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Forum Discussion
updating a shared file while keeping shared link the same
Hello,
I am constantly updating a book I am writing. I have shared a link to a PDF document on Dropbox with reviewers.
Even though I am replacing the file I shared with the exact same file name when they are going back to the link, they're getting a message "file has been deleted"
How can i share a link in a way that whenever they click it, they are getting my latest version?
6 Replies
- Rich
Super User II
realbillsf wrote:
Even though I am replacing the file I shared with the exact same file name when they are going back to the link, they're getting a message "file has been deleted"
This depends on how you're replacing the file and, if you're saving over the existing file, how your application saves files.
In order to preserve the link to a file, the file needs to be replaced with the new version without first being deleted. When saving an existing file, many applications will first delete the original file before saving the new version with the same name. If this happens, Dropbox will see this as a deletion of one file (thus removing the link) and the addition of a new file. If the application you're using saves in this manner, the only thing you can do is save the file to a new location and then manually replace it without deleting the original file first.
How, exactly, are you replacing the file?
In pages, I am exporting a file. Then i go to Dropbox and uploaded, allowing Dropbox to replace the file. It has the same name so i assume Dropbox replaces the old file with the new one.
It seemed to work at times, but lately, I've noticed it isn't though why, i don't know because i haven't changed my method of exporting, replacing, and uploading to Dropbox.- In Apple Pages, I export a pdf file, replacing the old version.
Then I upload to Dropbox, overwriting the previous version - Jay
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hi realbillsf, just for clarification, are you uploading the file directly to the Dropbox site, and not via the desktop app or the mobile app?
I am doing this on my MacBook Air. When i am finished with some editing in Pages, I do an export, replacing it. Then i go to dropbox using Chrome, uploading it to the same place.
Now that I've read some comments, i am clear that when i want the link to continue working, i should never delete the file, even if the link remains the same. I'll just upload and replace it. Is there anything else of which i should be aware?
- Jay
No, that's it, deleting the file will always delete the shared link.
Uploading the file while it already exists will overwrite it and keep the link.
