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Folders dragged into an "online-only" folder do not get made online only

Devices: HP Elite 8200 - Win 10 Pro

Dropbox Desktop App Version: 233.4.4398

Dropbox Acct: Paid, 3TB

We have four identical computers all with the Dropbox Desktop App signed into our account.

We have an "Archive" folder which is set to online only (because it is massive and we don't want all these files on our HDDs unless we need them). When we drag folders into the "Archive" folder, on any given computer, those folders do not "inherit" the attribute of the parent "Archive" folder - they remain available offline and stay on the HDD for that computer, but on the other three computers, they appear as an online-only folder (the behavior I would expect on all of the computers)

Note: that if I upload folder to the "Archive" folder using the web interface, then all the computers show those folders as online only.

Is there any way to have subfolders automatically inherit the attribute of the parent folder when that parent folder is only only?

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Rich

smartcooky wrote:
Are you saying this this is normal? That subfolders in an online-only folder do not inherit the attributes of the parent folder, and that each sub folder has to be manually set to online-only?

That's correct. On the computer where the you're dragging the subfolder, it will remain as Available, even when dragged into an Online-only folder, until you manually set it to Online-only. This is the intended behavior.

On the other computers where the subfolder will sync down, it will either be synced as Available offline or Online-only based on your default sync preference as set in Dropbox Preferences on that computer.

Walter wrote:
Also, what are your default sync settings in the app's preferences?

smartcooky wrote:
Default sync preference (online only)

Keep in mind that this setting only applies to files that are syncing down to the computer from other devices and your account online. It has no bearing on files added to the local Dropbox folder locally.

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Walter

Hi there @smartcooky - thanks for bringing this to our attention.

When you say you're dragging files/folders to an online-only folder, can you clarify if those files and/or folders are stored on your computer's hard drive or inside your Dropbox folder or account already?

If it's the former one, it's normal as they would need to be fully synced before they can be made online-only since it's the computer that's originally uploading them. Have you considered using selective sync perhaps?

That said, can you please try the latest stable version of the Dropbox desktop app from this page and let me know if you still notice the same behavior?

Also, what are your default sync settings in the app's preferences?

Keep us posted!

smartcooky

When you say you're dragging files/folders to an online-only folder, can you clarify if those files and/or folders are stored on your computer's hard drive or inside your Dropbox folder or account already?

They are subfolders of a "Current Work" folder on the HDD (not in any Dropbox folder, yet). The idea is that when all work on the files within each subfolder has been completed and signed off, the subfolder is dragged/moved into the Archives folder in Dropbox. As this Archives folder is set to "online only" all of its contents are also online only, but while the newly dragged in folders sync with Dropbox and are synced to all other linked accounts, where the folders are "online-only" (blue/white cloud icon), the folders on the computer that was used to move them remain "Available on this device" (shows the green tick). Each folder has to be made online manually (with four workstations each dragging the work folders on their HDDs Archives folder, his is a somewhat tedious process.

If it's the former one, it's normal as they would need to be fully synced before they can be made online-only since it's the computer that's originally uploading them.

Are you saying this this is normal? That subfolders in an online-only folder do not inherit the attributes of the parent folder, and that each sub folder has to be manually set to online-only?

Have you considered using selective sync perhaps?

No, that will disappear the "Archives" folder from the computer altogether, then users would have to access that folder using the web interface rather than the desktop app. Even more tedious.

That said, can you please try the latest stable version of the Dropbox desktop app from this page and let me know if you still notice the same behavior?

Dropbox updated to 234.4.5591 overnight.

No change

Also, what are your default sync settings in the app's preferences?

Selective sync (not used)

Dropbox folder updates (You are using Dropbox on Cloud files)

Save hard drive space automatically (OFF)

Default sync preference (online only)

Dropbox folder location (T:\Dropbox)

Flexible file names (ON)

Rich

smartcooky wrote:
Are you saying this this is normal? That subfolders in an online-only folder do not inherit the attributes of the parent folder, and that each sub folder has to be manually set to online-only?

Walter wrote:
Also, what are your default sync settings in the app's preferences?

smartcooky wrote:
Default sync preference (online only)