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Luc_W's avatar
Luc_W
Helpful | Level 5
8 years ago
Solved

"Open with" option missing

I'm using the Dropbox app in a Pixelbook, and until today, I used to be able to open pdf files using Xodo Docs by clicking on the three vertical dots on the right of the file names.  For some reason,...
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  • rodrigo_dbx's avatar
    rodrigo_dbx
    8 years ago

    Hi Luc_W,

     

    While we figure out why the option went away, you should be still be able to Open With from the document Preview.

     

    1) Tap/click on the PDF that you want to open with. (You should see a preview of the first page).

    2) On the bottom you should see the Open With button that looks like this below:

     

    Hope that helps in the meantime!

     

    Rodrigo

     

     

     

     

  • Lucio's avatar
    Lucio
    8 years ago
    Hello,
     
    We have decided to add the "Open With" action back to the action sheet from file browse screens, and then from the preview screens on Android. This will be included within the next couple stable releases of the Dropbox mobile app that should be available within the following few of weeks.
     
    Sorry for any inconvenience this caused.
gribley's avatar
gribley
Explorer | Level 3
8 years ago

Thanks for the idea. Yes, I have "Export", but that saves the file elsewhere on the device for editing. I want to edit the Dropbox offline/cached file directly, so when I'm done my edits on Android are synced back up to Dropbox.

More details if anyone's interested: My workflow last semester for grading student papers worked great: "Open with" my pdf annotator, make notes and comments, and then save the file, which would sync it back to Dropbox. I could grade dozens of papers on my Android tablet that way, and they would then sync back to my desktop. Exporting would require me then to copy them back over into Dropbox -- an unnecessary step.

Alas, I still can't find the vanished "Open with" option :-(
Jay's avatar
Jay
Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
8 years ago
Hey there,

It’s possible that you chose to permanently open using the built-in Dropbox PDF viewer.

When you select an app to open the file, you'll have the option to use this app "Always" or "Just once." Choosing "Always" sets this app as the default app for opening this type of file from Dropbox.

To change or clear your default apps, you can do so from the Dropbox settings:


- Open the Dropbox app
- Tap on the menu button
- Tap the gear icon (or "Settings" on older versions of the app)
- Scroll down and tap "Manage default apps"
- Find the app you'd like to remove and tap "Remove"
- Confirm the removal by tapping "Clear"

Let me know if after that you get the ‘Open with…’ option!
  • jay h.5's avatar
    jay h.5
    Helpful | Level 6
    8 years ago

    I have the same problem. The suggested "solution" doesn't work. The "open with" option doesn't appear.

     

    If I go to Manage default apps in Settings and remove, say, Word to open .docx files, the next time I go to dropbox to open a .docx file, the dialog box does not include the Open With opton. Instead, I have to open the document in the dropbox viewer. I can use the icon in the lower right corner of the screen to give me the option to select Word, which then launches the "just once/always" dialog. If I select Always, the selection has no effect the next time I want to open a .docx file. I still have to use the lower right corner icon to open in Word. And if I go into Settings>Manage Default applications, Word will be shown as the default. However, dropbox doesn't honor that default.

     

    This is a new problem. Open With used to work and set the default application. There was no need to go through the viewer first to get to what you want to be the default.

    • Jay's avatar
      Jay
      Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
      8 years ago
      Hmm, in this instance, we’ll need to do some further troubleshooting with our support team. 
       
      For any users having the same issue, please could you write in to us with more details, such as what type of phone you’re using, and any additional information you feel would help!

       

       

      [This thread is now closed. If you have a similar or new question, you can ask here.]

      • greig2000uk's avatar
        greig2000uk
        Explorer | Level 3
        8 years ago

        I have the same issue. Its a pain to use the workaround and it doesnt work properly, im using an HTC 10.

        I use a couple of excel worksheets, i have to open them with the standard dropbox method then use the bottom right open with icon (basically opening my document twice) I then have to go back and close the default method that dropbox used to open my document otherwise I cant edit my document with my default app. Also recent documents I open do not stay in the "recents" list now, I have to star them....

         

        lets just keep the replies here where everyone can see them and be updated rather than filling in seperate help requests for the same problem.

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