Hey, I have over 200GB of documents that I uploaded to iCloud.com. I thought I would be able to upload them and then turn on iCloud drive on my Mac to see them/use them at will and only download at my discretion. Once I turned it on it immediately tried downloading all those files and I just turned it off. Is there really no way to have those files stored in iCloud but viewable in Finder for optional download? Do I really have to go to icloud.com and pick and choose files to download?
[doublepost=1534969575][/doublepost]Also, I tried using OneDrive and it did the same thing. I guess my view of cloud storage is different?
I know right?!!
Basically you’d want iCloud listed in the Finder Side Bar to be an Alias and allow a QuickLook of the files within iCloud. (Alias for quick view when offline would be nice). As it is it’s a duplicate of data and still linked and prone to accidental deletions.
You can selectively sync only certain folders with OneDrive. Scroll way down to the bottom of this page to see how it's done
https://support.office.com/en-us/ar...mac-os-x-d11b9f29-00bb-4172-be39-997da46f913f
That’s not the same thing. The folders selected to sync to Mac from iCloud presents the same issue yet to a lesser degree. Files within iCloud that are “synching” still duplicates the data on the desktop.
The issue in this instance as with all iCloud Drive content enabled to “Sync”, is that it does NOT follow Finder principles in such that a file should be in 1 place until a user Copies or Moves it.
Agin the source issue is “Sync” or if you will auto copying to the local drive.
Ideally; instead of taking up local space on smaller Mac drives (regardless of the type of the local drive) is to have cloud tires content remain there (until auctioned) and only a reference/alias with minimal QuickLook functionality to view the file/folder content.
This is duplicated by: OneDrive, Mega.nz, Box, etc.
It’s 2018 and if Apple can change this paradigm to wha I’m imagining (as others too) then it would be a HUGE benefit. Oddly enough: iOS devices does this much better than Mac and storage options are equal to the default storage options on macs. Go figure.
i dont understand the part about:
"Do I really have to go to icloud.com and pick and choose files to download?"
on yr mac, in Finder, the Sidebar lists a short cut to iCloud Drive.
this will be able to show you what is uploaded to iCloud Drive.
and its not too late to turn on Maximize Mac Storage if you want to, just turn it on now. (apple/System Preferences/iCloud/iCloud Drive/Maximize Mac Storage)
turning it at the time you originally enabled iCloud Drive would only have removed a copy of files from your mac if you hadn't used them recently and your mac was running low on storage space.
See my replies above and I think that’s what the OP is after; if not then at least that’s I’m I’m hoping for.
Dropbox allows you to choose which cloud folders sync to the local machine, and which local folders to exclude from the upload.
Again his is not the solution of what is imagined or hoped for.
My understanding and proposal above would allow the files on macOS to be deleted without affecting iCloud Drive content (only the local QuickLook/Cached/alias).
