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Smart Sync and Quick Preview on Mac

Smart Sync causes my quick preview function (spacebar) to not function properly on my Mac. I can't preview thumbnails, or quick preview any videos or photos. Any ideas why this happens?

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Rich

Likely because you're trying to preview a file that doesn't exist on your computer.

When you set a file to Online Only, the only thing that's left of that file on your computer is the necessary information to make it appear in the folder. Since there's no content in the file, your OS (nor any other program) is able to preview it.

Remember, when you set a file to Online Only, the file is removed from the computer leaving behind only a marker file. In order to access that file, whether it be to open and edit it or simply preview it, the file needs to be on the computer (Smart Sync doesn't allow you to open files directly from the Dropbox servers). When you open a file, it's synced back to your local drive and then opened as normal. When you're done with the file, if you want it to be online-only again, you need to mark it as such.

All comments

DanKorkelia

Hi Jane,

Yes please keep up to date on this subject. Best Wishes

Dan

Jane

Hey there @DanKorkelia & @horat10, in order to further investigate what's happening, I’ve sent you a brief message on the email connected to your Forum profile. You may have a look at your inboxes at your earliest convenience if you’d like us to work on that together. Thanks in advance!

Ideal1

So, have you the solution for this problem, in my case is a big issue?
8/9 months to fix is not good tech support.
Can you help us?

Jane

Hey there (@Ideal1), rest assured that I’m here to help as much as possible. If it’s not too much trouble for you, can you elaborate a bit on what seems to be the issue on your end, in order to follow-up on the right thing?

To best address your concern, please include as much detail as possible on this discussion & I’ll do my best to follow-up with you. Thanks in advance!

Alvpeerz

I commented a while ago. I have updated my macbook from High Sierra to Mojave but nothing has changed. Relaunching the finder works for 10 seconds, then it goes back to not showing previews again. This is systemwide, I stop seeing previews of everything in my computer. And here we are.

I'd like to be contacted by support like Jen suggested.

Jane

Hey there ( @Alvpeerz ), following your request here, I’ve sent you a brief message on the email connected to your Forum profile. You may have a look at your inbox at your earliest convenience if you’d like us to work on that together. Thanks in advance & happy Friday!

Ideal1

Hi Jane,

Mac OS High Sierra. Relaunching the Finder works, for a little while, then back to not being able to preview neither what I have in my computer or what's online.

Is there a way to solve it?

Thank you

Jane

Thanks for pinging me back here & apologies for the slight delay in getting back in touch with you @Ideal1! I’ve created a ticket on our system on your behalf & you could have a look at your inbox for my message at your earliest convenience, in order to work on that a bit closer together. Thanks again for your cooperation!

Moonlet

So... Clearly this problem affects all (well, many) Mac users. You now know that it's nothing to do with version or OS and you kow it's not related to online-only files so... It's a bug.

Can you assure us you are working on a solution? I, like many, only too the pro option because of Smart Sync and clearly it ain't that Smart!

Jane

Hey there (@Moonlet), let me quickly re-phrase that the issue described here pertains to previews not loading while utilizing Quick Previews after the files have been set to Online-only ☁️ & converted back to Local :white_check_mark:. While I’ve tried to explore whether this scenario applies, I haven’t been able to gather the relevant feedback & findings, in order to submit this report to our specialized team. If you’ve gathered any relevant info, I could reach out to you via email directly, in order to investigate in a bit more depth together.

Please do let me know how you’d like to proceed in your next post & I’ll follow-up with you asap. Thanks again!

Moonlet

Hello Jane,

Yes of course. My email is [personal information removed by moderation for security reasons] (as written).

Now, as several others have quite clearly indicated in this thread the problem is this: once Smart Sync has been enabled, the Mac Quick Preview function, no longer works for either remote or local files in or out of the local Dropbox folder. Restarting the Finder (either through a terminal command or by 'Force Quit') will temporarily restore the function but if you should venture to preview a remote (cloud-only) Dropbox image file again, the functionallity will stop working.

Judging by the thread of comments, the problem seems to occur irrespective of Mac OS version or Dropbox version. Indeed, I have a 2011 Macbook running High Sierra and a 2013 Macbook Air running Mojave and the problem is the same.

PS. The ability to preview remote files is, I would suggest, an essential function, otherwise the benefit of remote file pointers under Smart Sync is questionable.

Jane

I appreciate your speedy reply @Moonlet! Please note that I’ve slightly modified your post, removing any personal info, as per our Community Guidelines.

That said, following your request here I’ve sent you a brief message on the email connected to your Forum profile (gathering all the details you've included on this conversation), so as to investigate the behavior you’ve described on this thread in a bit more depth.

Whenever you find some spare time, please check your inbox for my message & I’ll make sure to promptly follow-up with you asap. I hope that this is- even slightly- helpful to you & I’ll be awaiting your next reply on our email correspondence!

Ideal1

Any solution?

Moonlet

No solution and no acknowledgement that the problem exists – so far – but I'm in touch with Dropbox support by email so progress is being made which I gratefully acknowledge.

Dropbox we all expect so much more from you.

Here's how to recreate the problem:

Install Smart Sync on any Mac.
Quick View any remote (Online only) image file. You'll see a reduced thumbnail preview (which we love and is an essential part of the service!).
After 10 'Quick Views' of remote files the Quick View function will stop working for any file regardless of whether the file is remote or local or whether it is contained within the Dropbox folder at all.
Re-launch Finder using either Force-Quit or a Terminal kill command.
Quick View is restored unless you attempt step 2 again!

Thank you Dropbox.

PS. Please, please remove the 'solved' tag on this thread. It is most certainly not.

gleake

Any update here? I'm experiening the same problem descrobed by @Moonlet and many others on this forum.

Jane

Hey there (@gleake), while I don’t currently have a resolution on the issue described above, I’m gathering all relevant reports & I’m forwarding them to the relevant team for further evaluation & review.

As you mentioned that you’re currently facing this issue on your end, I’ve sent you a brief message on the email connected to your Forum profile (that’s because I’ll need to have direct access to your account specifics to further address this). You may have a look at your inbox at your earliest convenience if you’d like us to work on that together. Thanks in advance & I’ll be awaiting your next reply!

Amy P.5

Dropbox support is literally the worst. I have been a paid user for many years but recently decided to downgrade to the "basic" plan without selective sync because of this.

User4759

Same here, only I downgraded to not being a paid user. If we can't get support, then obviously they don't want us as customers. Now my Mac is running so much better and I'm just using an NAS and cloud backup for less than I was spending on Dropbox.

Jane

Hey there (@Amy P.5) & (@User4759), sorry to hear that your feeling this way & I appreciate the time you devoted in detailing us your thoughts. Since we’re always aiming to provide you the best support possible, I understand that you still need assistance & I’m here to drive this conversation to a productive outcome.

Following your comment here, I ran a search on my end, I’ve located your latest open request on our system & I can see that it’s already reached our specialists’ inbox, so you may expect a reply from them on that email chain soon. I’ve also included a copy of your comments there & I’ve increased your support priority internally, so you may expect a reply on the matter soon.

When it comes to your inquiry (@User4759), I reviewed our discussion back in July & I can see the last time I touch-based with you I was expecting an update on your end (i.e. I could see that I was also exploring your reports at that point, in order to understand where the issue lies). In any event, I’m reaching back out to you as I’m following this conversation closely & I’d like to echo my previous posts that I’m gathering all relevant reports for further review. Would it be okay if I sent you a brief message on the email address connected to your Forum profile, in order to investigate the behavior in a bit more depth?

Thanks to both for sticking with me & I’m looking forward to seeing your next updates or thoughts!

User4759

Yeah, you kept telling me that if I completely turned off SmartSync, the files wouldn't show locally and then we could test whether they loaded correctly or not. But when I tried turning it off, following your instructions to the letter, nothing changed. The files still showed locally even though they definitely weren't on my hard drive. At that point, it did what it always does - quick look worked for a few minutes, and then I had to reset it every 5-6 times I used it. Which meant quite a few times an hour when I'm working.

Either Dropbox doesn't know how its own product works on Mac, or they're just not interested in providing support. Either way, I don't have time for endless troubleshooting that I sensed was just going to end like every other conversation on this forum: blaming the Mac OS. So I removed Dropbox completely. Now I'm saving lots of money, my computer runs much better, and my workflow is much faster.

User4759

GuillemS

The same happens to me. It's very difficult to work like this, and Smart Sync loses a great part of its sense :-(

Jane

Hey there (@GuillemS), thanks for taking the time to reach out on the Dropbox Community with this feedback. Following your comment here, I ran a search on my end on our system & I’ve located your open support interaction with my colleague. I’ve included a note of your comments here on your ongoing correspondence, so as to have all relevant info on the same email chain; rest assured that you’re in safe hands Guillem.

I hope that this gets resolved soon for you however I remain at your entire disposal should you have any follow-up inquiries. Thanks again for your cooperation & for all the time you’re devoting to discuss this with our team!

GuillemS

Thank you, Jane.

Smart Sync would be useful if it worked properly.

However, while this issue remains unsolved, I would like to downgrade to Dropbox Plus, as I said to your colleague.

Jane

It would be worth noting that you’ll need to follow some advanced troubleshooting steps Guillem (@GuillemS), so my colleague will submit your inquiry to a team specialist after a certain point (where you’ll be able to ask on the current progress).

From there, as we can only look into payment-specific inquiries through our Official Support channel Guillem (i.e. we’ll need sensitive details that can’t be accessed on our Forum), I’ve made my colleague aware of your latest comments, so it would best for you to proceed with that from this channel. Thanks again for bearing with us!

icrosby

This is NOT solved. Even downloaded files don't preview when smart sync is on.

Jane

Hey (@icrosby), thanks for pinging me here; I’ve reached out to you through our Official Support channel on my end. Whenever you find some time, please check your inbox for my email if you’d like to work on that with me & I’ll make sure to promptly get back in touch with you asap!

carlykoerner

Ugh, same problem here. Without the use of quick look the whole point of smart snyc is lost - as I've taken to looking through my files online, to then go back and open the files smart synced on my hardrive. Will definitely be downgrading!

Jane

Hey there (@carlykoerner), as you've reported that you’re facing this issue on your end at the moment, would it be okay if I sent you a brief message on the email address connected to your Forum profile, in order to investigate the behavior you’ve described us here in a bit more depth together? Thanks in advance!

Andrewbond

I have the exact same problem! when will this be fixed, i don't want to pay for a product the promises me "smart sync" when it clearly isn't