Dropbox mac htc desire syncing?

[bellz123]

I am very much a novice with technology. I had an iphone which was stolen and I have replaced my iphone with an htc desire --- so far I have been happy with the swap. I have issues with the Skype not working as well on my htc as it did on the iphone but what I would like some advice on is dropbox and syncing my htcdesire with it whilst I use a mac as my main computer.

If possible any advice given as if to an absolute novice would be very welcome.

The problem for me seems to be this - my dropbox folders on the iphone just seemed to automatically update as I changed things on my home computer. I can't work out how to make this happen on my htc desire (or whether I have inadvertently disabled this option).

Added to this, I installed the beat cloud print (by virtue of using my friends PC laptop) and I CAN print from it with my htc desire now but only certain files seem to show up in it from my dropbox folder (that is I go to the "files" folder on the cloudprint, then go the dropbox folder which has my folders there - touch those to open them and only certain ones appear rather than all of them) ... I think the files that don't show up are .doc files but .docx files do seem to show up as well as pdf and txt files.

Is there any reason why the .doc files wouldn't show up.

I tend not to understand what I am doing most of the time and why something works or doesn't work... I am not sure I sync my phone at all with my computer but having said that, it does seem to update my google calendar so that part seems to be okay (does that mean it IS synced?). The dropbox just doesn't seem to work at all however - I find it very complex, I don't know what I am supposed to do - would be very grateful for any straightforward instructions ... I am happy not to understand them, just as long as I can follow them!!@!

Thanks in advance for any help or replies

 

[Demache]

I don't think the Dropbox app syncs in real time in Android, which is probably for data usage, memory card usage, and battery reasons. It only updates the file listings when necessary. You need to download files manually by long pressing the file in the Dropbox app and then selecting download. They won't actually appear on your memory card until you do that.

Not sure if that helps your problem though, since I may have missed your question completely.

 

[JLang]

I have issues with the Skype not working as well on my htc as it did on the iphone

You may want to try free Mobyler. Free calls, also international, to anybody running Mobyler too. Works over WiFi and 3G. Very simple set up and use. Integrates neatly with your contacts.

my dropbox folders on the iphone just seemed to automatically update as I changed things on my home computer. I can't work out how to make this happen on my htc desire (or whether I have inadvertently disabled this option).

If you have the DropBox app installed on your HTC it should work. I've found that sometimes uploading/syncing takes absurdly long, though (yesterday one 1MB file took almost 2 hours to show up...).

Added to this, I installed the beat cloud print (by virtue of using my friends PC laptop) and I CAN print from it with my htc desire now but only certain files seem to show up in it from my dropbox folder... I think the files that don't show up are .doc files but .docx files do seem to show up as well as pdf and txt files.

Is there any reason why the .doc files wouldn't show up.

Could be a setting.

I am not sure I sync my phone at all with my computer but having said that, it does seem to update my google calendar so that part seems to be okay (does that mean it IS synced?).

That's the definition of synchronized.

The dropbox just doesn't seem to work at all however

Like I said, it could 'just' be excruciatingly slow to sync/upload. It is with some files.

Maybe free SugarSync works better for you. The concept is the same as DropBox's, but you get 5GB free from SugarSync (a whole DVD!), as opposed to 'just' 2GB from DropBox. But for some that's enough.

 

[JLang]

Excuse me, woop, but how is one clearly announced referral link* for a free and non-commercial system/service/app, appropriate to the OP's problem, wrong when there are are whole threads with hundreds of them in this same section of this same forum?

 

[woop]

Excuse me, woop, but how is one clearly announced referral link* for a free and non-commercial system/service/app, appropriate to the OP's problem, wrong when there are are whole threads with hundreds of them in this same section of this same forum?

1. This thread is not the place for referral links - there are SPECIFIC threads where ALL referrals links go. If you would like to post there, then I have no issue with it. Otherwise, please do not post those links.
2. If you see them in any other thread (not including the ones labeled referral links), then please report them and we will edit them out as I have done with your post.
3. Unfortunately we have members who have multiple accounts - even after being banned for posting referral links, and keep coming back and posting them and think we are unaware of it *cough*

 

[bellz123]

I don't think the Dropbox app syncs in real time in Android, which is probably for data usage, memory card usage, and battery reasons. It only updates the file listings when necessary. You need to download files manually by long pressing the file in the Dropbox app and then selecting download. They won't actually appear on your memory card until you do that.

Not sure if that helps your problem though, since I may have missed your question completely.

Hello Demache

Thanks very much for your reply - could you expand on what you mean by "it only updates the file listings when necessary"....

When would that be, what do you mean by necessary?

I have managed to do the long press and download onto the sd card - however I have another question connected with beta cloudprint - can I only print dropbox docs via the sd card or is there a way to directly print from dropbox without going via the sd card on cloudprint?



Thanks, Bellz

 

[bellz123]

Hi JLang

Thanks for the advice, with dropbox I will do a test today - I will add a folder onto my dropbox on my computer and see how long (or if at all) it takes for it to show up on my phone..... I won't be holding my breath that is for sure!???!

But I want to clarify a further question on that - my dropbox folder on my phone looks one way but if I go into the sd card drive and select dropbox as a file it looks totally different - it doesn't have the public/photos folders for example. I think it only has the files I dragged and dropped over when I had the phone's hard drive on my computer. Is that because I need to do a long download to put any of these files onto the hard drive?

I admit I get lost with the whole process oftentimes - but I just quite new to all this technology, even though I think some of it is fantastically useful! I would add that I have on htc desire something called quick office, it seems to have most of my files on it which is great but I also don't think I can print off from there either.... I can read the files but I think that is ALL I can do with that app, right?

When I press menu I only get options to "open" another file or "search" for a word within that file - and nothing more.

Thanks for the advice - it is a minefield of new information that one has to acquire!!!!

Bellz123

 

[bellz123]

Oh, well I take back the dropbox complaint! I did a test and put a file on my computer and went to check it all of half a minute later on my phone and it was there!!!! (but that didn't happen before, honest!)

Never mind, no matter why or when I am glad it is updating/syncing automatically now - that's one thing.

Now I just need a Skype upgrade to resolve all those issues magically and to work out this printing cloudprint thing... with my lack of basic knowledge it is absolutely like fumbling about in the dark and finally bumping into something which you then have to guess at what it is through the way it feels..... hopeless!

 

[bellz123]

"Could be a setting."

Do you have an idea about how I could find out which one/where and change it?

 

[JLang]

my dropbox folder on my phone looks one way but if I go into the sd card drive and select dropbox as a file it looks totally different - it doesn't have the public/photos folders for example.

Huh? It doesn't? Mine does! If I look at the SDcard via USB tether. It has the same folders, but not the individual files I stuck in there. I uploaded those (stuck 'm into DropBox' Public folder) on my computer. And that's where they still are. They have 'synced' to my phone – meaning their names and icons are visible on my phone – so my phone 'knows' they are there/available, but the files themselves don't reside there. The files are still on my computer. And in the DropBox cloud (backed up/synced). But they don't reside on my phone. If I want to open/edit etc. one on my phone I can longpress and choose to download it to my phone (probably from the DropBox cloud, not from my computer; my computer might not be running and/or online). Confirming that that file is not physically on my phone yet. Just it's synced name and icon.

I think it only has the files I dragged and dropped over when I had the phone's hard drive on my computer.

Look again.

Is that because I need to do a long download to put any of these files onto the hard drive?

If you mean you need to long press to get those files physically onto your phone's SDcard (in order to be able to open/edit them on your phone) then you are correct.

I would add that I have on htc desire something called quick office, it seems to have most of my files on it which is great but I also don't think I can print off from there either.... I can read the files but I think that is ALL I can do with that app, right?

When I press menu I only get options to "open" another file or "search" for a word within that file - and nothing more.

Sorry, I don't have/use Quick Office, so can't tell you.

 

[bellz123]

So I am back. I really wish the cloud print was more straight forward. I like things when they just work.... simple, straightforward barely have to think about it.

The problem I have now is that cloudprint is saying there is a problem converting my files. Aaaarrrgggh. Why? Just do it!

I have the files on my dropbox. I want to print them. I hate it when things don't work, it is so irritating.

Does anyone know why it won't convert the files? It says there is a failure converting this document, please try again later.

I suppose I need to save them differently or something. I have tried re-saving them as docx word files... I wish it would just work.