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MeganEG's avatar
MeganEG
Explorer | Level 3
2 years ago

The following characters are not allowed: angle brackets \ / : ? * " | ERROR Dropbox File Request

 I keep getting the error "The following characters are not allowed: angle brackets \ / : ? * " |" when trying to create a folder for File Request, but I am not using those in my file name at all. Any suggestions? 

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  • adamaduckett's avatar
    adamaduckett
    2 years ago

    I've found this issue in my Dropbox. I'd reached out to support before but no luck.

     

    Happened again this morning, so dug a little deeper. I found that along the path (to the folder I was trying to use as a file request folder), those characters will exist (<>\ / : ? * ") – for me it's a fairly top level folder which is a little worrying. I'd named the folder Clients/Projects – so any folders after this can't be a file request folder currently because of the /.

     

    I've tried saving a file request folder in the top level Dropbox folder instead: ie /Dropbox/FolderName and it works fine.

     

    Give that a whirl – it should do the trick.

  • Walter's avatar
    Walter
    Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
    2 years ago

    Hi there MeganEG, sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

     

    Is  it possible that the person who requested the files from you has an invalid character in the folder path the files would end up after you uploaded them?

     

    Have you tried another browser to upload to this file request by any chance?


    If you did and still get this error, could you send us  a screenshot so that we can have a look too?

     

    Thanks!

  • adamaduckett's avatar
    adamaduckett
    Explorer | Level 4
    2 years ago

    I've found this issue in my Dropbox. I'd reached out to support before but no luck.

     

    Happened again this morning, so dug a little deeper. I found that along the path (to the folder I was trying to use as a file request folder), those characters will exist (<>\ / : ? * ") – for me it's a fairly top level folder which is a little worrying. I'd named the folder Clients/Projects – so any folders after this can't be a file request folder currently because of the /.

     

    I've tried saving a file request folder in the top level Dropbox folder instead: ie /Dropbox/FolderName and it works fine.

     

    Give that a whirl – it should do the trick.

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