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

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

Justin P.2
Collaborator | Level 10
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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.

1 Accepted Solution

Accepted Solutions

Jane
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on how this functionality change has impacted your workflow MRMJP, I’d happily follow-up with you on this discussion & I hope my post finds you well! 
 
You’re absolutely right when it comes to this recent feature implementation, therefore at the moment when previewing an archive file, you can navigate through the archive file structure and preview individual files within the archive. Previously, compressed files (such as .zip & .rar) couldn’t be viewed on the web interface & in case you had received (or sent) a shared link containing this filetype, you’d (or the recipient would) have to download them locally, in order to view the contents. 
 
That all being said, I appreciate the time you’ve devoted in writing us the specifics of how this alteration has worked for you so far & for that reason I’ve made sure to transfer your comments up the ladder for future reference. 
 
In any event, please let me know here if you have any more thoughts or questions & I’ll do my best to check back with you. Wishing you a fruitful May & a wonderful rest of the day ahead! 

 


Jane
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support

 

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View solution in original post

72 Replies 72

Norah
Dropbox Staff
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Hey Justin P.2, thanks for checking in!
 
Have in mind that Dropbox does not alter your files/folders, as it only previews them.
 
What you can do is delete a link to a file or a folder by following the link here.
 
Let me know if this helps!



Norah
Moderator @ Dropbox
https://dropbox.com/support


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MRMJP
Helpful | Level 5
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Thanks for the help but I do know how to delete a file or fodler 🙂

 

I guess what I'm seeing is that the contents of zip files never used to be visible and the zip file itslef was in the middle of the screen with a simple downlaod button.


Now, with certain cases, my cleints see a mess of files that are in the zip file and are tempted to click on them and get confused and have to find the downlaod button at the top right of the screen.

 

I really don't care for this and I wish Drobbox would revert to how it used to be, just showing the main zip file and having a downlaod button in the center of the screen. 

At first I thought that Drobpx was offering an unzipeed version but as I look closer it just seems that it's shownig the contents of the zip file which in my opinion only adds confusion and isn't helpful. 

MRMJP
Helpful | Level 5
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I guess this is a new "feature" as of last week but IMO it's a TERRIBLE idea.

 

Being able to see the contents of a zip is only going to confuse the person on the receiving end.


We needd a simple big Download button and no previews of the zip file contents. Right now the downlaod button is not so obvious and clients are going be confused as to why they can see the zip file contents but not acess them without eventually noticing the Download button in the top right menu. 

Jane
Dropbox Staff
Go to solution
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on how this functionality change has impacted your workflow MRMJP, I’d happily follow-up with you on this discussion & I hope my post finds you well! 
 
You’re absolutely right when it comes to this recent feature implementation, therefore at the moment when previewing an archive file, you can navigate through the archive file structure and preview individual files within the archive. Previously, compressed files (such as .zip & .rar) couldn’t be viewed on the web interface & in case you had received (or sent) a shared link containing this filetype, you’d (or the recipient would) have to download them locally, in order to view the contents. 
 
That all being said, I appreciate the time you’ve devoted in writing us the specifics of how this alteration has worked for you so far & for that reason I’ve made sure to transfer your comments up the ladder for future reference. 
 
In any event, please let me know here if you have any more thoughts or questions & I’ll do my best to check back with you. Wishing you a fruitful May & a wonderful rest of the day ahead! 

 


Jane
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support

 

Heart Did this post help you? If so please give it a Like below. 
:white_check_mark: Did this post fix your issue/answer your question? If so please press the 'Accept as Best Answer' button to help others find it.
:arrows_counterclockwise: Still stuck? Ask me a question! (
Questions asked in the community will likely receive an answer within 4 hours!)

Justin P.2
Collaborator | Level 10
Go to solution

Thanks for the info. This idea may seem good on paper I don't see the point in previewing the contents of a zip file if you can't also acess it directly. They have to downlaod it anyway.

 

Often times zip files are zipped for a reason, to keep a group of files together. Now I have cleints emailing me about why they can see the files within the zip, but can't actually open them. I have to explain that they need to find the no so obvious downlaod button and download it all first.

 

I does them no good to see inside of it. They and I both know what shoud be inside of the zip, that is why I made it.

 

For one file set in particualr, an audio DDP image, it only works if all the files are presnt so tempting people by to see and access the individual files in their browser is not helping and only adding confusion. 

Rich
Super User II
Go to solution

@MRMJP wrote:

We needd a simple big Download button and no previews of the zip file contents.


Before you send your link, change the ?dl=0 at the end of the link to ?dl=1 and the link will become a direct download link with no preview.

Justin P.2
Collaborator | Level 10
Go to solution

Thanks RIch,


I was hoping there was at least a workaround for now.

 

I send out many links each day so I'm hoping I don't have to do this long-term though.

Justin P.2
Collaborator | Level 10
Go to solution

Do you have any news on this? I've already had a few clients this week emailing me because seeing all files in the zip adds confusion and the download button is not always obvious. They can't figure out what they are supposed to do. Keep in mind we have clients of all types and computer skill levels. It needs to be basic.

 

This has to be changed back.

 

I tried the work around of changing the 0 to a 1 but then I found out the hard way that the iOS app that this link is sometimes used for doesn't work beacuse it's expecting a link with a 0 at the end.


I really hope Dropbox reverts to how it used to be beause this will get annoying fast and I'm already looking into an alternative options which in unfortunate beacuse I am happy with the service overall. This new feature however makes no logical sense.

Mark
Super User II
Go to solution
I seriously doubt it will change back I'm afraid - as its been one of the top requests for Dropbox to do pretty much since the start.

 


:penguin::penguin: - :penguin: - :penguin: - :penguin:


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