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Forum Discussion
Dropbox on Android suddenly unable to open Text / .MD file
I ve a shared folder on my android 11 (kernel 4.4.177) in there ive a text file FILE.txt , which i renamed File.MD (markdown) so i can share with my usual note editor on MAC. it has been working perfectly for months. The first time i opened it, i was asked the default app, i set Dropbox and everything was fine.
then suddently a week or so ago, when i click on the file it just open "my garmin connect" which is not a text editor. I checked and the setting was "open with dropbox" - i deleted the preferred APP, hoping I would have been asked again ... to no avail.
if i go to default app there are none now
dropbox version on Android is 320.2.10
Can you help me?
Thanks
Manolo
- Jay
Dropbox Staff
Hi rotello, thanks for bringing this to our attention.
If you're not on a Dropbox Basic plan with more than 3 devices connected, could you try uninstalling the app, rebooting the device, and re-installing it to see if this helps?
Keep me updated with any progress!Thanks for the reply!
uninstalled > restarted > installed
the first time i clicked it took some seconds, but then it loaded the Garmin APP without asking anything.
I checked the default app and none is selected.
I also tried this
1) I unistalled the GarminAPP, opened dropbox > File.MD ... and when i click it give me an error with no chance to open it.... FAILED
2) create a text file in dropoxAPP, saved as test.MD - I then re-opened it... and got error again. FAILED.
3) i tried to associated .MD with dropbox to no avail.
So it seems something is changed in Dropbox and it cannot open TXT files... i could maybe download another app, but i trust Dropbox more.
Since a couple of days ago, I get exactly the same error message whenever I try to open a .md file in the Dropbox app on Android. Files with extension .txt are still opened in the Dropbox Text Editor, but it refuses to open .md. Super annoying and majorly reduces Dropbox's usefulness for me.
Folks,
I have a Pixel 4A running Android13 and Dropbox 322.2.4. Up until yesterday, touching on a .txt file would open it in the editor directly. Today, however, the file opens in the viewer, and you must click the three dots at the upper right, then click "Open with..." near the bottom. This doesn't take you to a list of options of what to open the file with, but opens it directly in the editor.
What needs to be done to go back to the behavior of opening directly in the editor when the file is touched instead of the additional steps (viewer > dots > "Open with...")?
Thanks,
ScrappyThe file open in viewer. Click the three dots at upper right...... to get to this menu. Click "Open with..." near the bottom...... to finally get to the editor.
- Walter
Hey Scrappy_Monkey, thanks for your report.
Could you try updating the version of the Dropbox mobile app and let us know if this persists?
I've updated to 324.2.2 via the Google Play Store and rebooted. Behavior is the same.
For the longest time, Dropbox app opened text files (as in .txt files) just fine, allowing me to edit them -- which was very handy for such things as a shared grocery list between my wife and I. I could delete things as I added them to my cart. Then about 6+ months ago, it defaulted to some internal (?) program to let me read them and I had to go back and force it to "open with " to get to an editor. (Oddly, it wouldn't show me what was opening it, it just did).
Now, as of a couple days ago, an actual editor option is gone altogether. It only offers me two choices: an HTML Text Viewer (not editor, viewer only) or my browser (Brave). I have not added, removed, or disabled any apps on my phone.
Has text become so advanced and complicated that it can no longer be opened and edited by anything? What gives, Dropbox?
If an "update" (how I loathe them -- more trouble than they are worth) is causing this, how do I revert to an older version?Any ideas on what's causing this? I prefer not to download yet another app to fix an unnecessary problem in the DB app that shouldn't have been messed up to begin with.
Thanks in advance.
- Jay
Hi TheRealGandalf, I've merged you to this post, could you try these steps to see if they help?
This isn't helpful. You merge me into a thread with 50 replies, most of which are DB staff saying how important this issue is, that they're aware of it, and yet it's a thread from 8 months ago with no resolution. So much for importance or doing something about it. And I'm not the only one. You (or some DB staff) merged others into this and also complained that's the only help they get.
IF there's a solution why not simply reply to the original post (meaning my original or the others so merged) with a link to the answer. Instead, I have to scroll through 50 replies in hopes of finding the answer that, if there is one, would be a lot easier to just point that ONE answer out. Instead, now you've dropped me here, there are 51 comments.Customer service is a lost art. I have to wonder, due to the lack of usefulness, if all these mergings/oh-it's-so-important-to-us's are just autobots.
Wow.
In the Android app, if I do "Open with..." for a .md file it used to give me the option of "Dropbox Text Editor" as an app to open the file. Just recently that doesn't show up as an option anymore. For .txt files it's still available. Is there a fix?
Pixel 4a, Android 13
- Nancy
Welcome aboard the forum, andrew222651!
Did you notice this behavior after an update on your device?
What’s the app version that your Dropbox app’s running at the moment?
Keep me posted for any updates.
Hi,
The Dropbox app version is 321.1.4. There was an Android security update on March 5, I'm not sure if that's when the problem started.
- Graham
Community Manager
Hi rotello, pseo, TheViking and pmurkowsky
First of all, I 'd like to thank you all for bringing this issue to our attention. I understand that this has been very frustrating for you all and would like to apologize for any inconvenience this has caused!
I'm following up with you all today to let you know that this issue has been brought to the attention of Dropbox engineers and they are currently working on a solution. As soon as we have any updates on this, we will let you know.
In the meantime, as a workaround, you should still be able to open your files using a desktop or laptop device.
Thanks again and please let us know if there is anything else we can assist you with.
Have a great day,
Graham
Hi Graham, could you provide a link to an APK of the previous version? I believe this bug was introduced in the latest version.
Just started my own similar thread on this, I can't edit HTML files in Dropbox anymore as of the most recent update, only text files. It's not a beta issue, I'm using 320.2.10. Dropbox Text Editor seems to function for text files only now. With HTML files it now only offers the options to view in browsers, not edit. There's no way to add any other apps to the "open with" list.
Yes I could edit them on my laptop, but I do most of my work on my tablet when away from my computer. The app removing this option greatly eliminates previous functionality. I really hope this option can be returned in another update. ☹️
A large part of my usage of Dropbox for Android involves editing my files, both text and HTML. After this latest (320.2.10), already problematic update (my recents and starred items don't display in modified order anymore and there's no option to sort, I reported it but I guess I just have to live with it), I only just now noticed I can no longer edit my HTML files through Dropbox. It used to offer the built-in text editor in the "open with" options--now all it offers are HTML viewers and browsers. I can still edit text files as of last night, but not my HTML files, which I created myself BTW (using a different HTML editor, since Dropbox has never offered the option to create HTML files on Android, but after moving them to Dropbox I USED to be able to edit there).
Is this just yet another recent change further limiting Dropbox's usefulness? I'm a longtime paid user, I'm so disappointed in these changes that just keep limiting functionality. I use Dropbox for editing my files literally every day, including HTML. If I want to do it now, I need to export them, delete them from Dropbox (because it doesn't allow me to overwrite with this method, just says the file already exists), open them in the other, clunky HTML editor, edit them there, save, then re-import them into Dropbox, and delete them from the device...so tedious.
Why remove such a useful option? ☹️ And no, I have no choice to include Dropbox Text Editor as a program to open certain files, I know because I've checked and I can't find any method to add any new apps to that "open with" list. (I once wanted to add that third-party app as an option and couldn't).
I believe this will fall on deaf ears but please, please consider at least restoring this option in a future update? Please. This removes SO much of the app's use. 😔
I have quite a lot of HTML files. 😕 I just checked a random assortment of old and new ones from various folders and none of them offer the option to open with Dropbox Text Editor anymore.
My device OS is Android 12, but I've edited HTML files already with this OS, it changed with the update to Dropbox. Also I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one experiencing this, I also found these threads:
Note those users mention HTML files seem to open sometimes, but I can't open them at all. They seem to be experiencing the same loss of Dropbox Text Editor as an "Open with" option regarding other file types, however.It still works for text files, that's pretty much it.
Screenshots should be included. First of trying to open an HTML file, then of trying to open a text file. HTML file offers only browsers now.
- On Android, .txt files used to automatically open in Dropbox editor in an editing mode. Now it seems to open the file in a view-only mode and I have to click a button to get into editing mode. I'd like to have the ability back to open directly into editing mode.
- Megan
Hi bpimentel, thanks for posting here!
Your feedback regarding this has been very valuable and I will endeavor to make sure your voice is heard.
I will pass on your comments to the relevant departments so that we can further improve how Dropbox affects your everyday lifestyle.
If you need anything else, let me know!
