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When uploading a same name file to a Request File, will it overwrite or will a duplicate be created?

Hey fantastic community people! I need a little help.

I submitted a file to a Request For Files Dropbox link and unbeknownst to me, so did a group mate of mine (Miscommunication). It’s the same file with the same name. Will it overwrite, duplicate, or will neither get through?

Thank you so much!!! Appreciate it and y’all here are GODSENDS.

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Accepted answers

Lusil

Hi there @KarlG, welcome to the Dropbox Community - good to have you on board!

If the file names are the same but the username (first and last name) you entered upon submittion are different, the files won't be overwritten.

More specifically, the user will see on their end:

Jane Doe - Filename.ab
John Doe - Filename.ab

I hope this helps, but let us know if you have any other questions. Cheers!

All comments

Lusil

Hi there @KarlG, welcome to the Dropbox Community - good to have you on board!

If the file names are the same but the username (first and last name) you entered upon submittion are different, the files won't be overwritten.

More specifically, the user will see on their end:

Jane Doe - Filename.ab
John Doe - Filename.ab

I hope this helps, but let us know if you have any other questions. Cheers!

KarlG

Hi Lusil,

Thanks for that. What if the username is the same?

Lusil

Thanks for getting back to me, @KarlG.

If the username and the file name are the same, but the email used is different, then the files may not be overwritten. Instead, it may read first name, last name, date, time, and the file name.

Hope this helps!

KarlG

Thank you so much Lusil! Marking your first reply as Accepted Solution.

May I also kindly ask... if the Dropbox name + email are the same, the file WILL get overwritten? I'm asking because I want it to be.

Lusil

Thanks for getting back to me, @KarlG.

I tried this out from my end, and it seems that if the name, email, and the file itself are the same, then the user receiving them may not see it on their end.

If you'd like the user to know that yours is the most up to date, you can rename the file before submitting (for example, to include "updated" in its name) or getting in touch with the user who asked you to submit the file.

I understand if this isn't the ideal reply you were looking for, but I do hope it helps to some extent.

KarlG

Hi Lusil,

I submitted a Second Edited file after realizing my teammate had submitted an older version. Does it work if the content & size had changed? Does it mean the receiver won’t even get the updated file?

The submission deadline is done and I don’t really know the person who called to tender but what I did was submit the edited file under the same name as the first file so the receiver would only get one... but it had one more page and about 3 MB more of data.

Does it mean they would not even see the File with the new page and the 3 MB more?

Jay

Hi @KarlG, what would happen in this case is that there would be two versions of the file in the folder now.

The original would be with the name of the user, followed by the file name:

John Smith - test.png

The second file would be the same, but with the current date and time inside it:

Johm Smith - 2020-06-05 10-17-05 - test.png

Since the file request only allows you to upload files, it doesn't delete or overwrite previously uploaded files if the user and file name are exactly the same.

Hope this helps to clarify matters!

KarlG

Oh great to know! Thanks for the reply. That gives me peace of mind. I greatly appreciate it. You guys rock!

Jay

Glad to have alleviated your worries, @KarlG!

Enjoy your weekend!