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

nanlouwoo wrote:

Yesterday. An edit was saved to the folder and overrode the original.

The only way that would happen is if the person editing the file was logged in. If this was you testing the link, then you were likely still logged in with your own account.

You can even see in your own screenshot that in order to save the file, Dropbox wants you to login or sign up. The Save button also appears to be greyed out because you're not signed in.

I've just tested this again with a JPG image to more closely match your example. I load the view-only link into a private browsing session while not logged in. The image looks like this:

I make some adjustments to the image and I get a Save button at the bottom, similar to your example. Again, it tells me that I need to log in or sign up to save.

Clicking the Save button at the bottom closes the editing tools and shows me the final image.

At this point the image is still not saved, because if I look at the original while logged in on my other browser, the image is still the original with no edits saved.

Additionally, if I refresh the private session where I'm not signed in and made the edits, I'm asked to confirm that I want to leave the page because the file may not be saved.

If I click Leave page so the page is refreshed, I'm back to the original image again.

Save button on bottom

Save button on bottom takes me to "sign in". This is not what was happening yesterday

Yesterday. An edit was saved to the folder and overrode the original. Below you can see what was saved. It is a flipped copy (note address is backwards) because I experimented to see if an edit could be saved.

original :

What did I miss? What is supposed to happen?

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

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

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.

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"?

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!

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.

 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.

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?