External Storage - Block Desktop Clients from seeing Shares

[charredchar]

Tip

Help move this idea forward

• Use the 👍 reaction to show support for this feature.
• Avoid commenting unless you have relevant information to add; unnecessary comments create noise for subscribers.
• Subscribe to receive notifications about status changes and new comments.

---

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

I am attempting to find a method to block Desktop clients from using shares mounted via External Storage. Something server-side would be best so my clients don't need to do anything as I have some network shares set up automatically for them.

I personally prefer to use Virtual Files on a couple of our PCs, I find this easier for others when managing the available space on their drives and it puts their entire file list in one place for easier access which also includes files in the root. Unfortunately with this option I can not prevent directories that are included with External Storage.

This can cause a few other issues:
Very long and intensive "syncs" due to the shares usually being very large repositories.
Constant client and server connections/syncing as some of these directories can update often but might rarely be accessed by the client.
Security concerns of data to a network share being synced (virtual or not) when on an "unknown" network.

I've also attempted to use the File Access Control flow but not only did this cause the client to keep trying to sync but the tags would need to be added by each user.

Describe the solution you'd like

The best one in my view, add an option within the External Storage settings to mark a share for exclusion from different client user agents. This won't come up as "denied access" and instead just not show up in the file list of the folder sync connection options. This could also work for both admin and person settings to automatically added shares would have it or ones the user might add separately.

Describe alternatives you've considered

Alternatively, a setting from within the file list to mark a folder (or even also a file) as "hide from client" (and let the user select what clients they have linked already) so it doesn't show up there. I like this less because I specifically want to control this for my clients and not rely on them to do it. But this could be a bonus for general files and not just External Storage.

Not a server side thing so this issue would need to move, but allow the desktop clients to deselect folders when using the Virtual Files option. The desktop client already shows a different icon so it seems to understand these are from External Storage. An option to blanket ignore them (or any specific directory for that matter) would be nice.

[joshtrichards]

allow the desktop clients to deselect folders when using the Virtual Files option. The desktop client already shows a different icon so it seems to understand these are from External Storage. An option to blanket ignore them (or any specific directory for that matter) would be nice.

Regarding this, the client has an option in settings called something like Ask for confirmation before syncing External Storage, but per the code I guess this may not be available when VFS is in use.

[charredchar]

Regarding this, the client has an option in settings called something like Ask for confirmation before syncing External Storage, but per the code I guess this may not be available when VFS is in use.

Unfortunately you are correct and it does not work with VFS. If I wanted to use that option I need to select what folders to keep in sync at all times and that's not too different from just not selecting them at all.