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Forum Discussion
Cannot edit some text files in Dropbox on iPhone?
In the Dropbox app on iPhone SE, I can open all my text files, but in some of them I do not get the Edit icon (looks like a cursor) at bottom left, so cannot edit them.
In others, I get the Edi...
K-C-L (and others following)
Thanks! You're onto the right cause, and solution ...well, workaround.
Dropbox App editor won't handle either certain characters (extended) or Windows Notepad default ANSI files. A pretty obvious shortcoming. These get rendered in a non-editable file - which looks like monospaced courier, but doesn't make a space for each <spacebar>. Go figure.
Anyway, the workarounds are:
- Convert all your Notepad ANSI files to UTF-8 (open file in Notepad, Save As..., dropdown box -> choose UTF-8 and Save. (Save all new files as UTF-8). This is what I am doing.
- Open the file in Dropbox App. Select a word, then Select All. Copy. Create new file (Text). Paste into the window, name, and Create. Kinda klugy.
Those both work - I've tested.
- There is a way to change Notepad default to UTF-8, which would prevent this from re-occurring, but you have to touch the Registry (I don't want to do that)
- Download Notepad++ which apparently can set a default without touching the Registry (cannot verify). Reportedly Notepad++ takes less resources too (don't know about that either)
OK, a PITA. But do-able. I guess.
But, the real problem is Dropbox App cannot show text files (.txt) in monospaced font (e.g. Menlo or Courier). This is basically a disqualifier for Dropbox for musicians who use text files to create Tab, or Notation files, or chord charts. That's a lot of people left out in the cold. Since they all share files, so Dropbox could / should own this market, but have shut themselves out.
Minato
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox Staff- Rich
Super User II
Minato wrote:
Actually, it does. Simple text files can be edited within the Dropbox app by tapping the Edit icon in the bottom left corner when the file is open for viewing.
Tapping the edit icon opens the file within the Dropbox app. You can then edit and save the changes. No other app is required.
Rich - Yes, as I said originally, the Dropbox iPhone app does edit, and your description is exactly what happens for me with Notepad .txt files, when it works. But in some Notepad .txt files the Edit icon at bottom left is missing, and nothing that I can find on the page seems to change this.
I'll do a bit more analysis to see if I can spot a difference between a Notepad .txt file where this works and a Notepad .txt file where it does not work. Then I could put both of these on here to see anyone else can edit the one that I cannot edit.
Thanks,
Mike
Here is a link to a Notepad .txt file. This is an example of a file that, in the Dropbox app on iPhone, I can open but cannot edit. Let's call this "TxtCan'tEdit".
https://www.dropbox.com/s/b8nx5trwbpfrcsp/FZ1000%20notes.txt?dl=0
Next I'll try to send an example of a .TXT file that I can edit in same circumstances.
Mike
2nd example - here is a link to a Notepad .txt file that, in the Dropbox app on iPhone, I can open and edit. Let's call this "TxtCanEdit".
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qlcwyyan7k5hfvx/PSE15%20Notes.txt?dl=0
Mike
As I said originally, the Dropbox iPhone app does allow me to edit some Notepad .txt files, but not others. I am trying find out why.
Please see the reply from Rich - his description of what happens is exactly what I see, when it works. But sometimes the Edit icon at bottom left is missing, even though it is still a Notepad .txt file.
Mike
