Child Item

Shared Folder Not Keeping Syncing

I have an issue with dropbox shared folders not syncing correctly. A friend has shared a folder with me to which I am an editor. Up till recently this has worked perfectly.

Recently I have realised that I have added new files to the shared folder and they are not showing on my friends computer and visa versa. They have correctly sync'd and I can see them on both my online dropbox account and on my PC in the correct shared folder but my friend cannot. The files online correctly display that they have 2 members however my friend cannot see them.

It's like the shared folders have become separated and are operating separately, sharing the same base files but nothing new.

Is there a way of fixing this situation, especially as, now that the files are not syncing correctly it will be difficult to work out where edits have taken place or files been added.

Thanks in advance.

Find more posts tagged with

Edit

Developer

Accepted answers

Jay

In that case, it sounds like your friend doesn't have a shared folder. 'Only me' means that it is a private folder, or shared with nobody.

Could you ask your friend to check how they joined the shared folder? Did they add the shared folder to their account or if it was a link to a shared folder, did they Save it to their Dropbox?

The latter is a one-way reaonly link to a folder, and would appear as a normal folder on their account.

Also, if you could, ask them if those folders have an icon with two people in them to show that it is shared?

Thanks in advance!

All comments

Jay

Hey Colin,

The first possibility is that the two of you have different subscriptions. Since you're able to add files and see them online, you might have purchased a Plus subscription. As your colleague cannot see any changes, they might not have upgraded to Plus. Quota is essentially the issue here, if they're overquota, they won't see any changes.

Another possibility is that their Dropbox desktop application isn't working as it should and thus isn't syncing. I'm not sure if their Dropbox account online is showing the changes to the folder, or if it is just the computer. If the issue is also related to the online account, then this point doesn't matter.

A third idea is that they removed themselves from the folder and instead have an old folder on their account which isn't shared, but with the same name.

To be certain of this though, you'd need to check with your colleague about the above, namely:

Are they above or below quota? Check here: https://www.dropbox.com/account/personal
Is the shared folder updating online?
Does the shared folder have the icon of two people on it when viewing it online?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

colinh

I've tracked it down further to my friends account having the issue. Both are Plus accounts. My account online shows any shared folders I've got or have shared out with the number of members. My friends account has the same folders but lists Only Me as the member, even the ones listed as being shared, including those shared in from others to them. This is all online so appears to not be the application at fault rather an issue with their dropbox or dropbox itself.

Jay

In that case, it sounds like your friend doesn't have a shared folder. 'Only me' means that it is a private folder, or shared with nobody.

Could you ask your friend to check how they joined the shared folder? Did they add the shared folder to their account or if it was a link to a shared folder, did they Save it to their Dropbox?

The latter is a one-way reaonly link to a folder, and would appear as a normal folder on their account.

Also, if you could, ask them if those folders have an icon with two people in them to show that it is shared?

Thanks in advance!

colinh

All folders were proper shares, some incoming and some outgoing. They've been working perfectly for around 3 years and then suddenly stopped working a couple of months a go. I'll get him to open a support case.

Thanks for your help

Colin

Jay

Thanks, you can get him to copy and paste the forum thread URL in his support ticket for us to see the history behind the case too.

metrodream

I have the same problem - just within the last few days syncing stopped out of the blue. Nothing was changed, same situation as the thread starter ColinH - just with the basic accounts...

metrodream

With some delay the files/folders are synced now - first time I noticed such a delay of more than 10 minutes...

BD9

I am having the same issue. Both are PLUS accounts. I have shared with my friend, but it doesnt appear to sync?

Jay

Hi @BD9, thanks for posting on the Community!

Could you confirm that you’re sharing folders with your friend? Do the files appear on the Dropbox site for both you and them on your own accounts?

Keep me posted!