder finishes syncing, does it take up hard drive space?

You can test this with just one small folder, if you want.

[Svante Loden]

Thank you,
Yes, they start syncing immediately until they have a green check mark. Then I can theoretically make them online only.

[Megan]

Hi @Svante, thank you so much for all the info you've provided so far! 

Would you be able to send me a few screenshots of the process you follow on your end as a step-by-step, in order for me to have a visual too? 

I'd more than appreciate it!

[antho15]

Exactly the same issue here... 

Did you find the solution ?

Thanks,
A.

[Hannah]

Hey @antho15, sorry to see you're having trouble.

Can you please describe the issue you're facing on your end?

Also, which OS are you using and which Dropbox version?

You can see this info, by hovering over your Dropbox icon.

Please make sure to let us know the sync status of the app as well.