Is there a way to choose whether .zip files are previewing on the Dropbox website?

[Justin P.2]

I'm a long time Dropbox user and today I went to check if some older links were still active that I had sent to a cleint. 

Most of the files are send out are zipped for various reasons. 

It seems that Dropbox will now unzip zipped files in the web browser so the end user can see what's in the zipped file.

Is this true? Is there a way to turn it off? One specfic workflow I use reqiires the zip file to remain zipped and could cause issues if the user has access to an unzipped version, especially on Dropbox.

[Justin P.2]

That is really unfortunate. Why do people need to see inside a zip file on the Dropbox website?

Just download the thing and start using it.

[Mark]

Personally I agree... I dont really use Zip files as I've enough space on my account to have them on their unzipped.

Maybe its worth lodging a ticket with support and asking if it can become a variable option on links, or, if business a per-company setting

[Justin P.2]

For me, I don't zip the files for the sake of saving space, I do it beacsue one file format in particular that I use is actually a folder of specific files and subfolders and the protocol is to zip it up for transmission to avoid corruption and to keep everything perfectly in place.

Now that my clients can see inside the zip they are doing all sorts of crazy things trying to access the file instead of just clicking what was once a nice simple Download button without temptation or confusion due to being able to see inside the zip file.

[Justin P.2]

Also, this issue is not solved.

[Mark]

Unfortunately anybody can mark any post as solved. So another user has marked the post as solved I'm afraid.

[csnelson929]

Thank you!

[Peter-Paul B.]

I use dropbox for a few years. Also daily with download links for my clients and when I use a link to a zip file it is confusing for a client to see the download button. I had several questions from my clients: I can see the files but how can I download?

Here is a comment from a client: We can not save the files in Dropbox. All files are visible, is there perhaps a security on the files?

I Think this should change. Dropbox is easy and this is not logical

Change dl=0 to dl=1 workes good, but to do this every time manually is not an option.

So my advice: a large download button and option to see the files inside

Hopefully you can take this in notice

[Justin P.2]

Exactly. The downlaod button should be big and very visible, not hiding at the top right. And now that you can navigate inside zip files which is a terrible idea, even the little downlaod button goes away once you are inside it.

I can't beleive somebody thoguht this new "feature" was a good idea.

[morganw951]

I completely agree. This was a terrible "feature" idea and is causing great frustration with my clients and myself. A .zip archive link should always be a straight and obvious download only, or at least the foremost prominent option displayed in a browser, not the contents.

[Alistar3000]

This is a terrible feature - when I zip files and upload to Dropbox it's usually because I want to share them as a single file with people, not have them go to the zip file contents and have to navigate through them. 

Surely this should be a configurable setting on a file by file basis.

At least I can still share single zip files through Google Drive.