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Forum Discussion
Why are new files marked as online-only with Smart Sync?
I like that Smart Sync will automatically push older files to online only. That makes sense and is indeed "smart."
What I don't understand is why new files are pushed to online only? That is th...
- That would be the Dropbox desktop application you're seeing there, since it shows the files that would be visible in Finder.
Any changes made on your local machine, adding or moving a file into the Dropbox folder, would make the file local. Editing a file in the Dropbox folder would keep the file local, until you mark it as online-only, or the app does it automatically after a few months.
New files added onto your account from another machine, or via the website, would appear as online-only on your computer.
Jay
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox StaffHi mediafp, thanks for posting on the Community!
Smart Sync allows files to remain online-only by default if they are added on the web or via another device.
You can change this setting using these steps in the Dropbox desktop application.
If you need any further assistance, please let me know!
Smart Sync allows files to remain online-only by default if they are added on the web or via another device.
You can change this setting using these steps in the Dropbox desktop application.
If you need any further assistance, please let me know!
Hi Jay,
Thanks for your response. I'm a Mac User. When I click on the desktop app, it opens a web browser window which I interpret as meaning Dropbox is forcing all interactions to the web. Or am I missing something?
Is a non-web event when I save a file using my Mac and place it into the Dropbox folder using the Finder window that appears during that save? So are you saying, that in that particular case, those files will NOT automatically be saved as online-only if I have SmartSync turned on to Auto? So if I used the Finder window on my Mac to move files into Dropbox, they will remain local. But if, for example, I save something on my iPad into Dropbox, that file will be online only, unless and until I try to access it on my Mac.
Am I understanding SmartSync correctly? Thanks for your help. I've read almost everything I can find about SmartSync and this clarification was never spelled out clearly. You might consider adding a note to explain the above a bit more clearly.
- JayThat would be the Dropbox desktop application you're seeing there, since it shows the files that would be visible in Finder.
Any changes made on your local machine, adding or moving a file into the Dropbox folder, would make the file local. Editing a file in the Dropbox folder would keep the file local, until you mark it as online-only, or the app does it automatically after a few months.
New files added onto your account from another machine, or via the website, would appear as online-only on your computer.Hi Jay,
"Editing a file in the Dropbox folder would keep the file local, until you mark it as online-only, or the app does it automatically after a few months."
Can you advise the actual time period that elapses before the system will automatically make unused files online-only? Is this configurable?
Many thanks,
Dan
- Jay
Hi DJ-Angelfish, this is mainly referring to the older version of Smart Sync, which no longer applies.
This article for sync icons on Windows should help further on the various states a file can be in.
