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.

[pasamio]

I completely agree with Matthew J, there is already an experience where you navigate inside of something: it's called a folder. If I want to have a folder, I'd create a folder. However I want to share a ZIP archive that should be downloaded. The intent is in uploading the ZIP file to begin with. If I wanted someone to navigate and examine a folder with the option to download the folder, I'd create a folder. Give someone the option to preview a zip archive if that's what they want just as you can download a folder zipped up.

[James D.1]

I just wanted to echo the other users who have explained why this doesn't work for many workflows. As pasamio says, if I want individual files in a folder, there's already functionality for that purpose.

An optional setting to allow file previews inside a zip would be fine, but the whole point of a zip is to have a single, clearly marked file for download. Allowing users to dig around inside a zip is just confusing and defeats the purpose of providing users with a single file.

[Justin P.2]

Hi James D.1,

Thanks for the reply. If only the people who design this software and make the decsions felt the same way as everybody in this thread.

I have completely given up on hope that they'll change it back but I'd love to be wrong!