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Status:
Closed
Can we have an option to lock files we're working on to avoid conflicted copies?
My business partner and I (often working from different locations) are constantly working on the same documents and trying to save our work at the same time. Result: lots of conflicted copies of files. I would love to have something in the Dropbox UI that allows us to see if another person is working on the file or has the file open. It would save us a lot of FLAME texting. We love each other but this is one thing that makes us want to kill each other.
We need Dropbox to lock files once someone has them open, to prevent them being opened by another user, in order to prevent conflicted file errors.
This would be a nice feature indeed
Badge doesn't work for us. Apart from not being consistent and reliable, I mean.
We have some computers outside the office and many in the office. To avoid having multiple copies of everything downloaded on the same internet connection, dropbox is installed on just one computer in the office, and the whole folder is shared to the other computers over the network.
The badge will never help in this case.
Dropbox should lock out the other files as read only, in the same way that Windows does, so that you can't open a file if another user has it open on another computer. Simple.
That would be cool!
It would be nice if I had the option to make a file read only for other users while I was editing it. An alternative, but definitely second choice, is that a notice could be given to anyone who opens the file that notifies them the file is being edited by someone else.
As I recall - Badge only works for Word, Powerpoint, or Excel. This feature could be very helpful for other file types and reduce conflicts.
I have the badge and it shows "Edited by X user Y mins ago." Doesn't tell me if he's still in the file making other changes or not. I went into a file and it didn't say anything or show anyone in the file. I started making changes just to get a message that X user saved changes and do I want the new version. Yes, it saved my changes to another file but now I have to wait, go in, and combine the files at some point. It would have been MUCH easier if it had just told me "X user is in this file and you have read only access until he's done." I could have worked on something else while he was in the file and made my changes once instead of twice.
- Mark
Super User II
It is already possible via the Dropbox Badge.
Currently Dropbox has a file locking feature, which works great, however we need one that we can turn on to automatically lock a file for editing if you are the first person to open it or the first one to make changes.
A problem right now is someone in the group will lock a file, so they can edit it and nobody will create a conflicting copy, but then forget to unlock it. This is definitely a problem when you have to try to get ahold of someone either via phone or email, and wait for them to unlock it. Especially if they have already left the office for the day or even worse the weekend/vacation.
The lock feature just needs to activate for a file when you open it, and deactivate for a file when you close it. Everything else about the manual locking system currently in place works just as it should.
Here is an idea about improving the Dropbox locking feature, by automatic locking and unlocking a file when it is opened by any shared user. This would help solve the creation of conflicted files when two or more users are sharing the same file and both are trying to update it, edit and save it.
- Mark
That is coming - Project Carousel.
But it looks likely to be Dropbox for Busineess only.
I have to share images and pdfs with reps for our company and they end up deleting the files in the shared folder.
Thank you for your quick reply! That does work for a main shared folder but it won't give me the options for the folder i need. I have a folder called Photos with several other folders inside. I want to be able to "lock" these folders. I've already shared the link to these folders so I didn't want to resend a new link if I don't have to.
- Mark
You can set up preferences like that at www.dropbox.com/share by clicking on the 'Options' button for each share.
Or if they only need to view them why not use shared links? www.dropbox.com/help/167
- Mark
Ah, no, you cant lock parts of a folder I'm afraid. Its a one size fits all system
Hello Mark,
Can you tell us when the Check-out option will be coming? We urgently need it :)
- Mark
Its been out quite awhile now, look for the Dropbox Badge.
Note, however, it only works on Office documents and when both people are connected to the internet at the same time
- Rich
And it's not a true check out feature. It just shows you that someone else has the file open. It will not prevent someone from making changes to a file that someone else has open.
Okay so that's why I didn't find the check-out option :)
In my opinion this is not a check-out as check-out means that a file will be changed in read-only mode for other users.
I manage an online historic archive for a local historical society. We have many documents, pictures, etc., posted in a Dropbox account, and provide links for all who desire.
I'm concerned that one of us (me or one of the volunteers who has access to the account/collection) might someday inadvertently delete or change something. I would like a way to put a lock on the collection which prevents changes unless a person consciously unlocks it to make intended changes.
Does Dropbox have such a tool? If not, do you know of a way to do this through Windows or some add-on utility program?
- Mark
It doesnt I'm afraid.
The best thing I can suggest is to have a total separate backup of all data. That way software failure cannot become an issue!
