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JamieCarr0520's avatar
JamieCarr0520
Helpful | Level 5
3 years ago

Error message: Cannot open this file. Access denied.

I cannot open files within one of my folders on my desktop app. I get the error message "There was an error opening this file. Access denied." I am able to open the files in this folder on the web or on my home laptop, but not at my work PC. My boss is also having the same issue. I checked the number of pathways thinking that might be it, but if I go to another folder with the same amount of pathways, I don't have any issues. 

  • Hi everyone. It turns out that the file path was way too long. We shortened a bunch of the folder names and that seemed to work! Thanks for all the help.

    • JamieCarr0520's avatar
      JamieCarr0520
      Helpful | Level 5

      Hi Chris, I have checked and it says I have full permissions. I discovered I am actually able to open the excel files in that folder but not the PDF files. As I said, my boss is having the same issue. Oddly enough, we don't experience this issue at our home laptops.

      • Hannah's avatar
        Hannah
        Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

        Hey JamieCarr0520, is this error message coming from Dropbox or from your computer's OS?

         

        Can you please send us a screenshot, so we can have a visual too?

         

        Thanks!

  • JamieCarr0520's avatar
    JamieCarr0520
    Helpful | Level 5

    FYI, I can go onto a browser, open the documents no problem, and even download the document to my laptop and open it. I can even copy the document from that folder, move it to a different folder, and open it. The issue is only occurring when I try to open that specific document from that folder.

    • Chris_J's avatar
      Chris_J
      Icon for Super User rankSuper User

      Thanks for elaborating here on your problem.  Question:  you stated that you have full permissions, how do you know?  did you do what the article that I've linked suggested?

       

      it says specific procedures to cure permissions issues.  I don't know if you are using Windows or Mac but it certainly helps

  • JamieCarr0520's avatar
    JamieCarr0520
    Helpful | Level 5

    Hi everyone. It turns out that the file path was way too long. We shortened a bunch of the folder names and that seemed to work! Thanks for all the help.

    • Chris_J's avatar
      Chris_J
      Icon for Super User rankSuper User

      Thanks for letting us know.  this will help someone in the future if they have the same issue

       

      Happy Dropboxing