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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.
MariedbDropbox Staff
@all, thanks for the feedback, as Bruce said, we'll be passing this feedback along to the team. Your feedback will be invaluable to improve the overall file viewing experience.
Thanks!
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.
Marie I pay $300 per year for multiple Dropbox accounts, not just my own.
Screenshots:
We're considering switching to another cloud service if Dropbox is unable to fix this because being able to see the whoile name is important to us. Can we slide the dividing line (between filenames & photos) sideways?
Please click on the screenshots!
PLEASE FIX!
Mock-up screenshot suggestion:
http://i.imgur.com/BAULGXQ.jpg
Simple solution = 4 hours programming time for an XCode developer?
Make the dividing line slideable -- drag left/right to reveal more of the filename.(Dropbox staff: Please view the above screenshot suggestion...)
We pay $7,000 a year for our company wide business accounts...as I mentioned above we are phasing out dropbox because of their lack of tech support with this MAJOR issue.
Wow, Dropbox is losing $7000/year of business because of this problem?
Hey, yoo hoo Dropbox staff! (Yes, you) 🙂
I want to remind multiple different bug-reporters here are paying users that pay hundreds or thousands dollars. We aren't "Free Dropbox Whiners".
A suggested easy fix (mockup screenshot): http://i.imgur.com/BAULGXQ.jpg
...Dropbox Employees: You're doing a good job, but please remind managers of this thread and show them the image.
...Dropbox Management: Please highlight this at future meetings.
...Dropbox Investors: Why is Dropbox leaving money on the table? This is a warning canary for investors/IPO if Dropbox is unable to quickly fix easy low-lying apples like these in less than 12 months.
...Dropbox Human Resources: You need resources to fix "low lying apple bugs".
...Dropbox Ticket Triage: I realize you're trying to do a business case for "which bugs has the most upvotes". Yes, I know you're worried about the urgent bugfixes and critical security holes. But why not have one developer resource solely focussed on "Low Lying Apple" fixes like these to "Keep The Cash Flowing"?? Sometimes specific bugs are so hard to describe (yet are easy to fix -- I am an XCode Developer and I can tell you that this bugfix would take only 4 hours to do -- that's less than $200 of developer time -- and even for expensive QA on all iPads in existence, it would still be less than $500 of QA testing time).This bug has many separate reports by different people (other than me):
iPad Long Filename Feedback (example 1)
https://www.dropboxforum.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/202197529-Ipad-and-Iphone-viewing-of-long-file-namesiPad Long Filename Feedback (example 2)
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2293199iPad Long Filename Feedback (exhibit 3)
https://www.dropboxforum.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/203317409-Ipad-app-file-namesiPad Long Filename Feedback (exhibit 4)
https://www.dropboxforum.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/203977145-Truncated-file-names-In-iOS-appsiPad Long Filename Feedback (exhibit 5)
https://www.dropboxforum.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/201674909-iPad-app-questioniPad Long Filename Feedback (exhibit 6)
https://www.dropboxforum.com/hc/es/community/posts/202139715--iPad-Mini-How-can-I-change-the-width-of-the-file-menu-so-filenames-become-easier-to-readiPad Long Filename Feedback (exhibit 7)
https://www.dropboxforum.com/hc/pt/community/posts/202253959-How-can-I-check-the-full-filenames-in-dropbox-for-iosiPad Long Filename Feedback (exhibit 😎
https://www.dropboxforum.com/hc/pt/community/posts/203738293-How-do-I-view-long-Dropbox-file-names-on-Dropbox-website-iPad-and-iPhoneiPad Long Filename Feedback (exhibit 9)
https://www.reddit.com/r/dropbox/comments/2jq0kd/is_it_possible_to_see_full_file_names_in_ipad_app/iPad Long Filename Feedback (exhibit 10)
http://www.ipadforums.net/threads/dropbox-abbreviated-filenames.88659/...and more I've not listed. I've only listed 10 for brevity.
If all of this was a SINGLE thread, there would be HUNDREDS of upvotes.REASON: Why are there many threads?
They are hard to do one search term for, because of different terms like "long filenames ipad", "truncated names iPad", "cut off names", "files chopped off" and other names that are completely independent searches. So it is hard for people to find these and upvote them.A suggested easy fix (mockup screenshot): http://i.imgur.com/BAULGXQ.jpg
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?
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.
Dropbox: Mark R is one smart cookie. You should hire him as a consultant to fix this problem right away so I can stop looking like an idiot in front of my clients trying to scan hundreds of files for "160414 QW&D Thompson Exteriors Rev 5". Offer Mark double what you were just thinking you would have to pay him.
Mark R: if Dropbox offers you a consult job, please send me a check for half the fee!
All dropbox clients: after Mark R fixes this, please send him and me a nickel every time you drag the sidebar boundary.
Thanks everyone!
I actually thought Dropbox would have corrected this issue by now. It kinda tells me there not interested in what their clients think. How stupid is this for such an easy fix. Tell me all I need to know.
I'll be looking to make a switch away from Dropbox soon.
