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Forum Discussion
"Sorry we couldn't find File ABC" upon cut/paste to different folder
I use Dropbox desktop and this appears to sync fine. However I am encountering an issue when I move a file.
For example, if I move a file into a different folder, and then try to re-open the file,...
The issue you're experiencing may be due to a limitation of the applications that you're using to open or save the files in question OferL - this is something compeletely out of our control. In short, there are files that your applications can't process correctly because they have file paths that are too long.
This behavior is present if there are more than 255 characters in the entire file path. This means from the C:\ all the way to the extension of a file.
As an example if you had a test.txt file in your Dropbox that had the following path:
C:\Users\OferL\My Documents\Dropbox\test.txt
This file would have a path that is 47 characters long while if you moved the same file to your desktop directly as you mentioned you'd be immediately reducing its filepath to fewer characters as it would result to something like:
C:\Users\OferL\test.txt
Based on your example now, when you move this copy to your desktop as you said, you're immediately reducing the number of characters on the filepath and this is why you're able to open it without issues.
Keep in mind that our desktop application can read and write to locations that are longer than 255 characters, which means that files will sync to and from those locations, however, the applications used to open or save said files (e.g. Word, Notepad, Excel, Etc.) might not support reading from or writing to these locations with long file paths and may show error messages when trying to open, save or edit them. This is out of our control since the application developers would have to add support for long paths to resolve the issue.
You should be able to resolve the issues with your applications processing these files by simply renaming the file to a shorter name, renaming a folder to a shorter name, or reducing the number of sub-folders.
I hope this clarify matters to you and please let me know if there's anything else I can help with.
I tried to solve this case on Excel 2013, and you may try with below method;
Data>Edit Links>Break Link / Chang Source
And there have "Startup Prompt" to display or Don't display with update or don't update automatic links also.
The Edit Links option is greyed out so I can't use this solution.
I don't believe it's an issue with excel settings.
Please find an expert to resolve this problem with Dropbox!!
- Rich
Super User II
rmq67 wrote:
Please find an expert to resolve this problem with Dropbox!!
As Richard stated previously in this thread, this is likely an Excel or operating system issue. Dropbox does not handle the opening of local files, or the moving/copying of them. Dropbox is just a folder on your computer like any other.
It might be worth making sure that the files have fully synced after you move them, and before attempting to open them. If they're still syncing, it's possible that there's still a file lock on them which could prevent them from being opened (also a function of your operating system).
roThis is absolutly not an excel issue, bur rather a drop box issue.
a. the problem does not happens when the file is on my desktop
b. I share the file with someone, he has no problem of accessing the file.
This is supper scary. I am seriously considring to check out of dropbox.. I have now have this probelm in the 2nd file/folder - I am really afraid that I have this problem in other files as well...
I realize no one has an answer to it...
- Walter
Dropbox Staff
The issue you're experiencing may be due to a limitation of the applications that you're using to open or save the files in question OferL - this is something compeletely out of our control. In short, there are files that your applications can't process correctly because they have file paths that are too long.
This behavior is present if there are more than 255 characters in the entire file path. This means from the C:\ all the way to the extension of a file.
As an example if you had a test.txt file in your Dropbox that had the following path:
C:\Users\OferL\My Documents\Dropbox\test.txt
This file would have a path that is 47 characters long while if you moved the same file to your desktop directly as you mentioned you'd be immediately reducing its filepath to fewer characters as it would result to something like:
C:\Users\OferL\test.txt
Based on your example now, when you move this copy to your desktop as you said, you're immediately reducing the number of characters on the filepath and this is why you're able to open it without issues.
Keep in mind that our desktop application can read and write to locations that are longer than 255 characters, which means that files will sync to and from those locations, however, the applications used to open or save said files (e.g. Word, Notepad, Excel, Etc.) might not support reading from or writing to these locations with long file paths and may show error messages when trying to open, save or edit them. This is out of our control since the application developers would have to add support for long paths to resolve the issue.
You should be able to resolve the issues with your applications processing these files by simply renaming the file to a shorter name, renaming a folder to a shorter name, or reducing the number of sub-folders.
I hope this clarify matters to you and please let me know if there's anything else I can help with.
