Selective sync issues

[James Kuzman]

Hello, everyone - 

I've done some housekeeping and have removed all of the local files and folders from the external USB drive I have been using for selective sync. I want to start a fresh sync with only a handful of folders containing around a dozen files, so I've checked those to sync. 

When I start the sync process, it says "Syncing 11,450 files" and commences to start syncing things I haven't selected. Meanwhile, it does not sync the ones I have checked. 

I've closed everything out, logged out and back in, rebooted the Mac, etc. 

Any idea what might be going on? 

UPDATE: Only the folders and files checked for selective sync are actually downloading. The rest of the folders are showing a cloud icon next to them, which I've learned means Smart Sync, which I don't want and have never used before. It looks like I'm getting it anyway. That's not ideal if you have folders that you don't want someone using your machine to see or access online. If it's supposed to work this way, it's a poorly implemented feature... unless I'm missing something? 

Jim

[Megan]

Hey @James Kuzman, happy Tuesday, I hope you're doing well! 

If you have any folders set-up for Smart Sync as online-only (grey, cloud icon), all you need to do is this: 

You can right click on the folder, select Smart sync, then Local.

Once the folder syncs locally, you can then apply the selective sync settings to it, and remove it from the device. 

Can you give this a go, and let me know the results? 

Cheers!

[James Kuzman]

Hey, Lori - Thanks for the quick reply!

I think you're onto something as Smart Sync does appear to be active, but I didn't deliberately enable it, I have I never used it before, and I don't see any way to turn it off. I must be missing something...?

Jim

 

[Megan]

Happy Wednesday @James Kuzman! 

Have you checked this Help Center article, that shows you how to make your files local?

[James Kuzman]

Hi Lori - 

I have, yes.

I guess what is confusing me is that when using selective sync in the past, all files and folders set to sync were downloaded as local copies by default.

In fact, the article you referenced says just this:  "If you’ve never turned on Smart Sync or set a file or folder to online-only, then all of the files and folders in the Dropbox folder on your computer are “local”. 

I have never turned on Smart Sync and I don't want to use that feature, but I'm at a loss as to where to turn it off. Where is that control? 

Meanwhile, upon a closer look at my sync preferences, I think I see the issue now: In the Smart Sync window, "Save hard drive space automatically" is turned Off because I don't want to use that feature. What I missed was the "new files default" setting which is set to "Onlne only." I wanted "Local." 

Jim