Moving a file is creating a copy in the original folder

Hello @Niccodemure - how are you today?

Just to make sure we're on the same page, could you clarify if you're working on the website or on your Dropbox Folder on your computer, thus utilizing the desktop app?

If the former one, do you notice the same behavior on other browsers, after clearing your browser's cache and/or an incognito window with no extensions or plugins running?

If the latter, can you send me a screenshot of the exact status of the app when performing those actions along with a brief description of its behavior while syncing those changes?

In addition, do those files happen to be inside a shared folder and may be in use when performing those actions? Can you grab a sample file from those and check its version history to see if it's coming back from another device of yours or another user?

Let me know what you find and we'll take it from there.

Niccodemure

Thank you for your reply,

With some diggin it seems as though we have a program or App running on one of our users computers that is locking down files. So when that computer tries to sync it cuses the file to be repopulated.
It will take some time but we will need to figure out which one.

Thanks

whiteboardmagic

Were you able to find a solution to this issue? We are experiencing the same thing and have been for about a month now. Thanks

I too am having the same issue. Please let me know if there is anything we can do to fix this.

I was told by customer service to quit Drop Box on my task bar because I use the Drop Box folders on my computer vs the website to see if the duplicates continue. Once I quit dropbox (which stops your syncing) the files did not continue to repopulate. This determines if it is a computer issue or a Dropbox issue. There has not been a solution just yet on this issue for me.

Hi @areynoso; sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

Could you please clarify if you're indeed moving those files or copying them for me?

Also, did you get the chance to check my other suggestions a few posts above yours in this very same thread?

Let me know what you find and we'll take it from there!

Thanks for responding Walter, I normally drag and drop but when I started to see that the files and folders would cause duplicates I decided to try cutting and pasting but with both strategies they caused the same issue unfortunately.

I did read your comment above and I addressed that I am using Dropbox on my computer via folders, and when these duplicates form the dropbox icon status on my task bar shows "Up to date".

You mentioned: Do files happen to be inside a shared folder and may be in use when performing those actions? (Yes they are in shared folders and could possibly be in use while performing these actions but RARE) Can you grab a sample file from those and check its version history to see if it's coming back from another device of yours or another user? (Anytime the duplicates appear I delete the files).

Duplicate file MarkExp.JPG This is what the version history shows of a file that was duplicated. I moved the file into a folder and it is saying that I deleted it and then my colleague Jon Bykerk "Edited" it at 10:28 am which is not the case but rather a duplicate appeared.

In this case, could you have your colleague Jon delete this file (and any other affected ones) from his computer too @areynoso?

Let me know how it goes!

Walter, yes he can delete these files as well but that isn't solving the issue necessarily.

I see @areynoso. Thanks for the speedy reply!

At this point, I'll need a visual of this happening so may I reach out to your Dropbox associated email to work on this together?

@Walter Yes you may.

I just sent you a brief email to work on this internally @areynoso!

Whenever you find some spare time, please take a look at your inbox so we can pick this up from there.

Niccodemure

To add to this.. We are still experiencing this issue as well. It is exactly as Aretnoso desribes it.
I find that it is repopulated from two different users and the only thing in common is that they run Apple laptops.

@Walter @Niccodemure Correct, my colleague Jon has an Apple computer and I am working with a PC ThinkPad.

@areynoso: I just replied to your email so please take a look at your inbox for my latest message.

@Niccodemure: Have you tried having those users move those files from their end (and machines)?

If you do perform those actions from their devices and still notice this, please let me know and I'll send you an email to your Dropbox associated email address to work on this together with all of our tools at my disposal and account specific information.

Thank you both for your cooperation so far!

@Walter I emailed you twice yesterday and once today. Please let me know that you received the information that was given.

Thank you for all your help so far!

Thanks for the nudge here @areynoso!

Truth be told, I replied to you yesterday and I also sent you another email just now (the same as you seem to not have received it). Could you check your inbox again?

Are you not getting my emails?

bnmitchell

Hi - Was there a solution on this? We are experiencing the same issues where we used to have none.

Thank you!

Sorry to hear about this @bnmitchell.

As I'd need to take a look at your account's and devices' logs to better help with this, would you like me to reach out to your Community's email address so we can look further into this?

In the meantime, have you checked the version history of an example file that's showing this behavior to see if they're being added back by a device you or a colleague of yours are using?

IanDavidCottam

Years ago I wrote a Bash shell script that runs on macOS called shadow. I don't use it anymore, but it has the functionality described in this thread. That is: it can be used by the owner of a share to stop people with edit permission from deleting or moving files (and possibly confusing others in the share who can no longer find such files). I think back when I wrote it everyone in a share got edit rights. So, on any users' Macs do a search for shadow. If it is run with the name unshadow, it stops the re-syncs. Of course, someone may just be running rsync in the raw to get a similar affect. Hope that helps.

assistant123

I am also experiencing this exact issue using Dropbox on my Windows desktop with shared files and it's driving me nuts! Has this been solved yet?

IanDavidCottam

I wonder if this issue could be caused by -- or a side effect of -- some users of the share using Smart Sync and some not?

I don't go anywhere near Smart Sync as it seems problematic on Macs, but I guess some people use it.

Daphne

Hey all, thanks for joining the discussion here!

Sometimes this can happen then the file is being accessed from another device, so Dropbox can't sync the deletion of the file and it ends up being synced back to the original location.

To see if something like this is happening, @assistant123 and @IanDavidCottam too if you also see this, would you mind checking the version history of the file added back in the original location?

Do you perhaps see the file added back by another member of the team and a device this was done from?

Let me know what you find and we can go from there - thanks!

MarkeyVAHK

Hello,

Has there been a solution to this? We are professional media house relying on dropbox to share files and work across countries and we are facing the same problem. It is causing much confusion.

Any answers?

Has there been a solution to this problem? I am experiencing the same issue.

Daphne

Hey peeps, apologies for the delayed reply here!

Would you both, @MarkeyVAHK and @JG2019, mind checking my previous post here and let me know what you find?

Let me know and we can go from there - thanks!

Yes, the version history says the files were added back by other members. But it is always a different member and that member was never using the file. It must be added back in the background. A failure to sync correctly perhaps?

Daphne -

I have a screenshot of the version history for a file that I deleted, then re-appeared again. This happened just a few seconds ago. Is there a way I can share this with you only. It contains sensitive information.

Daphne

Thanks for checking that @JG2019!

If the file is being added back to another member/device, then the deletion of the file can't be synced to that device.

This can either be because the file is open on the computer, or it's being accessed by a third-party app that is looking at the file (eg. antivirus, security programs etc).

In this case, you can try deleting the file from the device that it was added back from, or try deleting the file again after a short time period.

If you'd like to share the screenshot with me, you can open a ticket with Support here (attaching the screenshot) and let me know the ticket number here.

I hope this helps to clarify the matter - thanks!