cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Announcements
Want to learn some quick and useful tips to make your day easier? Check out how Calvin uses Replay to get feedback from other teams at Dropbox here.

Apps and Installations

Have a question about a Dropbox app or installation? Reach out to the Dropbox Community and get solutions, help, and advice from members.

cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Re: Ipad and Iphone viewing of long file names

Ipad and Iphone viewing of long file names

Shawn V.2
New member | Level 1
Go to solution

Our company is having the issue that on the mobile app (using the ipad or iphone) often times the file name is too long to properly view what we are opening. I want to be able to read the entire file name so I know what i am opening since many of the beginning and last parts of the file are exactly the same for filing purposes so I want to be able to view the file name without having to open each one in order to find out. I'm hoping I make sense. Is there something I'm missing where I'm able to do this? I can't "right click" on the file name cause I'm mobile otherwise I would try that 🙂

114 Replies 114

heikkipekka
Helpful | Level 6
Go to solution
  • I can't see the full filename of a file
  • I can't see the full date of a file

What's going on? Who thought this is a good idea on iPad?

 

NO FULL FILENAME and NO FULL DATE ???

 

adecinque
New member | Level 2
Go to solution

I use Dropbox for work. I am a lawyer, and I store many files with somewhat long names. The filename include details like docket name, filing party, relief requested, date, etc. The names aren't crazy long, but they aren't short either. Example:

 

0023 1st Am. Complaint (Jan. 1, 2017).pdf

0024 Defendant Squiggle's Mot. to Dismiss (Jan. 10, 2017).pdf

0025 Plaintiff's Br. IOT Mot. to Dimsiss (Feb. 1, 2017).pdf

0026 Defendant's Mot. for Expedited Discovery (Feb. 10, 2017).pdf

0027 Plaintiff's Br. IOT Mot. for Expedited Discover (Feb. 20, 2017).pdf

 

The problem is that when I look at a folder of files on the iPad, the names are truncated. I see the first few characters of the name, then ..., then the last few characters. That is not enough information; all my filenames have similar beginnings and endings, so I see something like this:

 

0023 1st ... 1, 2017).pdf

0024 Def ... 0, 2017).pdf

0025 Pla ... 1, 2017).pdf

0026 Def ... 0, 2017).pdf

0027 Pla ... 0, 2017).pdf

 

In this view, I can't tell what file I need and have to keep clicking around until I find it. The search function isn't much help because the names are all somewhat similar. Also, I might have hundreds of files in a folder.

 

I see no way to increase the space allotted for names (perhaps by moving the divider between the files and the viewing window). Nor do I see a way to shrink the size of the text or to scroll through the name. 

 

Is there a way to view the whole file name when looking at a folder of files on the iPad? If not, could you please add this feature? Thank you.

Tom H.21
New member | Level 2
Go to solution
The problem with Documents 5 is that you can't have "favorites" (bookmarked documents). So it's only half a help.

RobertBatten
New member | Level 2
Go to solution
And you don’t get the native integration with office documents you do in the dropbox app (open and edit in office from dropbox).

Jcurtis
New member | Level 2
Go to solution

Yes please, fix this as a top priority, you will loose people if its not fixed.

Ian_A6
Collaborator | Level 9
Go to solution

At the moment Files doesn’t solve the problem as the DropBox integration in the Public Beta 2 only opens an even smaller window in the middle of the screen for you to choose your file. 

 

This is may be a restriction of it being a Beta, but the Files app has the same narrow left -hand navigation area as the Dropbox app so even the finished version may not solve the issue entirely (although would be an improvement as the screen real estate on the right is wider)

 

another point i would would make is that the Google Drive iPad app was updated a few months ago and they reduced the size of the file names area so that they now truncate !!

 

as far as I can see, only the Amazon Dive app now natively uses the entire width of the screen on an iPad, but I had multiple sync problems with Amazon Drive and had to stop using it.

MrMXF
Helpful | Level 5
Go to solution

I agree. This is beyond frustrating. I work in the media industry where files often start with fixed patterns associated with a date or client. I have hundreds of files in a folder that appear the same in the iPad app making the app impossible to use.

sound3833
New member | Level 2
Go to solution

Did you ever get an answer or solution to this problem?  I find this a problem as well.

 

Thank you.

MrMXF
Helpful | Level 5
Go to solution

I didn't. I downloaded Readdle Document6 and it provides a better interface for viewing, but it's not got the same level of integration. I currently use Readdle to roughly locate the file in a list and then return to Dropbox to launch the associated app. It's pants, but it works. It seems that iOS11 may have some magic solution. I am not going to hold my breath....

QC2
New member | Level 2
Go to solution

Do you like Google Drive?  I am thinking of moving our company away from Dropbox because of this issue.

Need more support?