Newbie question

[Ross Macdonald]

greetings - I have a basic question to ask about dropbox.

I have dropbox downloaded to my desktop and when I receive files from someone I access them at dropbox.com.  For some reason none of these files synch into my downloaded DB app installed on my computer, AND - I also can't figure out how to download them off  my login on dropbox.com website. I can see where the download file functionality is (next to name in the frame above the individual files in the folder), but  I can't select download and the download function disappears from view.  I am baffled by how difficult it seems to get file transfer to happen.  I am downloading music files from a bandmate and it really shouldn't be this hard! 

DropBox online help is too confusing to give me what I need to understand and make it work for me.  No DB phone support is available, so am turning to this group for direction.

Thanks, 

Ross Macdonald