Chief X15 Not Saving to Dropbox Model

[DHerb2014]

Am having extreme difficulty saving a Layout or Plan file from X15 into Dropbox for another team member to view and modify. We did a GoToMyPC meeting this morning and we both dropped "image" files (PDF and JPEG) into the shared online "live" folder. Populated right away and we both could see these.

 

When I start working on a Layout or Plan file, I use the typical commands to open each respective file. It's loading from Dropbox, but it's not the "live" link to the model that lives inside Dropbox.  I cannot access the "live" Dropbox online link for some reason. Any changes made throughout the day are not copied back to Dropbox online, rather are copied back to my Dropbox file in the PC.

 

Attaching an image showing where the Dropbox settings reside on my PC.

 

This has to be a simple solution in a setting, I'm just not able to see it.

 

Dropbox Link Conflict PDF.pdf

[TeaTime]

If I'm reading all this right, what it sounds, and looks like in that picture, is that dropbox is just not syncing that file. So when you save it to drop box, you can open it and it's fine, but it doesn't show up online, and other people either don't see it or see an older version?

This has got to be a Dropbox issue, not a Chief Architect issue.

I would try not opening the file directly from the dropbox folder. Copy it somewhere on your computer, open it, work, save it, then copy that to Dropbox.

I don't use Dropbox specifically, but all cloud backup type programs have to wait until a file is unused before it can sync it, so as long as you're messing with it, it'll just never happen. Apart from that maybe there's a way to trigger it to upload? that I'm not sure about. But I would try to use Dropbox as more of a manual backup/share situation, and avoid saving/loading directly from that location.

[DHerb2014]

What we're trying to do is to be able to share the X15 file which has a full set of house plans (Layout, Plan files, images, etc.) in a Folder inside Dropbox. We both need to be able to access it and make changes and then save it back to Dropbox.

When I open the Layout file, it's not accessing Dropbox online. I make changes and save the Layout/Plan files, but it doesn't post back up inside Dropbox.

 

What we don't want is a bunch of folders inside Dropbox with various dates where the Layout/Plan files were all saved. Just trying to use one folder with all contents inside related to this house project.

[Renerabbitt]

1 hour ago, DHerb2014 said:

What we're trying to do is to be able to share the X15 file which has a full set of house plans (Layout, Plan files, images, etc.) in a Folder inside Dropbox. We both need to be able to access it and make changes and then save it back to Dropbox.

When I open the Layout file, it's not accessing Dropbox online. I make changes and save the Layout/Plan files, but it doesn't post back up inside Dropbox.

 

What we don't want is a bunch of folders inside Dropbox with various dates where the Layout/Plan files were all saved. Just trying to use one folder with all contents inside related to this house project.

I think I mentioned this before but you should not be both working on the same file at the same time. Instead, you should be making a copy of the containing folder and you will work on the files within that folder and then shut down and let it sync. Then your colleague should be making a copy of that newly synced folder, and work from the files within.
My guess is that your colleague or you have the file still open  and thus chiefs file locking is happening and so dropbox has a redundency issue and is not syncing because of it

[DHerb2014]

Thanks Rene for your comments as always. The only time that both of us are working on the file together is when we have a GoToMyPC meeting. I shut my PC down at night, as well as my colleague (I think). 

The issue starts when I try and access the folder on my PC in the morning to start working. My colleague can't see the changes that I've made to the plan set (Layout and Plan files). Mine shows all of the updated changes, but he cannot see anything I've updated when viewing the folder inside Dropbox.

[Renerabbitt]

1 hour ago, DHerb2014 said:

Thanks Rene for your comments as always. The only time that both of us are working on the file together is when we have a GoToMyPC meeting. I shut my PC down at night, as well as my colleague (I think). 

The issue starts when I try and access the folder on my PC in the morning to start working. My colleague can't see the changes that I've made to the plan set (Layout and Plan files). Mine shows all of the updated changes, but he cannot see anything I've updated when viewing the folder inside Dropbox.

one of you may not be properly added to the dropbox or have it added to their dropbox or have it approproiately linked to their dropbox account and be set to actively syncing

[KevinWaldron]

I'll take a guess and say that you and your colleague have different drive designations for Dropbox. 

 

kw

 

 

[DHerb2014]

Kevin, you nailed it. We got on a GoToMyPC call and found that his Dropbox is pointed to his online account (obviously). Mine is pointed to my PC.

We tried without success to point my PC and Dropbox to the online version of his. I even used his credentials and logged in online and able to see all of the folders, etc.

 

Do you know how to point my PC to the online version of Dropbox of my associates? Going to attach a screen shot to show what it looks like on my PC.

 

Screenshot 1 - This is my PC with incorrect Dropbox link. I open X15 Layout or Plan files and it reaches to my PC rather than online Dropbox.

[KevinWaldron]

The only way we've been able to fix this is to delete your current Dropbox program from your computer (it is your personal account it want take out the data files unless you tell it) and then go on-line and install the Dropbox Business download from Dropbox. It will find your business account an then it will ask you do you want to link or sync your personal Dropbox account. This works and  there are probably other ways to get there but we found it was the quickest and easiest without having to call tech or search a lot of help files. Not sure the difference in the program files but this has worked for us numerous times.

 

Hope this helps!

 

kw

[DHerb2014]

Kevin, thank you for this info. When Dropbox asks if I want to link or sync my personal Dropbox account, do I tell it "no"? This is what the desktop app was asking last night and I wasn't sure what to do, as it wanted to make a copy to my Windows computer. Am attaching two screenshots of the questions DB asked. Not sure what to do here?

[Renerabbitt]

9 minutes ago, DHerb2014 said:

Kevin, thank you for this info. When Dropbox asks if I want to link or sync my personal Dropbox account, do I tell it "no"? This is what the desktop app was asking last night and I wasn't sure what to do, as it wanted to make a copy to my Windows computer. Am attaching two screenshots of the questions DB asked. Not sure what to do here?

Wait wait wait don’t delete anything. I think you should hire some help or call db.

you and your colleague have your own Dropbox accounts. That’s as it should be, one of you should have ownership of the project folder and share that folder via Dropbox share to the other person account who will click add to Dropbox on their end.

both sides should be syncing to their desktop. Your colleague who is working “from online” is the problem. There is no “working from online” in Dropbox, all that means is that they are downloading the file and working on it, which is not the same as working on a file that’s in an active sync location on their desktop.

thats just downloading something and working on a “dumb” copy

[KevinWaldron]

Rab, sorry, to disagree but with "Business Plus" we work live with Dropbox and Chief Architect. We do not autosaves through Chief but we all manually save and we do work from Dropbox as our save to directory. (Dropbox cost us about $2,800 per year for 6 people)

 

 If two people try and copy a file that is open or let's say you leave a computer on at the office with some file and you go home and try and work with this same file it will allow you open and save the file but it says "file name + Conflicted Copy.plan" when you save. So this is something that has to be resolved but it is still a valid file. 

 

 We do keep all the C:document Chief Arch etc on local machines and periodically update the User_Library.calib files as well as keep the ProgramData files on local machines. We have found it easier to use a master file of "other details" for everyone. One reason I've been asking for outside links for this kind of file. May not be right, but it works for us and has been for a number of years now. Many of our files are 125-250 mb. Chief Architect is not the only cad program we use. 

 

May I also add we do not work / draft for the general public. We are design build / manage / sale firm who keep many of our properties and we are often working with all kinds of files and firms: From programs like Carlson Survey, Autocad Civil, Vectorworks, FormZ, Rhinoceros, as well as programs like Alibre, Sketchup etc. Residential work is not all we do.

[Renerabbitt]

13 minutes ago, KevinWaldron said:

Rab, sorry, to disagree but with "Business Plus" we work live with Dropbox and Chief Architect. We do not autosaves through Chief but we all manually save and we do work from Dropbox as our save to directory. (Dropbox cost us about $2,800 per year for 6 people)

 

 If two people try and copy a file that is open or let's say you leave a computer on at the office with some file and you go home and try and work with this same file it will allow you open and save the file but it says "file name + Conflicted Copy.plan" when you save. So this is something that has to be resolved but it is still a valid file. 

 

 We do keep all the C:document Chief Arch etc on local machines and periodically update the User_Library.calib files as well as keep the ProgramData files on local machines. We have found it easier to use a master file of "other details" for everyone. One reason I've been asking for outside links for this kind of file. May not be right, but it works for us and has been for a number of years now. Many of our files are 125-250 mb. Chief Architect is not the only cad program we use.

This isnt a disagreement, we are in agreement. Dropbox business uses the same save and sync method as Dropbox personal. To clarify working "Live" with dropbox and chief architect does not mean you are working on a file that is being hosted online. You are working on a file that is being hosted on your machine and then synced to the dropbox account once closed, which is EXACTLY why this happens:
 

Quote

 If two people try and copy a file that is open or let's say you leave a computer on at the office with some file and you go home and try and work with this same file it will allow you open and save the file but it says "file name + Conflicted Copy.plan" when you save. So this is something that has to be resolved but it is still a valid file. 

The problem Dave is having is that the end user thinks he can work from a file that is in an online only dropbox account that does not do "active syncing" to their machine in a folder that is associated with Dropbox.
So Dave who has an active sync established through the Dropbox App on his computer is sharing a link with the colleague, and the colleague is clicking on the link in his dropbox online account, which in turn is being downloaded to their machine where it lives as a non-sync copy on some arbitrary section of their respective machine. This file then has no means of syncing back to Dropbox..it is just a "dumb" copy.
The key difference here is that Kevin has associates that all have Dropbox syncing to a folder on their respective machines, and in this fashion, this is no different than having a scraper constantly checking a website.