Can't upload documents file to dropbox - "you have custom access"

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Level 1

64 points

Can't upload documents file to dropbox - "you have custom access"

I'm trying to upload my documents folder from my MacBook Pro to dropbox. Each time I get an error dialog (pic) saying "Error moving file - you don't have permission". When I got info on the documents folder, under sharing and permissions it said "you have custom access" (pic). Nothing else, no ability to unlock and change, nothing. I am the admin and only user of the MacBook. The documents folder seems to be the only folder in the home folder that has this problem. I assume this glitch is why I can't upload the folder.

Thanks, Tom

MacBook Pro 15″, 11.1

Posted on Jan 19, 2021 2:22 AM

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Answer 1

Barney-15E

Level 10

116,290 points

Jan 19, 2021 4:17 AM in response to Tomdbl

Custom Access means there is an Access Control List attached to that folder. If you tried to share it via File Sharing, that will add an ACL.

Do you have Desktop & Documents in iCloud Drive enabled?

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Answer 2

Barney-15E

Level 10

116,290 points

Jan 19, 2021 5:03 AM in response to Tomdbl

Then something else is altering the display of the Sharing & Permissions section on that folder. I have seen that when you Get Info on the Documents folder from the Sidebar when D&D in iCloud Drive is enabled because that really isn't a folder.

Do you have File Sharing enabled and is the Documents folder in the share list?

Maybe dropbox has altered your permissions on your home folder and caused what you see.

Are you dragging the actual Documents folder or the alias from the Sidebar? If the latter, try the former.

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Answer 3

Tomdbl Author

Level 1

64 points

Jan 19, 2021 5:16 AM in response to Barney-15E

No, file sharing is not enabled. The permissions for the home folder are standard, though. It's only the documents folder.

As to dropbox altering permissions, nothing would surprise me about dropbox (which I hate, but that's another story). Earlier today I tried to upload my documents folder via the dropbox website and everything went a little haywire. When I googled for help, a dropbox site said you could only upload folders less than 50 gb through the website, and to upload larger folders you had to use the dropbox desktop app. It was when I tried uploading via the desktop app that I got the error message above. So it's possible that attempting to upload the folder through the dropbox website has corrupted the documents folder in some way, or changed the permissions. The trouble is, as you can see there is no option in the get info window to alter the sharing and permissions - no padlock, no options presented, nothing.

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Answer 4

Barney-15E

Level 10

116,290 points

Jan 19, 2021 5:38 AM in response to Tomdbl

Copy/paste this command into Terminal and post the output.

ls -ldeO@ ~/Documents

You should see something like this:

drwx------@ 142 username  staff  - 4544 Jan 16 17:30  /Users/username/Documents
 0: group:everyone deny delete

My guess is you will have more than the one Access Control Entry listed (1:, 2:, etc)

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Answer 5

Barney-15E

Level 10

116,290 points

Jan 19, 2021 5:55 AM in response to Tomdbl

Something added your documents folder to sharing. #1 is a File Sharing ACL.

However, I don't know why it would cause any problems.

If you open Sharing System Preferences and select File Sharing, is your Documents folder listed? Does it have some DropBox group set to allow read.

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Answer 6

Barney-15E

Level 10

116,290 points

Jan 19, 2021 6:22 AM in response to Tomdbl

Then I can only imagine it was Dropbox. I don't use it, so don't know what it does.

You can remove the ACL with this command in Terminal:

chmod -a# 1 ~/Documents

But, I don't know why that entry would cause the problem you are seeing.

One thing that might be causing a problem is apps must ask permission to access your Documents. If it isn't doing that, it can't get access to your Documents folder to sync the files.

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