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Delay sync/check for deletion

Allow the user to specify a delay for Dropbox to identify a file for syncing, and check if the file has been deleted during the sync.

Some applications create temporary files/folders beyond the control of the user. If these files are held open by Dropbox when the application attempts to remove them, they are left behind. Of particular issue are applications that generate HTML output files. A temporary directory can be left behind that if deleted by the user, Windows will also delete the 'linked' html file. This causes endless headaches.

The delay should be user-adjustable with a default of 0.

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Accepted answers

Walter

Thanks for the clarification and the additional information as well @simpleaddress4390

We've passed your feedback on to the team and you can let us know if you have anything else to add.

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Nancy

Thanks for your idea, @simpleaddress4390!

In this case, pausing the Dropbox app’s syncing may work for you.

Can you please check out this Help Center article and let me know, if it helps?

Keep me updated.

simpleaddress4390

Hey @Nancy

Pausing sync is an option, but not a great one, in that users may forget to turn it back on (or forget to pause it to begin with).

The issue here is timing, not location, so selective syncing doesn't help either. Dropbox seems to be keeping these applications from successfully deleting the working files. I have confirmed this by turning off Dropbox, performing the process confirming it works as expected, then repeating with DropBox on. It holds the files open too long and the process leaves them behind.

Dropbox clearly builds a 'queue' of files to sync. If the system allowed a user to put a delay parameter in, then the system just doesn't process a queue item until the 'age' of the file is past the delay.

regards

Walter

Thanks for the clarification and the additional information as well @simpleaddress4390

We've passed your feedback on to the team and you can let us know if you have anything else to add.

michael scialpi

I'm in the same boat. I need to delay the sync for a few moments. The temp files drive me nuts because Aftereffects is not saving the file when the temp file is already synced via dropbox.

Simpleadress4390 suggestion would work for me too.

thank you coders.

regards,