Dropbox update: Logic and FCPX projects may not sync on macos 12

[dundergufs]

Headsup: The Dropbox service is now transitioning to Apple native, and this shift introduces changes:

https://help.dropbox.com/installs/macos-support-for-expected-changes

One of the issues for macOS 12 (but not macOS 13): 

* Certain files, such as .fcpxml (Final Cut Pro) and .logicx (Logic Pro), may not sync. 

I'm on macOS 12, but my Dropbox isn't updated yet so don't have any practical experience yet.

Been using Dropbox for decades (!) with zero problems and great benefits, including syncing all projects and sound libraries. (My syncing is for backup, backup versioning and duplicate my work on multiple systems.)

Up until now Dropbox has technically and practically been perfect for me, and a much better service than iCloud, but now....  Not enthusiastic about these changes, though it might turn out unproblematic in the end. Many other cloud storage services also introduce similar restricitions. There are more practical details  and experiences in this Hacker News thread and here's a Macrumours article on the change.)

 

[linusminus]

I had no clue, thank you! What makes me most scared is that it'll change location. That would break a lot of projects I'm working on as I keep my sample library in the Dropbox folder 😔

[dundergufs]

Same here, got tons of stuff in there with dependencies.

Apparently when the update happens, it will create a symbolic link ~Dropbox at the previous (your current) location of Dropbox, so theoretically everything depending on files being located in ~Dropbox/YourFolderStructure should practically work as before. If it doesn't create this symlink, you can create that link yourself. 

But I don't know, I also really don't like these changes 😒 In particular I don't like this update being forced on me automatically, AFAIK there is no way to turn off Dropbox autoupdating itself and at the same time keep using Dropbox as normal. I would very much like to do this update manually, when I have time to be conscious about it and verify that everything works. At best I'd wait until I have to migrate to macOS 13.

Though, it *might* be fine, who knows. I'll update here when it happens to me, at the moment it hasn't updated for me yet. 

 

[linusminus]

Phew, that's a relief. Otherwise, I guess worst case you'd simply create a new folder called Dropbox in the same location with your samples 😅

Yes, the automatic updates have always struck me as odd. I'm also on macOS 12 like you because I work on a bunch of important projects and I need everything to work as expected. Maybe updating to 13 is fine now—not sure!

[Simac73]

Guys, can I ask where you ended up with this please?

I am also a vefy long term Dropbox user and have everything in there.  And I just recently ran into problems on my 2 iMacs (though interestingly not Macbook Pro) with all my Logic project files "disappearing".  I say "disappearing" because they are still visible on my Macbook Pro.  Where did you get to with it?...

PS. apologies this was seemingly after updating to Ventura recently...

[linusminus]

No issues on my end!

[dundergufs]

Same here, I'm still using Dropbox with zero problems, syncing projects and assets all the time on multiple systems. I'm on macOS 12.6, Dropbox is version 181.4.5678. 

However worth to note, they have NOT transitioned me automatically to the new "Dropbox for macos on File Provider", this has not been enforced on me on any system (yet!). I got a notification some time ago that asked me if I wanted to shift; "you are eligible for the updated Dropbox" (sneaky wording trying to make me do it, they clearly want you to). But they left the decision up to me, and kept "old" Dropbox regularly updated separate from this The same actually happened on a brand new system running 13.5, there too I was given the choice and declined. So also my macOS 13 system is still using vintage Dropbox. 

I guess at some point I'll HAVE to transition to that file-provider-version, but at that moment in time - probably when I get a new mac and then being forced onto a new macOS which might not run vintage Dropbox or something else critical for me - then I'll revise the situation then, at that crossroad. (My expectation is that by the time I will be forced to do this upgrade, all bugs and problems with file provider will have been solved and/or sensible alternatives has appeared.)

This is only my experience, others might have different. I have no experience with projects disappearing, sorry to hear that. You might be able to figure out what happened by visiting the folder on Dropbox and see the history. 

 

[Simac73]

Thanks both and especially for all that detail Dunder (do you go by Dunder or full Dundergufs? 🤔)

That is really interesting, and you've reminded me that I previously had this on my radar and consciously stayed a version or 2 behind with things, but at some point it has either been forced on me or I absent-mindedly acquiesced to one of their annoying pop-ups.  And now I'm stuck with it.  However, I think I've found a workaround.  This is only affecting my 2 more powerful (and older - 2015) machines.  They are high spec. so still have a few years left in them but for this Dropbox problem.  I also have a Macbook Pro which is only a few years old and running Ventura (crucially - I realise now that I misspoke when I said that the 2 iMacs were running Ventura in my earlier post - they are too old and are on Monterey).  Since my Macbook Pro does not have the Dropbox problem, I tried copying the entire project folders from there to an external hard drive (remember those? - I dusted mine off today) and when I import from there to my older 2 iMacs, the projects appear - even in Dropbox territory.  Those more tech-savvy than me (your cat maybe?) will know the reason for this better than I, but could it possibly be something to do with where the project was created?  I can't see how else this could happen.

Anyway it's not ideal, but with the larger Dropbox problems looming, I'm actually going back to a physical back up on external drives so as to resolve this problem once and for all as I've wasted far too much time on it.  I still use Dropbox for non-Logic files, but I just find it a total pain in the ar$e for Logic and have had enough.