locking a single folder in Dropbox without encrypting?

[aysil]

I want to lock a single folder in my Dropbox with a password (with no encryption). The Dropbox account is linked to both mac and windows computers. I expect Espionage 3 to lock and unlock the folder in the mac without any effect on the availability of the folder in windows computer. Is this possible?

[zsolt]

So if I got it right, you want the folder to be available on WIndows machines all the time, no matter you lock it or not on Mac, and you want both Macs to see it locked, once you lock it?

Pls confirm.

RGds
Zsolt

[aysil]

Actually, I have one mac and one windows. I want to protect one folder in Dropbox both in mac and windows with a password, possibly with different software (as Esp.3 is not available for windows).

[zsolt]

OK, I got it now.
The password protection only, is available in version 2 of espionage, in version 3 not.
And the folder will be protected only on machine on which Espionage is running. So even if you would have 2 macs, you would need espionage on both of them, otherwise the folder would be protected on one mac, whereas on the other mac it would behave like a normal, unprotected folder.
Same goes for Windows. On windows, the folder you protected on Mac would be just a normal folder. So you need to find a similar, password only protection, no encryption, application for windows and you are fine.

Rgds
Zsolt

[aysil]

Thank you Zsolt,

Unfortunately, it did not quite work that way. When I lock a folder in Dropbox in mac, this folder is modified - even without encryption. Upon sync, this folder is not usable in windows any more. The folder is there, but the contents seem erased. They are probably moved somewhere else in mac?

The only solution I could find up to now is to make the folder hidden/unhidden independently in each platform using the standard functionalities of mac and windows. All password-lock-folder software I have tried modify the folder in a way that prevents the other platform to use the folder upon Dropbox sync.

This may be interesting to work on!

[zsolt]

Hello, I'm really surprised if it would work that way, but to avoid any assumptions, I will test this for you and report back. As I do not have a PC at home, it might take till Monday for me to test this.

I will let you know,

Rgds
Zsolt

[zsolt]

Hello, indeed you are right, in my case as soon as I lock the folder on Mac, the file I put in the folder disappears on PC.
If I put something on PC into the folder, then dropbox on Mac complains that it cannot sync due to missing permissions.
Let me talk to devs and I will provide you with an answer as soon as they come back to me.

Rgds
Zsolt

[zsolt]

Hello, I checked with devs, and the behaviour is expected.
So you are right, you cannot use the folder on both sides.
Sorry about that, you will have to find another solution.
Rgds
Zsolt