Why do these com.dropbox.attributes files show up everywhere?

[Richard W.1]

These files are cluttering up my folders. There seems to be one for every real file that I have. I'd like to delete them.

What are they and where did they come from? And how can I stop them?

[Isa H.]

We may have an answer in this thread: https://www.dropboxforum.com/hc/communities/public/questions/201278969-Why-does-Dropbox-add-an-xattr...

Seems like one of the connected devices filesystem may be FAT32.

[Isa H.]

Allright after some investigation, it seems like I had malware on my computer that was copying my Dropbox folder to another device. I found this out by logging into my Dropbox account on the web, going to the security tab, and verifying the list of connected PCs and apps. I found one unrecognized computer called "GenGEE" and another unrecognized app from Wooji Juice.

I'm not 100% sure that this was the cause of the com.dropbox.attributes files, but it does seem plausible, if the malware was connecting my Dropbox account to a FAT32 filesystem.

[Giuseppe S.]

Malware is not the source of the problem. After other investigation I can confirm that windows 8.1 is the source of these files. Likely they encode the new "extended attributes" feature of windows 8.1... The problem is that they should be hidden and not propagated to OSX machines or included in the zip files generated while downloading folders from the Web interfaces. My feeling is that while they are useful (or even mandatory), the actual way in which DropBox handle them can be greatly improved...

[Richard W.1]

I don't think it is win8.1 My errors came from a win 7 machine. Basically dropbox is somehow not processing these files properly. This needs to be fixed. Syncing with google drive for example doesn't have these issues.

[Achak B.]

I 've also asked something similar of support and I have been given the response that it is my issue and that the systems I use are the cause of the issue.
( synced devices include: Windows8.1 with LaCie 5big TB hfs+ drive - using paragon hfs+ driver & Mac drive to mount the raid0 TB drive, win8.1 w. Ntfs drive, and a MacBook Pro w.hfs+)
My last email from support:
"As I mentioned previously, Dropbox does not create .xattr files. Your operating system does, and Dropbox can have difficulty syncing them. The solution to the problem requires making changes to your OS or software, not Dropbox. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Regards,"
It's kind of silly to say Dropbox has no play in the creation of the ".dropbox.attributes" files. Since this only happens In conjunction with the use of Dropbox. It Does make sense Dropbox is having issues dealing with the files.
I understood an extended attribute file would be created but my problem goes further.
After every 5-10min when syncing, there's a new attribute file of the previous attribute file is created. An infinite creation loop.
ie: For EXAMPLE:
FILEA.EXT
FILEA.EXT:com.dropbox.attributes:com.dropbox.attributes
FILEA.EXT:com.dropbox.attributes:com.dropbox.attributes:com.dropbox.attributes
FILEA.EXT:com.dropbox.attributes:com.dropbox.attributes:com.dropbox.attributes:com.dropbox.attributes
FILEA.EXT:com.dropbox.attributes:com.dropbox.attributes:com.dropbox.attributes:com.dropbox.attributes:com.dropbox.attributes
FILEA.EXT:com.dropbox.attributes:com.dropbox.attributes:com.dropbox.attributes:com.dropbox.attributes:com.dropbox.attributes:com.dropbox.attributes
That's over the hole drive every file. I figured it must have been a problem between the multiple software I used to get the LaCie thunderbolt working on my Windows install.
So I removed the Dropbox partition from the hfs+ volumes to sync between two windows 8.1 machines. Deleted the attribute files on both ends, pc and dropbox. Let it sit over night and the attribute files came back.
Can't have this I need it to sync between work. Since googledrive offers versioning on all files as well same as pricing, and wide support, I guess I' ll switch over to them and not renew my subscription with Dropbox. Hopefully they can get this worked out.

[Richard W.1]

A solution!! Make them hidden in OSX

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE

chflags hidden /Users/yourname/your folder/*.dropbox.attributes

[J. Tianrong]

chflags hidden /Users/yourname/your folder/*.dropbox.attributes

This only hides *.dropbox.attributes from one folder. Can anyone figure out a way of hiding all *.dropbox.attributes files in all folders?

[Richard W.1]

I tried using hazel to run a script - couldn't quite get it to work though. I don't know if there is a way to run chflags in a recursive manner.

[J. Tianrong]

Figured it out.

Code:
find /users -name "*.attributes" -exec chflags hidden {} \;

Just input that in terminal. com.dropbox.attribute Files will be hidden.

[Richard W.1]

I tried it - but for some reason one file didn't hide.