Add .dropboxignore directory to exclude folders without using selective sync

I got a similar response:

Thank you for following up here. We've relayed that Community thread to the team, and we appreciate the feedback.

I wonder if there's another way we can get in touch.

Edit: I've opened a support ticket. Hopefully we can get SOME feedback from a developer in the team.

Adding a .dropboxignore file as an advanced alternative to selective sync is exactly what I am looking for. I have the .node_module problem others have mentioned. In my case I can often not get it to ever sync because the file paths get too long. That ends up preventing all of my other files from syncing.

For all those with the .node_module issue: read my comment of the 15/09, which I report below.

This workaround prevents Dropbox to synchronise the content of any folder. It does use selective sync as a first step, but it does not have its biggest limitation.

I am using it myself for a slightly different application, and it works.

> Hi guys,
>
> I found a workaround to have Dropbox ignore the content of a folder; credits go to Raymond of the Unofficial Dropbox Wiki:
>
> These steps will help you exclude a folder from syncing:
>
> Lets say you have a folder that you want to exclude called NON_CLOUD.
> We first create an empty folder that is renamed to NON_CLOUD and place it into Dropbox.
> Then, we use selective sync to unsync that folder: https://help.dropbox.com/syncing-uploads/selective-sync-overview
> Next, move your actual NON_CLOUD folder into the previous location of the empty NON_CLOUD folder.
> That folder will have a grey circle with a “minus” sign and will not be synced to Dropbox.
> It is not ideal but it does work for me.
>
> Cheers,
> Guido

I already have grey "minus" signs on my node_modules folders using normal selective sync. What's the difference between this, and your method?

@Jeremy:

what we need is the ability to crate a pattern that will apply to the sync other than manually going through all the directory tree and excluding those items since it's too low and frustrating.

just lik e a .gitignore file for example

@Jeremy B.

If you use selective sync on a folder, Dropbox removes it straight away from your hard drive. (At least it does so on my Mac.)

This workaround will make Dropbox ignore the folder while keeping it in your hard drive.

@Guido Using Selective Sync doesn't delete anything from your HD, it just decouples it from the server version. 

Edit: I was wrong.

@Johnny W.

My Dropbox client (v3.8.8 on Mac Os X 10.10.5) does delete from the HD the folders unchecked with Selective Sync. It actually warns me about this with a message:

http://www.guidowalterpettinari.eu/external_access/dropbox_selective_sync_msg.png 

I thought this was the major limitations of using Selective Synch, together with being unable to specify RegEx or glob patterns. 

@Guido I just deselected a folder via selective sync (DB 3.8.8 on OSX 10.10.5) and this is the only message I got:

Sorry, Luciano, you're right.

Guido, you are also right. I'll attempt your workaround in the meantime.

I wish Ed could find time in his hectic schedule to respond to us further.