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Cannot edit some text files in Dropbox on iPhone?
In the Dropbox app on iPhone SE, I can open all my text files, but in some of them I do not get the Edit icon (looks like a cursor) at bottom left, so cannot edit them.
In others, I get the Edit icon at bottom left, and can edit them.
In both cases the text files are from the Notepad app on my Windows 10 PC.
When I cannot edit a text file, the settings and menus that I can call up do not seem to provide any solution.
Am I missing something?
Mike
K-C-L (and others following)
Thanks! You're onto the right cause, and solution ...well, workaround.
Dropbox App editor won't handle either certain characters (extended) or Windows Notepad default ANSI files. A pretty obvious shortcoming. These get rendered in a non-editable file - which looks like monospaced courier, but doesn't make a space for each <spacebar>. Go figure.
Anyway, the workarounds are:
- Convert all your Notepad ANSI files to UTF-8 (open file in Notepad, Save As..., dropdown box -> choose UTF-8 and Save. (Save all new files as UTF-8). This is what I am doing.
- Open the file in Dropbox App. Select a word, then Select All. Copy. Create new file (Text). Paste into the window, name, and Create. Kinda klugy.
Those both work - I've tested.
- There is a way to change Notepad default to UTF-8, which would prevent this from re-occurring, but you have to touch the Registry (I don't want to do that)
- Download Notepad++ which apparently can set a default without touching the Registry (cannot verify). Reportedly Notepad++ takes less resources too (don't know about that either)
OK, a PITA. But do-able. I guess.
But, the real problem is Dropbox App cannot show text files (.txt) in monospaced font (e.g. Menlo or Courier). This is basically a disqualifier for Dropbox for musicians who use text files to create Tab, or Notation files, or chord charts. That's a lot of people left out in the cold. Since they all share files, so Dropbox could / should own this market, but have shut themselves out.
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- More information
I looked at Mike’s files, and they appear the same as what I see on my iPad. His file that CANNOT be edited appears in luscious fixed width font, but no editing icon. His file that CAN be edited is in thoroughly unapppealing and non functional sans serifed proportional font, but the icon is there and I can edit it.
You asked to do an experiment on a CAN’T edit file - copy the whole file and open a blank one, paste the contents in, save it, then see if it can be edited. The answer is YES I can copy the contents to a new file, and edit the new file, however, it is presented in proportional font. Sigh.
That’s not a solution IMO, just a workaround, and it doesn’t address the fixed width issue. But there you go. - OK Sanchez, one more item of note.
In the file that I CAN’T edit, what I see is in monspaced, fixed width serifed font. And, where there is type, each typed character is the same width. However, where more than one space bar created space exists, only one space actuallly shows.
So
123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
1 space between C’’’’’ F’’’’’ and G’’
this line has more C’’’’’ F’’’’’ and G’’
In the file that I CAN’T edit, the phrase
C’’’’’ F’’’’’ and G’’
Looks like this:
C’’’’’ F’’’’’ and G’’
The “missing spaces” are not expected of course, but may offer further clues...
Mike if you are following along, does all this comport with what you see?
Cardinal 2B - thanks for the replies. I have not had time to do more on this yet, and am still busy with some other stuff re an imminent trip.
Re suggestion from Sanchez (above), would YOU like to raise a ticket about this? You seem to know a bit more than I do anyway?
When I copied/pasted into a new Notepad file, I still could not edit it, but I would need to run some more tests and can't do it just now.
Life was simpler before technology made everything easier.
Also, we don't seem to be able to attach files to our messages here?
Mike
Mike / Sanchez
I started by filing a support request email. Then was hunting around and found your thread with the same problem. It takes 72hrs for a response. When I get one I will advise.
Mike I would not let that stop you from starting your own.
- Sanchez
Dropbox Community Moderator
Cardinal2B / Sanchez:
In Notepad in Windows, I have again just opened a .txt file (that I cannot edit in Dropbox on iPhone), copied all its contents into a new Notepad .txt file and saved it to my Dropbox folder.
But I cannot edit this resulting file in Dropbox on iPhone either, as I found before. Contrary to Cardinal2B's findings, it seems, so I don't have this workaround.
Mike
Mike,
I did it a little differently.
Open the CANNOT.txt file in Dropbox App
Highlight a word, Select All, and Copy.
In upper left on Dropbox App screen tap “go back” < arrow
Now you are on the files screen, and at the bottom use the Create (+) button, choose Create or Upload a file, then Text File.
Tap in the screen, and Paste (you should see the contents of your CANNOT.txt file, but now in proportional font).
Hit “Next” at upper right.
Tap filename to change it from Untitiled to YESICAN.txt, and tap Done
Now either accept the location, or change it (under the Save Location heading), and click on Create in the upper right, which actually saves the file you made called YESICAN.txt
A PITA I know. But now you should have a copy of the file saved, and you should be able to edit it.Cardinal2B - thank you for the details of your workaround, but obviously, I doubt that I would do all that, though the number of .txt files that I use is very limited.
So yes, I'll try it, and this does prove that you know more about this kind of thing than I do, so I am very happy that you have sailed into this discussion.
Mike
Sanchez and Cardinal2B - Another detail that may be relevant - for ALL my .txt files, I don't use any of the formal fonts, I write them all in Comic Sans MS.
I am wondering whether it would make any difference if I found out which is the most common font in the world (Arial, Courier . . .?) and used that.
Mike
Cardinal2B and Sanchez -
I just googled and found the following. I don't agree with him/her, the only font that annoys me is Times New Roman, but so what?
The 10 fonts below are overused and patently annoying, and we give 10 good reasons to stop using all of them.- Trajan. ...
- Arial. ...
- Comic Sans. ...
- Franklin Gothic. ...
- Helvetica. ...
- Bradley Hand (and Other “Handwritten” Fonts) ...
- Courier and Courier New. ...
- Papyrus. Papyrus is the king of bad fonts.
