My "can view" link to a file is still allowing others to edit

Hey there, nanlouwoo, thanks for your post today.

Would you mind checking this again on your end, by opening the "can view" link through a private browsing/incognito window to see if you get the same behavior?

Can you also make sure the "can edit" link is deleted, by clicking on the "..." (ellipsis) icon next to the file on this page and then choosing the "delete edit link" option if it's there?

Let me know what you find.

I went to that page and deleted the edit link then opened in a private browser and the edit link is back there. I have logged out 4 times and deleted the link each time but it's still there.

How are you testing that the link allows for editing? Has someone actually been able to edit the file? If so, is it changing your copy of the file or only theirs?

 I sent it to someone who was able to edit and save the edit. It did not change my original copy.

I did another trouble shoot. I pasted the "allowed to edit link" on a word doc. Then I deleted that link from Drop Box and asked for the "view only link". I pasted that in the same word doc.

The two links are identical. So it's not really producing a "view only" link.

Update. There are two places that you can delete the edit link. I deleted the edit link in both places. When I asked for the view link, it says there is no view link. I ask to generate a new link. That "new" link that is generated is is identical to the old edit link.

Hey nanlouwoo, thanks for the additional info.

Just to clarify, a "can view" link allows the recipient to both download a file to their computer and/or save it to their Dropbox account. 

This saves a copy of the file, not the original, which allows the recipient to edit it. 

Since it's not the original file, and since their edits did not affect the original, it seems like the behavior you're seeing is the expected one.

I hope this helps, but if you have questions or concerns, let me know!

It allows them to edit it right in Drop Box using Drop Box tools on the Drop Box page. They can also save it to the Drop Box file. They don't have a Drop Box account so they are not saving it in their own account. They don't have an account. They are saving the edited copy in the file on Drop Box. The original is gone. There is even a warning that the original will be permanently changed.

If this is the intended purpose, there is no reason for a "view only" link. What is the difference between "edit" and "view"?

nanlouwoo wrote:

I sent it to someone who was able to edit and save the edit. It did not change my original copy.

nanlouwoo wrote:

They are saving the edited copy in the file on Drop Box. The original is gone.

I just want to be clear. You previously stated that the edit did not change your original file, but later said that the original is gone. Which is the actual result that you're seeing?

nanlouwoo wrote:

They don't have a Drop Box account so they are not saving it in their own account. They don't have an account.

They would need an account in order to edit the file. When not logged in and viewing a file from an edit link, Dropbox prompts the person to log in or sign up to do more with the file.

That screenshot is from an edit link opened in a browser while I wasn't signed in. I was unable to edit or save the file anywhere. The only options available were to view or download the file.

To clarify the first situation: I meant that the editing did not change MY original file! It changed the original file that I gave access to. (I was not understanding all of this and wanted to make sure MY file could not be changed so I tested it again.)

I'm not using the "share file" option. I'm copying the link and emailing it to the other person. I got this suggestion from Drop Box. They said the link can be emailed and it works perfectly (ish) The recipient is not forced to have a Drop Box account.

Anyone has "access to view" if they have the link

I logged out of my account and sent a view only link to someone else. After clicking the link, they were given full editing privilege