Selective Sync is syncing files that are not selected.

[robbsalzmann]

I installed Dropbox on a laptop.  Dropbox is configured to Selective Sync, two fairly specific folders.  However it is downloading everything around that folder starting 2 folders up.  The sync should have downloaded the 12 files in the folders I selected, but instead it downloaded 6237 files!

What is happening is the sync is downloading everything under the Aviation folder.  Any files in the Aviation folder are there on my local dropbox folder now as well as all the files and folders in the folders pointed to by the red arrows.

What do I have to do to only sync the folders I selected? 

[robbsalzmann]

"Selective sync conflict"? is that a thing? Where is it documented?

If this were 2 or 3 folders I could see doing what you did. However, there are literally thousands of files being downloaded that are not selected in Selective Sync.

[Rich]

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robbsalzmann wrote:
"Selective sync conflict"? is that a thing? Where is it documented?

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Yes.

• https://www.dropbox.com/help/syncing-uploads/selective-sync-conflicts

[Jay · Accepted solution]

My query was just to see if they had the gray icon, that’s all.

Could you check if you’re running a beta version of the Dropbox desktop application. You can do this by hovering your mouse over the Dropbox icon in the system tray or menu bar.

It should say something like 41.4. If it says 42.3, then you’re running the beta. Please follow the next steps to downgrade to the stable build:


1. Visit https://www.dropbox.com/account
2. Scroll down to the section titled "Preferences" and uncheck the box next to "Early releases" if it is checked.

Then, use the following link to install the latest stable version of the Dropbox desktop application:

https://www.dropbox.com/download

Let us know how it goes!

[robbsalzmann]

Thanks for the clarification. I see the gray icon. I'm going to try the downgrade option to see if that helps.

[robbsalzmann]

Rich, Thanks for the link.  Reading up now....