Need to see if your shared folder is taking up space on your dropbox 👨💻? Find out how to check here.
Forum Discussion
Solved
Replace files without breaking the shared link on desktop application for Mac
Hello,
I have used Dropbox for years to share PDFs on my website. I work on a mac and use the Dropbox desktop application. Previously, when I wanted to replace a PDF under the same name in Dropbox, I just had to save the new PDF by selecting the file I wanted to replace within the Dropbox folder on my Mac. I would click REPLACE and it automatically updated the PDF under the same name without affecting the shared link. Recently, I noticed this is no longer the case. It now deletes the original file and replaces it with a new file under the same name. This breaks the link.
Fortunately, you can replace a file under the same name without affecting the link directly in Dropbox via a browser. This is not as slick, so I hope you bring back this functionality to the desktop app for mac.
Thank you!
Molly
Hi DocMolly, thanks for posting .
This behavior hasn't changed, so if you copy and paste a file with an identical name, the file should be overwritten and the shared link would remain the same since the file would be seen as edited.
Have you recently made any changes on the Mac, such as updating the OS?
This will help me to assist further!
31 Replies
Replies have been turned off for this discussion
- Jay
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hi DocMolly, thanks for posting .
This behavior hasn't changed, so if you copy and paste a file with an identical name, the file should be overwritten and the shared link would remain the same since the file would be seen as edited.
Have you recently made any changes on the Mac, such as updating the OS?
This will help me to assist further!
Hello. Thank you for your response. Well, it wasn't working previously, for about a month's period. It was breaking my links. But I just tried again and now it is working!!! Horray!
Just FYI, unless I misunderstood, when I contacted dropbox support the person who helped me told me that it is expected that the link will break when you save a new file under the same name:
[Removed as per Community Guidelines]
- Jay
Thanks for the info. In general, saving files with the same name would keep the shared link active.
The only issue might arise from an OS update which instead of allowing the file to be overwritten, first deletes the file (which deletes it from Dropbox and the shared link as well) and then adding the file again with the same file name, this time without any shared link.
- Yes, I think it must have been a recent OS update that broke it. But after the latest update, it is working again. Thank you for your help.
Molly - Rich
Super User II
In general, saving files with the same name would keep the shared link active.Just keep in mind that with some applications, while saving over an existing file, they'll first delete the original file before saving the new version with the same name. In such cases, if Dropbox were to sync fast enough, it can register the deletion which will break the link to the file as well.
I am currently having this issue....how can I fix?
Hi,
In the past 24 hours I've sent out 1000 emails with a link to a file I have in Dropbox.
I discovered a correction in the file that needed to be made.
After reading a number of posts/articles it seemed that it should not be an issue.
I cut and pasted the new file with the same name over the old file.
The link does not work and shows the file has been deleted.
How can I restore the link with the new file, or at the very least keep the older file and link?
I've copied the link for your review.
Thanks,
Mark
- Rich
Mark Selker wrote:
How can I restore the link with the new file, or at the very least keep the older file and link?
Restore the previous version of the file and both the file and link will be restored.
This is not helpful, they said wanted a new version of the file so how does it help them to replace with the previous version?
- I just updated my Dropbox app for OS. I reduced a pdf file size and re—saved over the original file with the same name on Dropbox and it broke the link. So this behavior has changed FYI. Latest OS etc.
