BC Classic Mac 1.4.401 - file encryption creating files starting with "~$" - dropbox sync

uross

not sure when this started, but I figured that some of my files stopped synchronizing through Dropbox.

The reason seems to be that the file name encryption of BC Classic is creating filenames starting with a "~$" letter (e.g. ~$pQkuSrnvN4aVdGDqBIC20iXPI7OuSupg0bzX9NScRMwWV48). Dropbox doesn't sync files with such a name.

Any idea how to fix this? Currently I've switched off file name encryption. Don't want to risk discrepancies due to such sync problems.

Robert

Hello,

This "temporary file preservation" feature was added in the v1.4.401.22 release in order to prevent the synchronisation of temporary files. Dropbox (and other sync software) handles temporary files different than other files - in most cases these files are excluded from synchronisation. When filename encryption is enabled, Dropbox is not able to identify temporary files anymore and syncs these files - although it shouldn't. This can cause problems when other applications like Word or Excel use temporary files e.g. during the save process.

In order to mitigate these problems, Boxcryptor Classic adds a "~$" prefix to encrypted filenames when the underlying plaintext file itself is a temporary file. This ensures that Dropbox still detects the file as a temporary file and excludes it from synchronisation.

Best regards,
Robert

uross

Robert,

thanks for the precise explanation.

But this happens to me to what I believe are regular PDF files. I'm on a Mac and certain PDF files are treated that way. Those PDF files do reside in regular folders and are not being edited or something. Needless to say, the PDF's are opening fine both in Mac preview and Adobe, so the files are good.

How exactly do you detect a file being a temporary file on a Mac? I don't see anything special in the properties of the affected files when comparing them with non-affected files.

Best regards,
Uli

Robert

Hello Uli,

Boxcryptor detects temporary files based on their filenames (e.g. starting with "~$" or having a "tmp" file extension). Could you send the (plaintext) filenames of affected files - if possible - to support@boxcryptor.com referring to this thread?

Thanks,
Robert

Robert

Hello Uli,

Thanks for the information provided via email. The temporary file detection in Boxcryptor Classic for Mac v1.4.401.22 was wrongly detecting these files as temporary files. We have fixed this issue and released an updated version of Boxcryptor Classic for Mac OS X which can be downloaded here:

https://www.boxcryptor.com/download/Boxcryptor_Installer.dmg

Best regards,
Robert

uross

thanks for the swift fix! confirming the issue being fixed.