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My comments on PDF files are only visible on the site

I'm using Preview on a Mac to comment on a pdf file (adding text). Document is a pdf of a slide presentation, so each page is not text heavy. I worked on it all day yesterday (42 pages) and this morning. All of a sudden my comments are gone. I went back to the version history on Dropbox on the web and when I look at the document on the web, the comments are there. If I download the file, they are gone. I've swithced computers (laptop, desktop Mac, and desktop PC). I also tried Apple Preview and Adobe Acrobat on all three computers. No luck. Comments are only visible when looking at the document through the web.

If I continue working on the latest version (without the previously added text), the version that is saved in Dropbox removes the added comments. Right now I started working on a second document so that I don't lose all my previous work.

Syncing seems to be working because I see the green checkmarks.

Can anyone tell what is happening and how I can continue working on my original document? Thanks.

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Jay

Hi @jma2, thanks for joining the Community!

When you say you were using Preview to edit the file, are you referring to the Mac app itself, or the new Dropbox desktop application?

How do the comments appear on the Dropbox site? Are they using the Dropbox commenting feature, or are they comments inside the PDF itself?

If it is the Dropbox comments, then these would only appear on the site, and not the document itself.

Keep me posted!

jma2

Yes, I'm using the Mac Preview App to edit. The comments are inside the pdf file. All work is using the applications on my computers. When I view the file with my browser, the comments are there. I download the file and open with the Preview app installed on my Mac---no comments! Working under a deadline and I've spent more time troubleshooting than actually working! :-(

Thanks for taking the time to reply and trying to help me.

Jay

Can you try opening the PDF file in a different app to see if the comments are visible there?

Is it possible that Preview app when opening the PDF isn’t showing the comments by default for some reason?

jma2

I tried Adobe Acrobat as well in three different computers (Mac laptop, Mac desktop, and PC). Same issue. If I put in new comments in Preview, they remain in the document. I'm stumped. I hoping that there may be some issue with syncing and downloading on my account that will resolve itself overnight... Although anything new that I put in Dropbox seems to be okay.

Thank you!

Jay

Could you forward a screenshot of the Preview app you’re using to add comments, and also a screenshot of the PDF file on the site showing the comments themselves.

If possible, try to hide any personal details or info in the screenshots!

jma2

I was able to get a work around last night... I was able to open the file in my Chrome browser, went on the print window, and saved as a pdf onto my hard drive. I can't edit my added comments, but at least the information is there.

I was hoping the issue would resolve itself overnight, but not so.

I attached the requested screenshots (kept it simple since this is work for a client). The red copy indicating that the information is verified appears on the file from Dropbox.com. The second shot is opening the file from the Dropbox file on my computer.

Screen shot from web view of pdf file.png Screen shot from file using Preview.png

Jay

I’ve tried a few attempts here and can’t duplicate what you’re experiencing.

The only possibility is that the file you’re opening after downloading is somehow not the same copy as the one on the Dropbox site, and that it’s opening an older copy, or that the downloaded copy is overwritten with the older version.

Could you try downloading the PDF with a different browser to see if this helps?

Otherwise, use incognito/private browsing mode without any extensions running, clearing your cache and even resetting your browser entirely.

Let me know how it goes!

jma2

I'm not surprised that you can't duplicate it! I can't either with other files that I'm working with. All of those update, sync, and download as expected. I tried another browser (Firefox and Safari), cleared the cache, and incognito (Chrome). Everything is the same: the file from the Dropbox web site is not the file that downloads. I think something got corrupt with the sync of this particular file. What is on Dropbox web is not what downloads. And I what I need to work with the file on the Dropbox website, not what downloads or is available from the Dropbox folder on my computer.

Thanks for your help.

Jay

If you’re okay with doing so, could you forward a shared link to the PDF in question so I can try and download it here.

If this isn’t possible, let me know if I can message you at the email associated with your forum profile. Thanks!

jma2

Thank you. I appreciate your help. Since I am working on a file for a client whom I've signed a confidentialty agreement, I am hesitant to share it with others. I hope you understand. At this point, I'm not sure if this issue can be fixed.

Jay

I understand why you can’t share it, no worries.

One last thing I’d like to try is if this behavior occurs with any PDF file you have, or just this one in particular when you add annotations via Preview.

jma2

Seems to be just this particular file.