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rjwb's avatar
rjwb
Helpful | Level 7
5 years ago

Dropbox files no longer inherit folder permissions

Within my Dropbox folder, I have sub-folders with different Windows ACL permissions. Up until recently, whenever Dropbox synced a file it inherited its folder permissions perfectly. Now it no longe...
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Jane's avatar
Jane
Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
5 years ago
Hey rjwb, that's interesting; let’s have a closer look! 
 
  • Can you include two side-by-side screen shots (without personal info) in your next message showing me what’s your current sync status & the sync icons as you’re viewing a sample directory where folder permissions have been reset?
  • Could you also check whether this is happening on a directory where you’ve assigned the same permissions outside Dropbox? Do you see the same thing or does it appear differently? 
Keep me posted of your findings & we’ll go from there! 
  • rjwb's avatar
    rjwb
    Helpful | Level 7
    5 years ago

    The sync status is fine - all files are syncing perfectly. It's just their ACL permissions are getting changed if the file is synced via Dropbox, as opposed to saved directly to the folder on the PC.

    An example folder permissions are as per shot1.

    Edited by moderator

    If a file is saved directly on the PC into the Dropboxed folder, it inherits the permissions from the parent folder correctly (shot2)

    Edited by moderator

    But if it's saved on another machine and gets synced by Dropbox, it gets saved with different permissions and ignores inheritance (shot3)

    Edited by moderator

    • Jane's avatar
      Jane
      Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
      5 years ago
      Thanks for the screen grabs rjwb!
       
      It looks like the issue lies on the "timesheet RB 1912.xlsx” that’s added from a second device when being synced down to your first device, which wouldn’t inherit the ACL permissions you’ve assigned to the "Timesheets” parent folder. 
       
      It would be ideal to see the syncing icons & sync status on the Dropbox folder to form a clearer picture. However, could you include an extra screenshot showing me the ACL permissions set on the second device for the parent folder of the "timesheet RB 1912.xlsx” spreadsheet?
       
      I look forward to hearing back from you!
      • rjwb's avatar
        rjwb
        Helpful | Level 7
        5 years ago

        The Dropbox folder is syncing OK as far as I know:

        Edited by moderator

        On the second device the ACL permissions are:

        Edited by moderator

        Until recently, Dropbox 'respected' the ACL permissions on both devices and the files inherited the permissions from each device's respective parent folder. Now it seems like Dropbox is insisting files are written with their own specific permissions? This has only been a problem in the last few weeks - I have had this setup running since 2012!

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