"Save" is giving me "Save as" instead

[donaldp]

Have discovered - presumably since a recent update (I'm on 136.2.2) - that when I go to save changes in a file in Dropbox on Android, I'm getting a "save as" dialogue coming up instead. Happenning on different files in different folders on different phones. Using Jota Text Editor, so not sure if the issue is with that or Dropbox. Was working fine until recently. Desktop still working same as always (I use Notepad on desktop). I've tried several things, like making sure the file was stored offline, checked permissions, etc., but can't get it to just save the file in-situ. Help?

[Daphne]

Hey there, @donaldp.

As there isn’t currently an official integration between Jota and Dropbox I have limited info as to how it would work with Dropbox. After doing some digging though, I was able to find that Jota also has a connector specifically for Dropbox (available in the Google play store).

Perhaps, if you haven’t already, you could install this too to see if this will resolve the issue and allow you to save directly back to your Dropbox account.

Let me know how you get on with this and if the issue persists and I’ll try my best to assist - Thanks!

[donaldp]

Hi Daphne,

> As there isn’t currently an official integration between Jota and Dropbox I have limited info as to how it would work with Dropbox.

   Well, normally you just use your app - Jota/Notepad as the case may be - as you would normally, and Dropbox just does it's stuff automatically when it detects that you have saved changes in your file. No longer working on Android though (not letting me "save" as the same file in same location).

   I installed that Jota Dropbox connector you mentioned, but not sure what else one is meant to do with it (can't find any newly created shortcut for it, and even in the Play store when I've installed it, there's no "open" button, just "uninstall"), and hasn't made any difference. There are no Jota updates there waiting for me either (not sure how long since their last update).

   I did just try the Dropbox text editor, and it did save changes ok on a small file, but when I tried to use it on a large file it said it was too large to open, so not a long-term solution at this stage, just a temporary work-around for small files.

thanks,

  Donald.

[donaldp]

Jota's last update was July, so that's too long ago for it to have been the cause of this issue.

[Daphne]

Hey again, Donald (@donaldp).

Just double checking the connector, it seems that it would work specifically with Jota+ rather than the standard Jota app (which appears to be free also). You would most likely need to be using this version of the app for the connector to work.

What I would suggest at this point is to reach out to the makers of the Jota app in terms of the difference now in being able to save directly back to Dropbox. It may be that there was a change recently on their end that’s causing this difference in saving edits.

Definitely, in the meantime, the Dropbox text editor will save directly into the Dropbox folder without needing to select the folder path as it’s within the app itself. 

Hope this helps to clarify the matter at least a little - Thanks!

[donaldp]

Just did another diagnostic test - updated a file NOT in my Dropbox folder, and it saved as normal, so the apparent cause is Dropbox has done something with permissions which isn't allowing saves within Dropbox, thus prompting the "save as" dialogue.

[donaldp]

I had a look, and Jota+ isn't free (as I suspected) - it simply has a free trial. I've also looked at when the last Dropbox update was, and it was the 26th of March, and installed by me "a week ago", so it's the Dropbox update which has caused this issue (as I said, I suspect it's something to do with permissions - not allowing other apps to save in the Dropbox folder). The Dropbox text editor says that a file which is only 283kb is "too large" for it, so as I said that's not a long-term solution. Everything was working fine until I installed the latest Dropbox update - is there a way to back-out the latest update?

[donaldp]

Looked up myself how to rollback the update, and, as expected, the issue is now gone. 136.2.2 is the update which broke permissions. I won't be updating again until this issue is fixed (or you make the Dropbox text editor better so that it's as good as Jota).

[Daphne]

Hey there Donald (@donaldp).

I appreciate you taking the time to let us know your findings here, I’m sure this will be useful for others with the same issue.

It’s unfortunate that the Jota+ wasn’t a feasible work around for you in this case. I will make sure your comments are passed on to our dev team regarding the Dropbox text editor so that this may become a workable replacement for you in the future.

Hope you have a great day - Thanks!

[donaldp]

"I will make sure your comments are passed on to our dev team regarding the Dropbox text editor so that this may become a workable replacement for you in the future"

No, you need to pass on that permissions are broken in 136.2.2. i.e. Jota (and presumably other 3rd party apps) no longer have permission to save in the Dropbox folder. I'm stuck with not being able to update Dropbox anymore until this issue is fixed.