"Please enable browser-cookies..." message when trying to view file contents in browser

[semblance]

Hi, I can log in to dropbox.com and browse my folder structure, but when I click on a .txt file to view its contents I get the following error message:

  "Please enable browser-cookies to use the Dropbox website."

Beneath the error message there is a login form, but the 'Login" button is disabled, and remains disabled even when I enter my username and password.

Therefore I cannot login at this prompt (even though I am already logged in dropbox.com), and cannot view file contents.

I am running Chrome 56.0.2924.87 (64-bit) on macOS Sierra 10.12.3 (16D32) on a 2016 MacBook Pro.

My Chrome cookie settings are the default ones, that is Preferences > Show advanced settings > Privacy > Content settings... > Cookies > "Allow local data to be set (recommended)" is enabled, and "Block third-party cookies and site data" is also enabled. Javascript is enabled too.

Any ideas?

[Mark]

Have you checked that you've not accidentally told Chrome to block cookies from Dropbox?

[semblance]

Yes, see my last para. 

Also when I inspect cookies and site data, I can see that many cookies are being successfully set under "dropbox.com" and "www.dropbox.com".

[Mark]

That doesnt answer the question at all.

That only says you are using the default settings. It doesnt say if you have changed the default settings for individual sites. Under the cookies settings tab you can add 'Exceptions'.

[semblance]

OK I checked that, and there are no exceptions.

[Mark]

Tried to clear all cookies and temporary internet files?

[semblance]

I just tried Chrome > Clearing Browsing Data... and deleted everything including cookies, and then logged back into Dropbox - but it is just the same. I can browse through my folder structure but I can't open/view a .txt file.

I tried in Safari, and it works as normal. Interestingly, when I view the text file in Safari the domain in the address bar changes to "dl.dropboxusercontent.com", rather than "www.dropbox.com" which is used for the rest of the website.

UPDATE: I just tried again in Safari and now when I open a text file, the domain remains "www.dropbox.com" and displays the file contents with additional panes across the top and right-hand side. Previously it displayed just the raw file contents without any panes, and the domain in the address bar changed to "dl.dropboxusercontent.com". I am not sure how I got there, I can't seem to do it again.

Anyway, the fact remains that in Chrome it won't display the file contents at all.

[semblance]

Hi, 6 months later this issue is still here.

It is still not possible to view text file content at dropbox.com using the latest version of Chrome (60.0.3112.113) on the latest version of macOS (10.12.6).

As before, I get an error message "Please enable browser-cookies to use the Dropbox website.".

Beneath the error message there is a login form, but the 'Login" button is disabled, and remains disabled even when I enter my username and password.

Therefore I cannot get past this login prompt (even though I am already logged in dropbox.com), and cannot view text file contents.

I am able to use other parts of the UI without any issue, e.g. I can navigate my folder structure, move and delete files, and even view photos. The only time I notice any issue is when I try and view the contents of a text file in the browser.

I am not doing anything weird with my Chrome settings. I do not have any specific domains blocked, nor exceptions, or any other weird policy settings etc.

[Jane]

Hey @semblance, 

Hmmmm... Let's try a couple of things together! 

There's a plugin that's probably the culprit and is blocking visual elements of the app loading correctly! 

First off, are you experiencing this in a work environment (eg. are there any security settings, such as an antivirus plugin on your browser)? 

Secondly, have you tried repeating through an incognito sessionn and see if this persists? 

Looking forward to hearing back from you here! 

[semblance]

Hi Jane, thanks for helping.

To answer your questions:

• I don't have any browser plugins, nor am I working in a corporate environment
• I'm running vanilla Chrome on vanilla macOS
• If I run in "incognito" mode, the behaviour is the same

I noticed a few other things:

• If I allow third-party cookies (Chrome > Preferences > Advanced > Privacy and Security > Content Settings... > Cookies > Block third-party cookies > disable), then the problem goes away - however, I obviously don't want to do this permanently because it is a massive security risk and allows web sites to track you with impunity
• The web page that displays text file contents is served from dropbox.com (where I signed in), but appears to fetch content from other domains e.g. dl.dropboxusercontent.com. The area that prompts for login appears to be an iframe.

Based on the above, it looks like dropbox.com may be making assumptions about third-party cookie behaviour that are not compatible with the default third-party cookie policies in Chrome.

Has anyone tried to reproduce the issue by viewing a text file at dropbox.com in Chrome on macOS?