Enhanced co-authoring and file syncing

One or more computer readable storage media having program instructions stored thereon that, when read and executed by one or more processors on a computing device, direct the computing device to at least:

• receive a request to open a file, wherein a sync engine on the computing device synchronizes a local copy of the file with a hosted copy of the file hosted by a file service;
• in response to the request, open a temporary copy of the file on the computing device and populate the temporary copy of the file with content from the local copy of the file;
• establish a connection between an application and a co-authoring service that bypasses the sync engine;
• when connected to the co-authoring service over the connection, and when the temporary copy of the file is open on the computing device;
• receive user input via a user interface of the computing device comprising one or more edits to the content in the temporary copy of the file;
• edit the content in the temporary copy of the file based on the one or more edits;
• and
• synchronize the temporary copy of the file with the hosted copy of the file;
• and
• upon a file close event occurring, close the temporary copy of the file without synchronizing the local copy of the file with the temporary copy of the file, and without having synchronized the local copy of the file with the temporary copy of the file since having opened and populated the temporary copy of the file with the content.

A method of synchronizing copies of a file, the method comprising:

• receiving a request to open the file on a computing device, wherein a sync engine on the computing device synchronizes a local copy of the file with a hosted copy of the file hosted by a file service;
• in response to the request, opening a temporary copy of the file on the computing device and populating the temporary copy of the file with content from the local copy of the file;
• establishing a connection between an application and a co-authoring service that bypasses the sync engine;
• when connected to the co-authoring service over the connection, and when the temporary copy of the file is open on the computing device:
• receiving user input comprising one or more edits to the content in the temporary copy of the file;
• editing the content in the temporary copy of the file based on the one or more edits;
• and
• synchronizing the temporary copy of the file with the hosted copy of the file;
• and
• upon a file close event occurring, closing the temporary copy of the file without synchronizing the local copy of the file with the temporary copy of the file and without having synchronized the local copy of the file with the temporary copy of the file since having opened and populated the temporary copy of the file with the content.