Any downsides to using Dropbox instead of CC File Sync?

[charlesb4548883]

Given that Adobe is never going to implement selective folder/file sync, is there any downside or limitation to simply using Dropbox to sync files across multiple computers?

I found one YouTube video from 2020 of someone doing this, but can't find much else about any pitfalls.

For the same $9.99/month, Dropbox offers:

- 2TB

- Unlimited video file size upload (not 20GB cap like CC Sync)

- Selective Folder/File Sync

- Premiere Pro plugin to facilitate video reviews

[kglad]

there are some things adobe file sync can do that dropbox can't (like auto cc backup from apps like lightroom and photoshop), but not everyone considers that a plus.

[charlesb4548883]

Thanks for that detail. I assume by 'auto cc backup' you mean the '...Auto Save' folder it creates to automatically version a project file. While I don't have a problem with that feature, I can't say I ever have or would rely on that.

[Abambo]

Thanks for that detail. I assume by 'auto cc backup' you mean the '...Auto Save' folder it creates to automatically version a project file. While I don't have a problem with that feature, I can't say I ever have or would rely on that.

By @charlesb4548883

Adobe has integrated some of their services with the cloud, like the libraries, but if you use Dropbox for data, you will probably have enough with the 100Mb of standard cloud space for an All App subscription.

Performance may be a problem with some programs, as Adobe programs may be required to handle huge data sets. Photoshop files can get huge, and InDesign may need to access these big Photoshop files. For me, the cloud space on Creative Cloud is to be able to work the same data from multiple seats (I have 2 desktop computers and two laptop computers, all with several Tb of user disk space) and to be able to share data with my peers. In this sense, the libraries are especially interesting, also for sharing Corporate Identity data, like logos, colour schemes and similar across seats and applications.

[John Waller]

Given that Adobe is never going to implement selective folder/file sync, is there any downside or limitation to simply using Dropbox to sync files across multiple computers?

The main issue I keep in mind is the possibility of selective sync conflicts.

https://help.dropbox.com/sync/selective-sync-conflict

If you're using the same file or folder on Dropbox across multiple devices, such as perhaps a Lightroom catalog, if the sync has not completed on Device A before you open the same software on Device B, you may end up with multiple versions of the same file or folder in Dropbox.

[charlesb4548883]

Trust me when I say that is exactly the problem with Creative Cloud File Sync that sent me down this path. So I totally agree with you. The difference being is that Dropbox has far far superior file-syncing capability. Faster and more stable.

So no matter what, it is critical to fully close project files and the apps on one machine before opening the project file on another machine.

The difference is that Dropbox will sync the file quickly. Creative Cloud File Sync is continually syncing, re-syncing, and stalling out.

[charlesb4548883]

So of course...  Premiere Pro search can not locate the Dropbox folder location. This seems to be due to a recent update. The Dropbox folder that Premiere Pro can not search is:

MacIntosh HD\Users\[username]\Dropbox

How convenient...  I suspect other Adobe apps have this same "problem". And this is a problem with any Adobe app files stored on Google Drive. So it is starting to feel like Adobe is locking its users out from using any other cloud storage provider.

This is documented in other forum posts:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-discussions/project-file-missing-dropbox/m-p/9357402

"I had the same problem. It's about the place in the folder where DROPBOX is keeping the files in the updated version. Premiere cannot access this "hidden" folder address. (User/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox).

Now I can no longer see the dropbox folder to relink the files.

I had to move everything into another HD for it to work and for now I'm not using dropbox anymore.

I've already contacted Dropbox, and they didn't know how to solve the case. I also spoke with Adobe but this problem still doesn't have a solution apparently.

See the video of my case:

https://shared-assets.adobe.com/link/ecf707df-fd41-4433-5b3b-e72711234cfc

See this other case:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-discussions/dropbox-cloudstorage-location/m-p/13151550 "

[kglad]

can you find your local dropbox folder in your file browser?

i assume yes. then move from an adobe accessible folder to dropbox.  you should be able to automate this process.

[charlesb4548883]

That's not quite the problem. Premiere Pro can see the Dropbox folder, but treats it like a "shortcut". So PP can not see any files in the folder. If I move the Dropbox folder location, I think the same problem will exist.

I reset Preferences in PP. So now it displays the 'Dropbox' as a folder. But it does not display any files in the folder for selection.

This may be a problem only on re-linking files, but it's a blocker.

[charlesb4548883]

UPDATE: SOLVED!

The problem above is solved (on MacOS) by giving Premiere Pro 'Full Disk Access'. Go to Settings > Security & Privacy > Privacy tab.

[kglad]

you must be using ventura. that's what caused the problem, not adobe.

[charlesb4548883]

Umm, yes and no. For sure this is Apple's security setting blocking the feature capability in Adobe apps.

However, software much less sophisticated than Adobe apps typically prompt the user to enable Full Disk Access on install. And warn that not all features may be available without it.

If you install an Adobe app (PP, Media Encoder, Audition, etc.), you will not get that prompt. And it will NOT display in the Settings > Privacy tab to enable Full Disk Access.

The Adobe app only displays on the Privacy tab after you launch the app for the first time. And you still won't get a prompt (like some other software apps do) to remind you to enable Full Disk Access.

Because I'm 80% Windows and 20% MacOS, I didn't catch this sooner. This literally took 40 min in a chat window with Adobe support to finally figure out. To the support agent's credit, we figured it out. In hindsight, I think Adobe Support should make this the very first thing they check when it comes to anything related to file access. You live and learn...

[kglad]

@charlesb4548883 

good suggestion.  make it to adobe - 

for applicable apps, use https://helpx.adobe.com/ie/x-productkb/global/how-to-user-voice.html

for others, use https://www.adobe.com/products/wishform.html

[Badonk]

This gets to be a really complicated subject pretty quickly. I wish Adobe would allow me to hitch my Creative Cloud account to use Dropbox as the storage provider for my photos because Adobe's storage plans suck for a photographer like me. I have terrabytes of storage available, easily half of it is stored with a vendor like Backblaze (B2) Wasabia and AWS (S3) and Dropbox, iCloud — buying yet another cloud storage service is not a great solution for this.

I read that the Creative Cloud storage space can be utilized in a way that the smartpreview files that I work on in Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic don't go against the free tier quotas in the Photographer's subscription I use. So I came up witha workflow that lets me use Dropbox while away from my studio to upload photos into a Dropbox folder that syncs to my creative workstation at home. 

That workstation is running LR Classic and ingests photos flowing in from Dropbox while I'm traveling, my local working copies of photos and videos are on a zfs zpool for incredible integrity and recovery assurances on redundant storage (two pairs of mirrored NVME drives via Thunderbolt 3 in a two-way mirror of mirrored devices and it is every bit as awesome as it sounds) and is also backed up to another system at that residence and then also that gets backed up to S3 buckets or B2 object stores. No bitrot, no performance problems, assurance on integrity.

So apparently since my storage where my working copies of photos land is a workstation at a desk somewhere else those ablums and collections of photos end up in a sync'ed album and the smart preview jpegs are what i am working with on my iPad out in the world, and then when I need to send something out for prints or other purpose other than sharing on social media, I can remote to that mac and use Lightroom Classic to generate full sized images from  the source media.

This way I avoid a bill for Even More Redundant Storage (which frankly is a liability at this point) and I seem to be getting the benefit from using CC storage without addional cost. Smart previews are fine for sharing on social media or friends and family.

I got the inspiration for this and more detail from a few threads on reddit about using Adobe Cloud Storage in cost-effective ways. I would instantly toggle a box that let me keep my Lightroom working images on Dropbox or an object-storage service via their APIs if I could but I doubt that will be happening from Adobe. 

[Badonk]

software i use for shuffling the files around is called Hazel as macOS users probably guessed already. i leave Lightroom Classic running on a VM or workstation with access to my superfly storage pool and it propogates to backup locations automatically.