Dropbox Update (Dropbox for macOS)

[bigfoot4]

cbarrick If Reunion switched from dropbox to iCloud, it might force a lot of users to buy up extra iCloud space. Currently I keep all multimedia items (a copy of pictures etc) in dropbox. Currently using over 13GB for free which most of time works ok, sometimes it gets slow, but I do not have high speed internet, I have satellite internet by Viasat. If Reunion files were in iCloud, I'd have to upgrade to iCloud+, 50GB: $0.99 + tax a month in USA.
I am skeptical that Apple iCloud is any better than dropbox unless someone has compared them.

[cbarrick]

No. Changing the location of your Reunion family file does not break anything.

However, your family file links to media files on your system and Reunion goes to great lengths to not lose track of these media files as they're moved around and renamed on your system. If you're only relocating your family file, there's nothing to be concerned about. If you're moving media items you might want to run a Multimedia Usage Report from time to time to make sure Reunion has not lost the locations of your media items.

The biggest problem we've been seeing with recent upgrades to Dropbox is family files being designated as "Online only."

As for iCloud - it's come a long way and we've certainly not ruled it out.

For what it's worth, I am only keeping my Dropbox account because of Reunion. And with that, using Dropbox is becoming more of a hassle for MacOS devices (although less so for iOS/iPadOS devices).

All the other apps I use that previously required Dropbox to store files have moved to either allowing or requiring iCloud for cloud storage. It would be great to see Reunion move away from Dropbox and to iCloud (especially since we are obviously all Mac users).

[Paul Reitz]

Gregg wrote:

No. Changing the location of your Reunion family file does not break anything.

However, your family file links to media files on your system and Reunion goes to great lengths to not lose track of these media files as they're moved around and renamed on your system.

Thanks for the clear answer. The multimedia files are staying put, but I'll do as you suggest since it's been a while. The toughest part is trying to determine what file has replaced ones shown as in the trash.

The biggest problem we've been seeing with recent upgrades to Dropbox is family files being designated as "Online only."/

I can only image how slow that must make things.

[Gregg]

...will the relocation of Dropbox break anything related to keeping Reunion files in it...

No. Changing the location of your Reunion family file does not break anything.

However, your family file links to media files on your system and Reunion goes to great lengths to not lose track of these media files as they're moved around and renamed on your system. If you're only relocating your family file, there's nothing to be concerned about. If you're moving media items you might want to run a Multimedia Usage Report from time to time to make sure Reunion has not lost the locations of your media items.

The biggest problem we've been seeing with recent upgrades to Dropbox is family files being designated as "Online only."

As for iCloud - it's come a long way and we've certainly not ruled it out.

[Bob White]

..........Bob - you said you wanted "to see if there are any grenades to worry about." What a wonderful way to express it!! .......

Actually, grenades is not the word I meant to use. I actually meant to say "land mines"!! But either one works to express the idea.

[Paul Reitz]

Gregg, will the relocation of Dropbox break anything related to keeping Reunion files in it?
I have several tens of GB of multimedia docs in iCloud storage, kept also on my computers for speed. It has been working well. Do Apple's OS reconfigurations prompt Leister to reconsider using iCloud for Reunion itself?

Bob - you said you wanted "to see if there are any grenades to worry about." What a wonderful way to express it!!
Search as I might trying to learn what Monterey would break, I couldn't find a thing! It seems virtually impossible to learn about the potential downsides of an update until just after you do it! Grenades... !

[SGilbert]

Ah Ha! That did it!

[Bob White]

See instructions on this screenshot. Likely that the box is unchecked.

ShowLibrary.png

[SGilbert]

Bob, I do not know who, or what, hid my Users Library, but without unhiding the invisible, it is gone. I am using a MBP with M1 Pro with OS 13.0.1. See below.

[Bob White]

Maybe my theory that the folder was created on the fly due to the Dropbox movement is on the money. Here's what I see without having done the Dropbox update.

CleanShot 2022-12-05 at 12.03.12@2x.png

[SGilbert]

Waiting is my mantra for now. Their instructions say the new location will be ~/Library/CloudStorage. I'm on Ventura 13.0.1. There is no folder by that name in either the user library nor the system library. I've had Cloud Storage checked on forever in Finder sidebars. Choosing it results in no action. It this folder something that is supposed to be there already or maybe the Dropbox migration will cause it to create?? (Assuming the no action because no folder with no contents!)

Bob,
I have no idea HOW it got there, and a quick look does not show 'Library' at all, but a search with EasyFind shows a CloudStorage folder with Dropbox inside.
The path is: /Users/steve/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox.

[Bob White]

Waiting is my mantra for now. Their instructions say the new location will be ~/Library/CloudStorage. I'm on Ventura 13.0.1. There is no folder by that name in either the user library nor the system library. I've had Cloud Storage checked on forever in Finder sidebars. Choosing it results in no action. It this folder something that is supposed to be there already or maybe the Dropbox migration will cause it to create?? (Assuming the no action because no folder with no contents!)

[SGilbert]

I upgraded several weeks ago, and, to the best of my knowledge, have no problems whatsoever.
FWIW, I keep an alias of the Dropbox folder on my desktop for easy access.

[Gregg]

My biggest concern with the new version of Dropbox is that it will relocate your Dropbox folder into a CloudStorage folder in your user Library folder.

If you've been storing your Reunion family file and/or media items in your Dropbox folder they will all be getting relocated.

None of this, as far as we've seen, is a problem for Reunion. However, it could be a problem for people who've gotten comfortable with their files in a certain location.

If you've designated an external hard drive as the location for your Dropbox folder, the Dropbox update will no longer allow that. This could be problematic for multimedia links - but I don't believe many people have been using an external drive for their Dropbox folder.

Apple hides the Library folder from users. The new Dropbox folder will be listed under "Locations" in the Finder windows.

Our advice would be to hold off on updating to the new version of Dropbox, unless there's something that you absolutely must have in the new version. This will give us time to work through any unexpected problems that people who have upgraded are experiencing and come up with solutions.

[Bob White]

I was hoping that Gregg or Frank might have some sage advice. I'm not updating Dropbox until I am reasonably sure that syncing will still work OK. My concern is that the relocation of the local file might throw the proverbial monkey wrench in the works.