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Can Dropbox back up Logic Pro Project Files?

I use Logic Pro to record my music projects on a Mac. I have an external drive connected to my Mac that I use as a primary backup for my music projects. I also have this external drive automatically backing up to Dropbox. I assumed it was backing up everything. I just noticed it is backing up everything in my folders other than the Logic Pro Project file. When I look at the backup on Dropbox, instead of seeing the ~600mb Logic Project file, I see three folders it created instead, with a some of the audio files from my project but not the entire file. In other words, what is backed up is totally different than what is on my external drive (which matches the original version on my hard drive).

Has anyone seen this? The main reason I starting using Dropbox for backup's is because Apple iCloud could not handle the Logic Pro Project files. I just assumed this was an Apple thing, but maybe its something else?

Thanks for your help.

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Hannah

Hey @dgp09610, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Are you currently using the Dropbox for macOS on File Provider version of the Dropbox app or the older one and what's your OS version?

Also, what's the app's current sync status and version?

You can see that by hovering over the Dropbox icon in your menu bar.

Let me know and we'll go from there!

dgp09610

Hannah,

Thanks for your response. I am running Mac OS Sonoma 14.6.1 - the latest version. I recently downloaded the Mac version of Dropbox which is attached to the Finder on my Mac. Its version number is 206.4.6506. Here is what I am seeing.

The first picture is the directory from my external hard drive (that I'm backing up to Dropbox). The second picture is the Dropbox backup. As you can see, instead of backing up the Logic project file, Dropbox creates a folder for each Logic project which contains three sub-folders. None of the sub-folders contain the Logic project file. Which makes the backup, unusable.

From Removable Drive.jpg

Screenshot 2024-09-04 at 10.57.12 AM.png

Hannah

Thanks for the update, @dgp09610, I see what you mean there.

The behavior you're talking about, is not really a problem, but it's due to the way those files are stored on your computer.

Container or package files like the Logic Pro files are actually wrappers that contain other file types inside of them including those necessary for the associated app to open them correctly.

Those files can only be opened correctly when you use the application that created them originally and the files inside of them haven't been modified manually.

Meaning, Dropbox will sync those files exactly as it receives them, and they are indeed synced, but it is not responsible for opening or editing them, that's why they look like folders online.

I hope this clarifies things!

dgp09610

Thanks again for your reply. I guess what I'm confused about.... Let's say I want to move the Dropbox backed up file (which is actually three folders now) back to my computers HD and try to open it with Logic Pro. Is that possible? What do I tell Logic Pro to open? Its looking for a single file.

Seems to me the backup files are useless. Maybe I'm missing something??

Thanks again....

Hannah

I'm not a Logic Pro user myself, to be honest, but opening the file locally should work the same way it works when you open it directly from your external hard drive.

It works correctly when you open it from there, right?

jccdp

Hi @dgp09610 ,

Did this work for you? I'm about to try this approach.

Thanks,

John