@kewms is correct.
To add some context: Time Machine doesn’t care and doesn’t download evicted files before backups, it takes everything literally, including “empty” files. Because it assumes the user is smart enough. I know, potentially a tall order.
Significant point ‘as long as they are stored locally’.
If they are not stored on the local machine, they will not be backed up is my understanding.
True. While Time Machine doesn’t download files from the cloud for backup purposes, there are other backup programs that can download iCloud content and back it up locally. These programs then automatically evict the downloaded files after the backup session is complete. Good backup software options include ChronoSync and Carbon Copy Cloner.
Time Machine doesn’t backup modified online iCloud files. It only backs up downloaded offline content.
As others have noted in reply to your question to me, Dropbox files have to be “offline”, e.g. on the local drive and not “online” for TimeMachine to backup the /Dropbox folder and subfolders. TimeMachine cannot backup files on local disk that are not there, e.g. “online”. Works for me.
I was referring to Dropbox Backup, a relatively new service that provides an offsite backup not sync. There is a big difference between synching and backup. I’ve been letting it run on my iMac for several months with no issues noticed. I’ve tested some restores and no issues.
Dropbox Backup, as far as I understand, doesn’t back up any iCloud content, even when you download it off-line to your Mac. It only backs up certain local items, such as the Desktop and Local Documents? I have been using Backblaze; it is very reliable but can also back up only the off-line content, including local iCloud content.
Yea, no surprise. The thread now long and I don’t have time to go thru and see what is the current issue/problem at hand. Is there anything that requires further discussion?
This backup issue for Scrivener projects has likely been resolved. However, I’m curious about the most straightforward method for exporting the content of a Scrivener project into a more general format suitable for backup purposes. I’ve tried converting the manuscript section of the document into a Word document and saving it to some backup location. However, I haven’t found the easiest way to export the contents of the Research folder to an external folder. These steps are being taken in case of a complete disaster, so I can access the project content from outside Scrivener without needing to open it inside Scrivener itself.
File → Export → Files is designed for exactly this purpose.
Probably best to start a new thread?
That being said, I don’t think there is a practical way to deal with Scrivener project files (which are macOS “packages”) with some tool other than Scrivener.
I guess the question (for the new thread) is “how to export Research folder to be a backup” or something like that.
Offhand I don’t know. I rely on and count on Scrivener backup files (in zip format) and that Scrivener will be available. And I keep my Research pretty much elsewhere anyway (DEVONthink) which has its own robust backup capabilities.
Edit: OK, thanks. Found it and it seems to export nicely the whole content of the Research Folder.