--files-from filter not working

phil1 · April 9, 2026, 3:56pm

What is the problem you are having with rclone?

All files are not being recognized when using the –files-from option.

files.txt contains:
test1.txt
test2.txt

Run the command 'rclone version' and share the full output of the command.

rclone v1.73.4

os/version: Microsoft Windows 10 Home 22H2 22H2 (64 bit)
os/kernel: 10.0.19045.7058 (x86_64)
os/type: windows
os/arch: amd64
go/version: go1.25.9
go/linking: static
go/tags: cmount

Which cloud storage system are you using? (eg Google Drive)

Dropbox

The command you were trying to run (eg `rclone copy /tmp remote:tmp`)

 rclone copy "dropbox:/test" "dropbox:/test2" --files-from=files.txt -vv

Please run 'rclone config redacted' and share the full output. If you get command not found, please make sure to update rclone.

[dropbox]
type = dropbox
token = XXX

A log from the command that you were trying to run with the `-vv` flag

2026/04/09 11:49:46 DEBUG : rclone: Version "v1.73.4" starting with parameters ["C:\\rclone\\rclone.exe" "copy" "dropbox:/test" "dropbox:/test2" "--files-from=files.txt" "-vv"]
2026/04/09 11:49:46 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote "dropbox:/test"
2026/04/09 11:49:46 DEBUG : Using config file from "C:\\Users\\user1\\AppData\\Roaming\\rclone\\rclone.conf"
2026/04/09 11:49:47 DEBUG : Dropbox root '': Using root namespace "1351651651"
2026/04/09 11:49:47 DEBUG : fs cache: renaming cache item "dropbox:/test" to be canonical "dropbox:test"
2026/04/09 11:49:47 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote "dropbox:/test2"
2026/04/09 11:49:48 DEBUG : Dropbox root '': Using root namespace "1351651651"
2026/04/09 11:49:48 DEBUG : fs cache: renaming cache item "dropbox:/test2" to be canonical "dropbox:test2"
2026/04/09 11:49:49 DEBUG : test.txt: Excluded (FilesFrom Filter)
2026/04/09 11:49:49 DEBUG : test.txt: Excluded
2026/04/09 11:49:49 DEBUG : test1.txt: Excluded (FilesFrom Filter)
2026/04/09 11:49:49 DEBUG : test1.txt: Excluded
2026/04/09 11:49:49 DEBUG : test2.txt: Excluded (FilesFrom Filter)
2026/04/09 11:49:49 DEBUG : test2.txt: Excluded
2026/04/09 11:49:49 DEBUG : Dropbox root '/test': Waiting for checks to finish
2026/04/09 11:49:49 DEBUG : Dropbox root '/test': Waiting for transfers to finish
2026/04/09 11:49:49 INFO  : There was nothing to transfer
2026/04/09 11:49:49 INFO  :
Transferred:              0 B / 0 B, -, 0 B/s, ETA -
Checks:                 0 / 0, -, Listed 3
Elapsed time:         0.3s

2026/04/09 11:49:49 DEBUG : 8 go routines active
2026/04/09 11:49:49 INFO  : Dropbox root 'test': Committing uploads - please wait...
2026/04/09 11:49:49 INFO  : Dropbox root 'test2': Committing uploads - please wait...

kapitainsky · April 9, 2026, 6:43pm

Make sure you read docs:

especially have a look at included examples.

In your case:

will only apply to files in your source root and not in any sub directories.

phil1 · April 9, 2026, 7:46pm

The files are in the source folder, not in a subdirectory

asdffdsa · April 9, 2026, 9:30pm

so the files are in the root of the source folder?

can you post the output of rclone tree dropbox:/test -all --full-path --dirsfirst --level=1 -vv
please redact sensitive filenames as needed.

might try testing using --include="test1.txt"

phil1 · April 10, 2026, 1:18pm

./rclone tree dropbox:/test -all --full-path --dirsfirst --level=1 -vv
2026/04/10 09:17:22 DEBUG : rclone: Version "v1.73.4" starting with parameters ["C:\rclone\rclone.exe" "tree" "dropbox:/test" "-all" "--full-path" "--dirsfirst" "--level=1" "-vv"]
2026/04/10 09:17:22 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote "dropbox:/test"
2026/04/10 09:17:22 DEBUG : Using config file from "C:\Users\user1\AppData\Roaming\rclone\rclone.conf"
2026/04/10 09:17:23 DEBUG : Dropbox root '': Using root namespace "1351651651"
2026/04/10 09:17:23 DEBUG : fs cache: renaming cache item "dropbox:/test" to be canonical "dropbox:test"
2026/04/10 09:17:23 DEBUG : Stat: filePath="/"
2026/04/10 09:17:23 DEBUG : >Stat: fi=, err=
2026/04/10 09:17:23 DEBUG : ReadDir: dir=/
2026/04/10 09:17:23 DEBUG : >ReadDir: names=[test.txt test1.txt test2.txt], err=
2026/04/10 09:17:23 DEBUG : Stat: filePath="\test.txt"
2026/04/10 09:17:23 DEBUG : >Stat: fi=test.txt, err=
2026/04/10 09:17:23 DEBUG : Stat: filePath="\test1.txt"
2026/04/10 09:17:23 DEBUG : >Stat: fi=test1.txt, err=
2026/04/10 09:17:23 DEBUG : Stat: filePath="\test2.txt"
2026/04/10 09:17:23 DEBUG : >Stat: fi=test2.txt, err=
/
├── \test.txt
├── \test1.txt
└── \test2.txt

0 directories, 3 files
2026/04/10 09:17:23 DEBUG : 6 go routines active
2026/04/10 09:17:23 INFO : Dropbox root 'test': Committing uploads - please wait...

asdffdsa · April 10, 2026, 2:22pm

seems to working ok

rclone touch dropbox:test/test.txt 
rclone touch dropbox:test/test1.txt
rclone touch dropbox:test/test2.txt 

type .\files.txt 
test1.txt
test2.txt

rclone ls dropbox:test 
        0 test.txt
        0 test1.txt
        0 test2.txt

rclone copy dropbox:test dropbox:test2 --files-from=./files.txt -vv 
DEBUG : rclone: Version "v1.73.3" starting with parameters ["d:\\data\\rclone\\rclone.exe" "copy" "dropbox:test" "dropbox:test2" "--files-from=./files.txt" "-vv"]
DEBUG : Creating backend with remote "dropbox:test"
DEBUG : Using config file from "d:\\data\\rclone\\rclone.conf"
DEBUG : Creating backend with remote "dropbox:test2"
DEBUG : test.txt: Excluded (FilesFrom Filter)
DEBUG : test.txt: Excluded
DEBUG : test1.txt: Need to transfer - File not found at Destination
DEBUG : test2.txt: Need to transfer - File not found at Destination
DEBUG : Dropbox root 'test2': Waiting for checks to finish
DEBUG : Dropbox root 'test2': Waiting for transfers to finish
DEBUG : test1.txt: size = 0 OK
DEBUG : test1.txt: dropbox = e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855 OK
INFO  : test1.txt: Copied (server-side copy)
DEBUG : test2.txt: size = 0 OK
DEBUG : test2.txt: dropbox = e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855 OK
INFO  : test2.txt: Copied (server-side copy)
INFO  : 
Transferred:   	          0 B / 0 B, -, 0 B/s, ETA -
Checks:                 0 / 0, -, Listed 3
Transferred:            2 / 2, 100%
Server Side Copies:     2 @ 0 B
Elapsed time:         2.1s

kapitainsky · April 10, 2026, 2:27pm

FYI - I was just testing it as well. The same results as yours. All works as expected.

asdffdsa · April 10, 2026, 2:32pm

maybe there is some issue with files.txt ?

kapitainsky · April 10, 2026, 2:33pm

Maybe it is not the file OP thinks is really using?

@phil1 Could you double check?

asdffdsa · April 10, 2026, 2:34pm

good point.
that is why i included type .\files.txt

phil1 · April 10, 2026, 2:41pm

I’m stumped. Did your exact commands:
type .\files.txt
test1.txt
test2.txt
rclone copy "dropbox:/test" "dropbox:/test2" --files-from=./files.txt -vv
2026/04/10 10:37:38 DEBUG : rclone: Version "v1.73.4" starting with parameters ["C:\rclone\rclone.exe" "copy" "dropbox:/test" "dropbox:/test2" "--files-from=./files.txt" "-vv"]
2026/04/10 10:37:38 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote "dropbox:/test"
2026/04/10 10:37:38 DEBUG : Using config file from "C:\Users\user1\AppData\Roaming\rclone\rclone.conf"
2026/04/10 10:37:39 DEBUG : Dropbox root '': Using root namespace "1351651651"
2026/04/10 10:37:39 DEBUG : fs cache: renaming cache item "dropbox:/test" to be canonical "dropbox:test"
2026/04/10 10:37:39 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote "dropbox:/test2"
2026/04/10 10:37:41 DEBUG : Dropbox root '': Using root namespace "1351651651"
2026/04/10 10:37:41 DEBUG : fs cache: renaming cache item "dropbox:/test2" to be canonical "dropbox:test2"
2026/04/10 10:37:41 DEBUG : test.txt: Excluded (FilesFrom Filter)
2026/04/10 10:37:41 DEBUG : test.txt: Excluded
2026/04/10 10:37:41 DEBUG : test1.txt: Excluded (FilesFrom Filter)
2026/04/10 10:37:41 DEBUG : test1.txt: Excluded
2026/04/10 10:37:41 DEBUG : test2.txt: Excluded (FilesFrom Filter)
2026/04/10 10:37:41 DEBUG : test2.txt: Excluded
2026/04/10 10:37:41 DEBUG : Dropbox root 'test2': Waiting for checks to finish
2026/04/10 10:37:41 DEBUG : Dropbox root 'test2': Waiting for transfers to finish
2026/04/10 10:37:41 INFO : There was nothing to transfer
2026/04/10 10:37:41 INFO :
Transferred: 0 B / 0 B, -, 0 B/s, ETA -
Checks: 0 / 0, -, Listed 3
Elapsed time: 0.2s

2026/04/10 10:37:41 DEBUG : 8 go routines active
2026/04/10 10:37:41 INFO : Dropbox root 'test': Committing uploads - please wait...
2026/04/10 10:37:41 INFO : Dropbox root 'test2': Committing uploads - please wait...
PS C:\rclone>

asdffdsa · April 10, 2026, 2:48pm

with dropbox, dropbox:/test might not be the same as dropbox:test

so, try this script which creates on-the-fly, files.txt and the files in dropbox

echo test1.txt 1>files.txt 
echo test2.txt 1>>files.txt 

type files.txt 
test1.txt
test2.txt

rclone delete dropbox:test 
rclone delete dropbox:test2 

rclone touch dropbox:test/test.txt 
rclone touch dropbox:test/test1.txt 
rclone touch dropbox:test/test2.txt 

rclone ls dropbox:test 
        0 test.txt
        0 test1.txt
        0 test2.txt

rclone ls dropbox:test --files-from=files.txt -vv 
DEBUG : rclone: Version "v1.73.3" starting with parameters ["d:\\data\\rclone\\rclone.exe" "ls" "dropbox:test" "--files-from=files.txt" "-vv"]
DEBUG : Creating backend with remote "dropbox:test"
DEBUG : Using config file from "d:\\data\\rclone\\rclone.conf"
DEBUG : test.txt: Excluded (FilesFrom Filter)
DEBUG : test.txt: Excluded
        0 test1.txt
        0 test2.txt

kapitainsky · April 10, 2026, 3:49pm

IGNORE.. I see you already posted it

=======

BTW. What is your dropbox config?

Post result of:

$ rclone config redacted dropbox:

asdffdsa · April 10, 2026, 5:03pm

that is from using a slash in the remote path