Dropbox: how to use it?

Irish Stones

Hi everybody, excuse my dumb question, but I'm not too up-to-date with these new technologies...
I've receveid an email with a link to a folder in someone else's Dropbox. He wants me to upload some files in this folder.
The files to be transferred are ready, I installed Dropbox on my PC, I have a new account.
The files are in the Dropbox folder in my PC.
Now, how can I upload them into this person's folder in his Dropbox? I have read the instructions on the Dropbox website, I watched videos on YouTube, I have read tutorials, but none of them says how to "reply to an invitation" over an email.
Please, be patient and explain it to me step by step, just like you would explain it to a 6 years old kid
Thanks a million!

Zascar

Dropbox is a brilliant product and once you get the hang of it, it will become indispensable! One thing to note is that you can do things kind of differently within Windows Explorer - or on the www.dropbox.com website.

First, go into your dropbox folder and now create a new folder - and put your files in there. (It can take some time to upload - watch the icon in the bottom right for the green tick).

Now, go to the www.dropbox.com website - go into the folder you created with the files in it - then at the top you'll see an icon of a folder with a rainbow on it. This shares the folder with someone else. You'll have to put in his email address. He will be sent an email inviting him to 'join' the shared folder. Once he accepts and clicks the link you will now have a shared folder. This means when either of you put files into it, it will automatically sync it with the other person.

Does that make sense?

The other more simple way of sharing is to simply right click on the file in Windows Explorer and click "Share Dropbox Link" - this will get you a link that you can email to people so they can view and download the files - but nor contribute tot he shared folder like above.

Hope that makes sense - let me know any other questions.

Irish Stones

Thanks so much, you've been quick and kind.
I already seem to be able to share my folders, the ones I have created on my PC. In fact, if I click on the rainbow icon on the website I'm asked to share an existing folder, I can choose which folder and then I write the email address of the other users.
What I am not able to do is to use the other person's folder to put my files in it.
I mean, this guy sent me an email with a link to his Dropbox Folder.
I see this Folder in my links in my webpage of Dropbox. The Folder is empty at the moment and when I click it, it is empty.
I don't see this Folder in my Dropbox folder in my PC, so I don't know how to put these files into it. He said to me it was an easy task, but it doesn't seem that easy to me :-)
Thanks!

Irish Stones

According to another guide I found on the web, all the folders visible on my webpage of Dropbox should be also visible in my local "Dropbox" folder in my PC. Included the shared folder of other users
I only see the folders that I created, not the one the other person created yesterday and that he shared with me.

Zascar

Hmm not sure but it sounds like he emailed you a link to his folder so you can view it and download, but not share and contribute to it.
Don't understand why its not appearing in your dropbox folder. I'd recommend settting up a new one and getting him to put the files in there...

Irish Stones

The purpose of this shared folder was that he wanted me to send him some photos. So ho created this shared folder on his computer, then he asked me for my email address so that I could receive a message with the link, then I should have opened it, upload the photos in this shared folder and he was able to see them.
I have also thought to create and share a new folder and send the link to him, but I don't know his email address and the message I received was from dropbox and was a "no-reply@dropbox.com".
If you want me to be more precise on this story, he is a veterinarian who cured my cat and wanted some photos that I took of the cat during the therapies in his clinic so that he can show them to other colleagues. All I have is the email address of the clinic, not his own address. I thought that I didn't need it and that once I accepted the link in my email everything was easy and smooth.

Another thing is that I downloaded the app for Dropbox on my android smartphone and I can see all the photos I should have shared, and all the folders I created under my Dropbox account, but I don't see the shared folder that the vet created, though I can see it from the webpage on my PC

Zascar

He has not done it properly, call him and sort it out on the phone, it happens in near realtime so best to do it that way.
Otherwise, just email him the photos, or use an image hosting service? Flickr etc? Or put them in a zip file and upload to any of the file hosting services

Irish Stones

I can't call him until Tuesday, I'll tell him in two days time.
I think that I miss some kind of privilege to fully access the shared folder. I can see its content but can't modify it, so, on my side, it's a "read only" folder. I need the permission to write in it.

Of course I could send the photos by email or by using photo hostings, but I prefer to dig this problem out so that I could learn more about this new (to me) way of sharing files.

As soon as I sort it out, I'll let you know.
Thanks so much for you help so far.