Dropbox doesn't sync symbolic links anymore

[Baboo85]

Hi,

until this summer I was able to sync folders outside Dropbox using simbolic links.

I just tried again to sync a folder with this tricky method and it's not working. I tried to create simbolic link with normal and admin user rights, I tried to sync a folder in another disk partition, it just doesn't work anymore.

The "fun fact" is that the old symbolic links I created are working, but if I create a new one it shows a red X on it.

I know it's not a feature but a tricky method, but I read that Dropbox doesn't support simbolic link anymore.

Just....WHY. It was so useful, the only drawback was that the sync wasn't in real time with the great advantage of being able to save any folder you want without moving it into Dropbox.
In OneDrive I'm still able to use it (I use it even at work to backup (backup, not syncing, because it's not syncing in real time) my user folders), in Dropbox the old ones are working, but why not the new ones?
The command I use to create simbolic link is like this:
mklink /J "F:\Dropbox\TRANSFER\PC GAME\USERDATA_links\Pictures" "F:\USERDATA\Pictures"

Note that I could try with any folder, even in C: but it doesn't work anymore.

There is a method to make it working again?

[bluesplayer43]

Seems like Dropbox have removed the one most useful feature of DropBox; it is now 99% useless. Who the hell wants to reverse the symlinks. We all have file structures outside the dropbox maybe over multiple drives, which we have used for years, so are never going to change that. This is a crazy decision. Go back to the otiginal method ort I'm done with Dropbox !!

[enzozamorad]

Totally agree. It makes no sense and takes out a lot of value of the solution. Leaving Dropbox now, moving to Google Drive. 

[ganindu]

To put it mildly this is a deal breaking feature retraction (you call it side effect we call it feature). 

Dropbox have become useless for me thanks to this. Please work hard and re enable this. I wish you good luck with all my heart in doing so. 

[jwshrive]

Wow, I can't believe this has been removed. I use it for a large number of my files, only to find that (silently) this feature was taken away and that files I thought were backing up haven't been doing so for months! I'm lucky I caught this issue out.

I'm strongly considering moving to Google Drive as well. I spend far too much on Dropbox to have issues like this constantly popping up.

[Lieta]

Dropping myself out of dropbox until this is reverted.

[bluesplayer43]

Does nobody from Dropbox bother to read these ?????

I see no repsonse from them and no explanation of why the symbolic link featrure was removed.

I think I'm done with Dropbox. I've laready cancelled our business account and my personal account is probably going to go the same way. It's of little use anymore.

Can anybody recomend a good alternative .. ie. one that does not rely on one folder location or supports symbolic links?

[bluesplayer43]

I had a chat with DB support, seems they removed symlinks due to a large amount of users getting confused. They have no plans to restore this feature and suggested I add it as a feature request.  I've since deleted all my data as I said DB is of no use to me now. They have offered me a refund which  I have accepted. As soon as that goes through I will cancel my account.  I have switched to Sync.com where symbolic links work fine.

[bulgaria_mitko]

+1 to add that back!

[Harley C.1]

+1 need this functionality please. My use case is that I develop websites locally using my SSD drive - but use Dropbox on my HDD (with significantly slower read/write speeds). I use symbolic links to create a 'copy' of my dev files on the SSD that are then backed up via Dropbox.

We need to either be able to select custom folders to sync (outside of the main Dropbox folder) - or reintroduce symlink support. After being a loyal Dropbox user for 6+ years, I'm actively testing other solutions for this exact reason.

[support_symlinks11]

Cancelled my subscription! Dropbox is completely useless without support for symlinks! Used it with macOS, it still syncs hard links because they point to the same Unix inode. But APFS+ dosn't support folder hard links. Just make this option available for real users who need to work! And don't have a 2TB local folder full of cat images, this is absolutely ridiculous! I don't pay 100€ a year anymore for such a bad service. Will give you 0 stars and bad comments on every occasion I can find.