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Forum Discussion
Ipad and Iphone viewing of long file names
Our company is having the issue that on the mobile app (using the ipad or iphone) often times the file name is too long to properly view what we are opening. I want to be able to read the entire file name so I know what i am opening since many of the beginning and last parts of the file are exactly the same for filing purposes so I want to be able to view the file name without having to open each one in order to find out. I'm hoping I make sense. Is there something I'm missing where I'm able to do this? I can't "right click" on the file name cause I'm mobile otherwise I would try that 🙂
Well, bugger me, Dropbox has finally fixed this with the latest update. I thought to re-check this today after the latest change, and straight away could see the filenames are displayed differently. The font is smaller, and the filename is truncated in the middle, so I can read the start of the file name, but also the end which is (with my file-naming convention), typically the differentiator. But the kicker is what happens with the display pane. It is now possible to close that — there’s a small “x” in the top left corner of the display/preview pane — and once that closes, the left pane with the file names expands to full screen view! And voila! I can now see the full long file names. Dropbox: THAT is the way to take advantage of the larger screen on an iPad, especially the 12.9” model. I’m still annoyed it took so long to remedy, but thank you for finally doing it.
How difficult would it be to expand the file viewing area by dragging it to the right so we can see (all) complete file names, not just one file at a time by using the down arrow?
I have found a work around to this problem. I use the Documents app by Readdle to access my Dropbox. However, it would be great if Dropbox did not have to rely on third party vendors to fix this problem
Marie's answer interpreted, "We won't get to this ever but please stay with us while our "team" takes your feedback for information only." We've already gone to another cloud server and will be phasing out dropbox.
Justin R., you couldn't have put my thoughts across better!! Dropbox, please do look into this issue on the iPads as, like the previous users have all mentioned, the preview screen is really useless for some of us. Like the rest, I am also a paying Business account user. I'm sure you can do a simple check from our account names!
Do hope that this issue would be resolved soon...
Hi Guys
I am really frustrated with the ipad version of dropbox. On the iphone version, in landscape view the file view expands giving filenames greater space, but on the ipad version you have restricted the width of the file view pane. Please can you add a small button or option under the menu (upload, create folder etc) that expands the file view pane to the full width of the screen. This would greatly improve the workflow when using dropbox on the ipad.Many thanks
Kevin
This. It must have been other's frustation as well to not be able to browse files on folders using FULL SCREEN on iPad. Why oh why it's restricted to a narrow column on left I can't understand.
There should be a way to browse the files on a grid, as well.
I can't believe this is still an issue -- it's so easy to fix. Fix it please! It's a major frustration.
I just got done with a back and forth with Dropbox Support. I too am frustrated at this feature, or lack thereof. I have been an iPhone user since inception. I'm a contractor and LIVE on Dropbox in the field. I got a new iPhone 7Plus just so I could have more screen space in the field. Came to the brilliant conclusion that an iPad would be the best solution since it is so much larger than the iPhone. Have had my new iPad Pro 9.7 for two weeks now. It has been rendered utterly USELESS due to the inability to turn off, or even adjust, the preview pane so I can see more of the file names. My file names can get large due to job names and such, so the list of files all appear the same (ie. Johnson Plans ARCH.....here is where it gets specific). Dropbox's solution to this was the nifty little drop arrow to the right of the file name. That's a great feature if you only have 2 or 3 files to choose between. I might have 100 files that appear similar, so I MUST be able to see the entire file name. There is no other option. Therefore, not being able to turn off, or reduce, the preview pane makes the iPad version of Dropbox as useful as using a nail file to cut a 2x12.....
Note to Dropbox....Please show me how that drop arrow is an efficient way to find a file amongst 100 or so files? PLEASE don't make me switch to Box. I have too much invested in Dropbox.
I use Dropbox for work. I am a lawyer, and I store many files with somewhat long names. The filename include details like docket name, filing party, relief requested, date, etc. The names aren't crazy long, but they aren't short either. Example:
0023 1st Am. Complaint (Jan. 1, 2017).pdf
0024 Defendant Squiggle's Mot. to Dismiss (Jan. 10, 2017).pdf
0025 Plaintiff's Br. IOT Mot. to Dimsiss (Feb. 1, 2017).pdf
0026 Defendant's Mot. for Expedited Discovery (Feb. 10, 2017).pdf
0027 Plaintiff's Br. IOT Mot. for Expedited Discover (Feb. 20, 2017).pdf
The problem is that when I look at a folder of files on the iPad, the names are truncated. I see the first few characters of the name, then ..., then the last few characters. That is not enough information; all my filenames have similar beginnings and endings, so I see something like this:
0023 1st ... 1, 2017).pdf
0024 Def ... 0, 2017).pdf
0025 Pla ... 1, 2017).pdf
0026 Def ... 0, 2017).pdf
0027 Pla ... 0, 2017).pdf
In this view, I can't tell what file I need and have to keep clicking around until I find it. The search function isn't much help because the names are all somewhat similar. Also, I might have hundreds of files in a folder.
I see no way to increase the space allotted for names (perhaps by moving the divider between the files and the viewing window). Nor do I see a way to shrink the size of the text or to scroll through the name.
Is there a way to view the whole file name when looking at a folder of files on the iPad? If not, could you please add this feature? Thank you.
I agree. This is beyond frustrating. I work in the media industry where files often start with fixed patterns associated with a date or client. I have hundreds of files in a folder that appear the same in the iPad app making the app impossible to use.
Did you ever get an answer or solution to this problem? I find this a problem as well.
Thank you.
I didn't. I downloaded Readdle Document6 and it provides a better interface for viewing, but it's not got the same level of integration. I currently use Readdle to roughly locate the file in a list and then return to Dropbox to launch the associated app. It's pants, but it works. It seems that iOS11 may have some magic solution. I am not going to hold my breath....
If it works on the iPhone (viewing long names in landscape) why can't it work in iPad?
MariedbDropbox Staff
Hi everyone!
Thanks for the feedback. I'll make sure to pass it along to the team.
Thanks again for posting on our Community :)
As an XCode developer, not hard at all. Less than a day of development work.
Far less than the money lost by not doing this -- due to huge number of complaints.
It's a relatively easy fix especially if the app is already hybrid and properly designed to run on a variety of screen sizes today. Even if there's some legacy code, beginner/intermediate developers, and it remotely takes a week (if that), that's still a savings and a low-lying apple.
You'd need to resize the view on the right hand as the pane size changed, but all the standard iOS controls will properly autosize (e.g. documents, images) as Dropbox is already using the standard Apple APIs and UI elements to do these.
If you won't FIX the BIG PROBLEM of severely truncating long file names on the iPad, at least make it so we can run the iPOD/iPHONE version on the iPad. At least the iPhone/iPad versions display enough characters to make it useful.
