'Can’t load this file type This file type is unsupported here.' on Windows

[williamb11]

I have Dropbox installed on 3 computers, desktop A and laptops B and C, all running Windows 10, 64 bit. I use, for preference as it was installed on my first computer, the Lotus SmartSuite Office program, now version 9.8.2 (its last version), which works perfectly in Windows 10 and provides Lotus WordPro, Lotus 1-2-3 Spreadsheet, Lotus Organizer, Lotus Approach &c. I also use, occasionally, various bits of MS Office 365. I can upload files from both Lotus and MS Office, together with pdfs and jpgs, &c, from all three computers onto my Dropbox folders.

But when I open a Lotus file - WordPro or another - in Dropbox on desktop A or laptop B - I get the message

'Can’t load this file type This file type is unsupported here.'

and I have to click to download the file to edit it. All the other non-Lotus files in the folder open without a problem. The odd thing is that when I click to open a Lotus file in the same Dropbox folder on laptop C, it opens first time without my having to download it first.

Can anyone explain this, please?

Thanks in advance,

williamb11

[Здравко]

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@williamb11 wrote:

... The odd thing is that when I click to open a Lotus file in the same Dropbox folder on laptop C, it opens first time without my having to download it first.

Can anyone explain this, please?

...

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Hi @williamb11,

It's simple - you don't need to download something that's already there. 😉 On others you need since it's not yet there. If you ask why doesn't it get downloaded automatically,... cause it's "Smart" Sync (especially in quotes). So so,... "smart"... 🤦

[Jay]

Hi @williamb11, thanks for messaging the Community!

Just for clarification, is this an error message on the Dropbox site, or a Windows error?

A screenshot showing this information would help greatly!

[williamb11]

Screenshot attached -

[Здравко]

@williamb11, Don't mix preview (that what you screenshot shows) and open. Such type of files will never preview on any machine in any browser - Dropbox just doesn't support preview for all files.

Hope this sheds some light.

[williamb11 · Accepted solution]

Thank you both for your help - it's much appreciated.

williamb11