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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...
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.
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....
I would suggest to try "Long Path Tool" program.
Why has this not been addressed yet? I found many threads going back years complaining about being able to read long file names in the ipad app.
Our organizational system / business requires long-ish file names most of which start and end the same way on any given project.
There really should be a way to view the whole file name. Maybe add an option to close the preview pane?
Total frustration at the time Dropbox has taken to fix the ridiculously short file names that show in IOS - iPad.
This is such an obvious and painful fact when you have more than a few files which have similar files with show shortened to the point of mostly unusable.
Searching in community a comment was posted in 2015 and a response was it would be sorted soon!
Recently cancelled my paid Dropbox account and switched to OneDrive which finally added offline folders in IOS a little slower than Dropbox and has a slightly longer truncated file name view.
I still think Dropbox is a superior product but when it comes to doing the right thing displaying filenames Dropbox rates and F!
Maybe it will all be fixed in IOS 11 with the coming file system but the glacial improvement of key features like ridiculously short file names in IOS must surely mean Dropbox is doomed against a nowdays faster learning Microsoft.
I'm constantly frustrated by the DropBox iOS app (and many other apps too, for that matter) because the file-name column on the left is not adjustable and hides long file names.
Even on an iPad Pro 12.9" screen, I can't see which specific file I'm after. I have thousands of files that are named using a date-name convention, and sometimes I'll have a great many files on one day. This screenshot is an example of what I mean. Can DropBox introduce adjustable columns, or at least offer several different options such as left-third, centre, and right-third?
Now they added a "view by content" on the left menu... they could add a "view by long filename" to let the app extend the filename column all over the space on the right. Then, when one clicks on the file, it could go back to the left as it is showing the file on the right. They reached the moon, seems ridicoulus they can't simply turn a bolt. I'll never understand, seems they don't use the app by themselves ?
