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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.
- Rich
Super User II
Is there something I'm missing where I'm able to do this?Nope, you're not missing anything. That's how it is and there's nothing that can be done about it. It has been a problem for some time now.
PLEASE, PLEASE sort this out! Every time a new update comes out I get disappointed because you don't address the issue over file names being truncated on the iPad version. It's really difficult to differentiate similar file names when they are truncated over on the left -hand side with all that unused preview space on the right. Can't we just have the ability to scrap the previews? I don't need them and I'd MUCH rather just choose the file I want from a list of the FULL names.
Its such a brilliant product apart from this. OneDrive and all the other just don't come close in terms of speed and usablity.
MariedbDropbox Staff
Hi there Ian!
Thanks very much for your message and your feedback. Our engineers are working hard on fixing this as soon as possible. I cannot tell you which release this will be out at, but I will make sure that your message is passed on again.
Thanks very much for your patience and thanks for using Dropbox!
- Look forward to seeing this implemented late 2056.
It's absolutely ridiculous levels of incompetence that this issue has been plaguing the iPad users for literally years. It's a semi-catastrophic UI issue that still hasn't been addressed.
It makes finding the right file a monumental pain, because we do live in a world where 8.3 characters went out of fashion quite a long time ago.
I can not see all my long name file. It is a reason not use Dropbox. I have to open each file to see its full name. Is there any solution??
I can't see either and I need to print the screen and check off what documents I have or don't have based on the entire file name, but I can't print the entire file name from the screen and, like you, must click on each document to do so. It's creating a lot of work for me.
Finally there is solution for this annoying issue. there is a dropdown menu to the right hand side of the file name. click on it and you'll see the file's full name. You can even rename it or move it to another folder.
Really not even half a solution for me.
That the iPad App is unable to clearly display even moderately long folder/file names renders it and Dropbox unusable. I am using a 12.9 iPad Pro, which has a good sized screen, but because Dropbox have chosen to squeeze the folder/file names viewer into a small portion of the left side of the app it is impossible to see what files are in the folders without individually clicking on each file to investigate. It is not possible to resize the folders/files viewer or display it in full screen.
Like many users I have many folders and files with long names - for my work they need to be named in this way. And not being able to quickly see the names of these files before opening them slows down my productivity considerably. I am a paying Dropbox user and now need to use it daily on an iPad. Unfortunately this App is not fit for purpose, and I am led to believe that Dropbox have no intention of fixing this issue. I will therefore have to move my business to another cloud service.
Has this feature been discontinued? The list of files remain truncated and clicking the right hand menus only sort, they do not reveal the full names unless it gives you the download the file screen. When there are 376 sequentially named jpgs, this is more than cumbersome. I am using a desktop computer.
There is a work-around in iOS 11.
Open DropBox.
Slide up to see dock. Pick any program on the dock and slide up to create a separate window and then enlarge that window to half screen.
Now you can see the whole file names.
Messy, but it works.
- Mariedb
Hi everyone!
Thanks for the feedback. I'll make sure to pass it along to the team.
Thanks again for posting on our Community :)
Marie, any progress on this? Your team needs to make the sidebar text smaller, or even better show a full screen which is what we see on our computers.
This is a serious issue as far as diminishing the usability of Dropbox and should have a high priority for getting fixed!
Completely agree Elizabeth E...this is a HUGE problem for our company. We have people in company spending hourse renaming files simply so they can be used in the field properly on the ipad.
BruceHi everyone!
As of v4.0 the app now has a downward arrow button to the right of the file (or folder) name that will show you the full name, as well as other file (or folder) actions. This allows you to see the full name without leaving your current view. Appreciate the feedback and the posts to our community threads, thanks!
- Not really a fix when one needs to see files and names in their directory context. Naming nomenclature for companies and teams are designed around grouping files by projects or types. Amazing that I can do this on the iPhone by changing the orientation, but on the larger screened iPad one is constrained to a small column.
Bruce, yes this is a little better and we are using it. But really the half and half screen doesn't really accomplish anything, as the right hand document remains the same as we scroll through files on the left. What was the benefit intended from having a split screen? The full screen list of file names works great on the computer, and would work great for iPads and iPhones. Don't you think? Also, once we click to open a document we have to click again to get rid of the left pane and open up full document view. And who wants to click down a loooong list of file names one at a time to find the right document? Other than that, Dropbox is just fabulous and don't know how I lived without it! ;^)
