Make file prefixing an option - file requests

[jules s.2]

When someone requests a file using your request a file tool, the person who uploads the file's name gets added to the file name eg janedoe_filea.pdf . This is really frustrating and I end up having to rename my files. I did a search to solve the problem and I see there are other people that are quite frustrated by the problem but apparently there is no fix for this?  Please let me know if there is a solution for this. thanks

[Walter]

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[LukeT]

Can we please have an option to disable the renaming of files?

Renaming files can have catastrophic effects on dependent files. If I have an InDesign file with dependent files in the Links folder and the filenames don't match what the main document expects, then it won't find them. Each file will need to be manually renamed to make things work again, and if there are hundreds of links... well you get the idea.

I'm sure InDesign isn't the only programme that has dependent files. The same can happen with linked files in Photoshop, Illustrator and likely countless other apps.

[SKDR]

Need to know what's the benefit of renaming all the files with the name of the uploader..?

[adamglesser]

The file names in my use case have to be in a very specific form. The people who get the file request know the form and send it in that form. It is very frustrating hvaving to do a Batch Rename in a third-party program every time we do a file request.

[Karena K.]

This should be an option. When I request files from a client I should not have to change EVERY ONE before I use them. We have a specific naming pattern and Dropbox should not override that by default. Doing this as an optional setting might be nice but not automatically like this.

I've resorted to asking clients to zip their files first so Dropbox doesn't screw it all up. 

[R1Law]

For Mac users (I'm sure there's a windows equivalent) just select all of the files you'd like to change in a Finder window, right click on one of the selected files to show popup menu, select >> rename # items...>>choose "Replace Text" from drop down in Rename Finder Items popup, in "Find:" box enter the persons name along with the space dash space>> leave "Replace with" box blank >> click "Rename". This will truncate the uploaders name and leave the orgional file name in place. Just an extra step. I fully understand why Dropbox handles requested files the way they do, but for projects where that's cumberson (in my case photos that were to arranged alpabetically with file names visable) this is a very quick/easy workaround. 

[cloos2008]

Same issue with audio. I have clients send their files in a very specific naming format, so that I can simply import it into my project and know that things are just going to work. If I have to use dropbox's File Request feature, I have to spend a ton of extra time renaming every single file (sometimes more than a hundred). Seems silly to make this a required extra step. Why not just have a checkbox where you can turn it off?

[elenielamg]

It's been almost four years since this feature has been proposed.

Changing filename is frustrating, unnecessary and in some cases even harmful.

As the owner of the upload request, I get email notification saying: "Hi [Username], [Name] uploaded 1 new file to your request for [Upload request name]". This information is more than sufficient for me.

As others have already mentioned, renaming the files I'm receiving is a severe intrusion in my desired workflow. That isn't something I have asked for and it has to be changed ASAP.

[sumonmg]

This sounds like a huge problem for our business and strictly preventing us form using the File request feature, because of the following reasons:

1. We have strict customer privacy policy and so we cannot share customer names with our designers
2. We must edit and return customer images in the original name, and because we deal with thousands of images everyday, we can't manually rename each of them
3. If even we manually rename files removing the user name, it keeps that in the history so our designers can read the user name by looking at the edit history

Also, we collect customer name and email in our own form first, and then planned to create the file request instantly using API, then redirect customer asking to upload files. So asking customer to enter their name and email again in the file request page don't sound normal from UX perspective.

We really wish Dropbox does not rename the file, or at least adds the ability for us to turn it off.

[aelkins]

I'd also like to add that folder structures MUST be maintained as well. This is absolutely essential for transferring video files. The sizes of these files makes zipping up first impractical.

Dropbox Transfer is a really good idea but the implementation is just completely flawed. Until it's sorted I'll continue paying MASV.io and WeTransfer for the same service.

[PyFi]

I have noticed that the File Request feature has been modified recently to put file(s) into a nested folder that is titled with the Uploader's name, but the files themselves are no longer prepended with the Uploader's name.

While I recognize others' concerns with adding the Uploader's name to the filename, I am in the opposite camp. This does not mean, however, I am against this request for change, but rather, like some of the commenters, wish to have the option to decide if our File Request files will add Uploader names to the file(s) or not.

Also, I do not like the new nested folder system; it has thrown off my workflow. I would ask that his feature be made an option too.

We all have created very specific workflows with this great File Request feature over the last many years, and change can be very difficult. I think customization is a great way for compromise.