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DocMolly's avatar
DocMolly
Helpful | Level 6
3 years ago

Replace files without breaking the shared link on desktop application for Mac

Hello,    I have used Dropbox for years to share PDFs on my website. I work on a mac and use the Dropbox desktop application. Previously, when I wanted to replace a PDF under the same name in Dro...
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  • Jay's avatar
    Jay
    3 years ago

    Hi DocMolly, thanks for posting .

     

    This behavior hasn't changed, so if you copy and paste a file with an identical name, the file should be overwritten and the shared link would remain the same since the file would be seen as edited.

     

    Have you recently made any changes on the Mac, such as updating the OS?

     

    This will help me to assist further!

DocMolly's avatar
DocMolly
Helpful | Level 6

Hello. Thank you for your response. Well, it wasn't working previously, for about a month's period. It was breaking my links. But I just tried again and now it is working!!! Horray! 

 

Just FYI, unless I misunderstood, when I contacted dropbox support the person who helped me told me that it is expected that the link will break when you save a new file under the same name: 

 

[Removed as per Community Guidelines]

 

Jay's avatar
Jay
Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
3 years ago

Thanks for the info. In general, saving files with the same name would keep the shared link active. 

 

The only issue might arise from an OS update which instead of allowing the file to be overwritten, first deletes the file (which deletes it from Dropbox and the shared link as well) and then adding the file again with the same file name, this time without any shared link.

  • DocMolly's avatar
    DocMolly
    Helpful | Level 6
    3 years ago
    Yes, I think it must have been a recent OS update that broke it. But after the latest update, it is working again. Thank you for your help.

    Molly
    • Rich's avatar
      Rich
      Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II
      3 years ago
      In general, saving files with the same name would keep the shared link active. 

      Just keep in mind that with some applications, while saving over an existing file, they'll first delete the original file before saving the new version with the same name. In such cases, if Dropbox were to sync fast enough, it can register the deletion which will break the link to the file as well.

      • marcusfarias's avatar
        marcusfarias
        Explorer | Level 4
        3 years ago

        I am currently having this issue....how can I fix?

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