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Forum Discussion
File Request - Please provide an option to NOT rename our uploaded files
We receive tons of file submissions from our business partners daily. However, a large part of the time I spend managing these submissions is spent renaming the files because they're automatically prefixed or suffixed with the Dropbox username of the user that uploaded the file. This causes a lot of unnecessary work and wasted time.
I am requesting that you allow us - the paying Dropbox users - the option to determine for ourselves if the Dropbox username is desired . . . or, if the original unaltered filenames are what we'd like to have to work with.
Thank you.
PS - If I've linked you to this message, it was because you had created or responded to a thread that included the terms File & Request. I know this may not apply to everyone, but if you think that this is a reasonable feature to add (at least, the option to not have the Dropbox user prefixed or suffixed onto the original file name), then please vote for and link other Dropbox members that you think might benefit from this feature, and promote this idea!
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Hi everyone,
We are very happy to let you all know that the ability to remove the Dropbox username from a file name when submitting a File Request is now available.
When creating the File Request, simply click on the trashcan icon next to the "Sender's name" field to remove this from the incoming files.
We know that a lot of you have been very keen to see this feature added and we hope it now makes using File Requests a little bit easier for you all.
Thank you for you patience getting to here and for choosing Dropbox!
Have a great day!
Graham
Dropbox is changing the filenames of files that someone is uploading through a "file request" to my Dropbox. However, these files need to link to an index file and by changing the names it breaks the link so I don't want it to rename them. Can you tell me how to stop Dropbox from renaming files automatically putting the name of the person uploading into the filename? This is driving me mad.
- Mark
Super User II
I'm afraid if you are using File Uploads there is no way to stop this.
A work around would be to use a Shared Folder with the other person, or, them to upload everything as 1 zip file which you then unzip and get everything out of.
You should tell people before they send out a file request that the files will be renamed. No on expects that, and once you have received hundreds of files with mangled names it's too late.
- Graham
Community Manager
Hi everyone,
We are very happy to let you all know that the ability to remove the Dropbox username from a file name when submitting a File Request is now available.
When creating the File Request, simply click on the trashcan icon next to the "Sender's name" field to remove this from the incoming files.
We know that a lot of you have been very keen to see this feature added and we hope it now makes using File Requests a little bit easier for you all.
Thank you for you patience getting to here and for choosing Dropbox!
Have a great day!
Graham
- Awesome. Thanks for listening to us on this key issue with this feature.
@sunspots your persistence paid off here. Well done and thank you!OMG! FINALLY!!!!!
This is super exciting and I'm very glad that this was finally added to the file request feature. It's too bad it took so long, but now file requests can actually be a useful feature to the workflow!
Thank you!!!!!!!
😀
Is there a way to do this via API?
Is there a way when sending a file request to adjust a setting to remove the current formatting that inserts the name of the person who submits the file in front of the file name? Current formatting: John Doe - RequestedFile.xlsx Desired formatting: RequestedFile.xlsx Thank you!
- MarkNo there isnt, sorry.
However, they can put *ANYTHING* in those boxes so if you require specific info make sure you tell them that when they log on- Jay
Dropbox Staff
There isn't an option to put a blank name since you'll get an error.
A way around this is to instead type a space for the first and last name, though it might not look as pretty for a filename to be preceded by multiple spaces.
I know this is an old thread, but I just found a simple way to do this:
On both Mac and Winddows, you can use Adobe's free Bridge software, as shown in this video:
https://creativepro.com/creativepro-video-how-to-batch-rename-files-in-adobe-bridge/
Or, for Mac only: TidBits has a terrific article about easy file renaming here: https://tidbits.com/2018/06/28/macos-hidden-treasures-batch-rename-items-in-the-finder/
How do I stop changes to filename when files uploaded using the file request function?
Yesterday, I tested a new file request that I set up. The uploaded file had my dropbox user name added as a prefix to the filename. I expected to get around 350 files uploaded from about 80 different people. If I proceed with this file request, I would have to rename all the filenames. It is very important that the beginning of the filename isn't changed and is able to be sorted into ascending order for the file request to be useful to me.
I did checkout some previous messages, dating back to 2015 with the same issue. Saying that there was no solution to this issue. It seems like the assumption that everyone wants to know who sent the file.
A possible solution would be to add three options to have the the username
- added as a prefix
- added as a suffix
- or not added at all
I hope this can be resolved, so I can use the File Request feature.
That's what I thought, this just means that the File Transfer function is totally useless for the task I had planned to use it for as I don’t want to have to rename 350 files.
Is there any process for requesting a review or change to File Transfer function?Is there any other way to get files put into DropBox from a large number of people without a DropBox account where the file name remains the same?
Dropbox appends uploader's NAME to the file names automatically when when upload files from File Request function. Please provide us an option of not appending client's name to the File Request function. We often receive hundreds of uploaded files through "File Request" feature and we need to maintain the uploaded files original names.
Please review and modify the program.
Thanks,
Michael
Please let us opt out of DropBox changing the file names. This a huge Direction to our workflow. As you know software recognizes file names and when someone upload something it gets changed and therefore we have to spend time to change all the files needlessly because DropBox added to them.
- Walter
This idea is going to need some additional support before we can share it with our team.
I've updated the status to encourage more users to back it up!
- Walter
So in the past, when someone uploaded a file using the File Request feature, your system would add the name they added during the upload process first, followed by their file's filename
So for instance if John Smith was uploading a file named IMG_0123.jpg, the filename your system would put on the uploaded file would be
John Smith IMG_0123.jpg
That was wonderful, as I could easily sort by who uploaded the photo and do some operations on them.
As of the last few weeks, though, your filenames are coming up exactly opposite that: IMG_0123 John Smith.jpg
What the hell?
EDIT: As I dig into this, I see that you've added a "naming conventions" item to your File Requests edit screen.So, appreciate the flexibility but HOW ABOUT YOU TELL US ABOUT IT BEFORE IT TAKES EFFECT?
I got a couple hundred files with basically useless filenames...or that I have to go through and rename due to your making a random chance without saying anything.
NEXT PROBLEM...I have dozens of file requests...is there ANY WAY to make a default for ALL of my requests? or do I need to go into each and every one of them to change them back to how they were previously?
I'd think that if you make a change like this, you'd let the status quo be in place before a change occurs.
EDIT AGAIN: Holy hell! I see now that when I change the naming convention, it changes the filenames that have already been uploaded. I'm a little unsure as to whether I love this...but there it is.
- Hannah
Hey twindux, thanks for taking the time to post to our Community.
Indeed, we've made some changes to file requests and you can now use naming conventions for them, with multiple options, depending on the file type.
I will however, pass your comments along to our team, so thank you for the feedback.
If you have any further questions, just let us know!
Interesting that they chose to close the other thread without any kind of meaningful response. Thanks for bumping. This is still an incredibly frustrating function to navigate around for anyone who relies on file naming as part of their file organization... which is literally everyone.
I had no idea this was happening. It does not happen to my team, but perhaps on larger teams? I agree that it should be an option.
Agreed, @sunspots, workaround is definitely the key word.
It is also dumb that we have to request turning off a "feature" like we are asking for a new feature. We don't want to add anything, we want to toggle or remove something that should have been optional in the first place with a FILE MANAGEMENT AND STORAGE CLOUD SERVICE, marketing to professionals with a "pro" plan.
Why do we have to vote to ask to toggle something? We need a better avenue for this.
Pro's, my behind. We're suckers with no better options, because all the others have even more issues in my testing and exploration.
If you are copied on this Dropbox Ideas thread, it was because you had created or responded to a thread that included the terms File, Request or FileRequest.
If you think that we, the Dropbox end user should have the option to KEEP the original filename as the sender created it before uploading, PLEASE vote for this idea!
Dropbox gives us this hint to draw more people into an idea for voting for it :
USE IT!
Be active, and link this idea to your colleagues, friends or other Dropbox members that you think might benefit from this feature, and promote this idea!
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