You’re linking to a dropbox HTML page rather than directly to the file itself. (Note the dropbox frame around the document when you go to the link directly.) You’ll probably have to use the direct download link:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/msllhg16jqe16eh/ASHFORD_SMALL_GROWTH_TOWNFinal_Part_B.pdf
Thanks for reply.
However with GDE the result i get from the above is :
GDE Error: Unable to determine file type from URL
see Still not so good from Dropbox
However your reply was still very good news because when i used the “normal” embed method (as given below) using your link (with the dl.dropboxusercontent.com link which was new to me) the document came in.
<object data=https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/msllhg16jqe16eh/ASHFORD_SMALL_GROWTH_TOWNFinal_Part_B.pdf width="650" height="500"> <embed src=ttps://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/msllhg16jqe16eh/ASHFORD_SMALL_GROWTH_TOWNFinal_Part_B.pdf width="650" height="500"> </embed></object>
Normal Embed
There are various ways of obtaining that link depending on your browser, but the technique I used was to go to the original dropbox URL (the one that displayed as HTML in GDE, and had an HTML dropbox header if you visited it directly, such as from the GDE download link). Once there I used Firefox to right-click in the lower part of the screen where the actual document was embedded and chose the menu option to view only that frame. That removed the header, and I could copy the direct file link from the browser address bar. There may be a more straightforward way.
I was able to embed the document normally using GDE with the second link. You may have to turn off “check for errors before loading viewer” in GDE Settings > Advanced tab if you’re getting a file type error, but I didn’t run into that myself.
Tried
turn off “check for errors before loading viewer” in GDE Settings > Advanced tab
Works !
will also carry out the above.
Great Plugin – Great Support.
Many thanks
Glad you were able to resolve the issue.
Thanks for the plugin. To begin with I had problems as I had forgotten that GDE cannot access files on my localhost so I decided to use Dropbox. It was not obvious to me at first how to use Dropbox, so thanks also for this discussion. The method I found easiest for me using Chrome is
- In my Dropbox right click the document and “Share Dropbox link” – this copies a link to the clipboard
- Paste this link into Chrome’s address bar, and a “Download” button to the document will appear
- Right click this download button and “Copy link address”
- Paste this link into the “” in the shortcode [gview file=””]
- Delete the question mark and everything after it to the ending quote
Peter,
Thanks for documenting these steps. I have this process automated in the next version of GDE, so you can just paste the HTML link and it will determine the actual file URL. But until then (and will work after that as well) this is helpful for others. Thanks!
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Thank you for the great plugin.
Unfortunately, I can’t get it work, when using a Dropbox-Link.
If you please will have a look:
This Dropbox-File works fine: https://www.dropbox.com/s/0570dq6y4jeht8u/WP-Test.pdf
But, if I put the file in your code like this:
[gview file=”https://www.dropbox.com/s/0570dq6y4jeht8u/WP-Test.pdf”%5D
I will get this: http://ununi.tv/de/edushop/gde-test-dropbox/
What’s wrong?
Thanx a lot,
Anja
Hello,
You’re getting HTML in the viewer because you’re linking to the Dropbox viewer page and not to the document itself. What happens when you follow the directions in the post directly above yours?
FWIW it works for me when I use the download link on that page you’ve linked to:
[gview file=”https://www.dropbox.com/meta_dl/eyJzdWJfcGF0aCI6ICIiLCAidGVzdF9saW5rIjogZmFsc2UsICJzZXJ2ZXIiOiAiZGwuZHJvcGJveHVzZXJjb250ZW50LmNvbSIsICJpdGVtX2lkIjogbnVsbCwgImlzX2RpciI6IGZhbHNlLCAidGtleSI6ICIwNTcwZHE2eTRqZWh0OHUifQ/AAMth6jyn_XhZS14V9KefIlxlVBEoEkT35ToPawLjS0ZeQ?dl=1″%5D
though they certainly don’t make the link pretty.
Ah, sorry. Now I’ve got it. I need the download link of the “Direct Download” 🙂
THX A LOT 🙂
Glad that worked for you 🙂
I have the same problem, the list is: but still does not work ;/ ;/ ;/
Thanks in advance !
That document link does not work.
Hi, I’m having an issue with embedding my Dropbox file as well. It’s a docx.
I’ve tried using the share link https://www.dropbox.com/s/nthcvpeu6kgbfph/T3%20W3%20Skit%20%26%20Teaching%20Time.docx
“GDE Error: Unable to retrieve document contents. Please try again or switch to Standard Viewer.”
This link https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/content_link_preview/IjIv1HjmL6PXVaeqzwvXa1jF4baeYBThHOt2OQMSSfvE2IYS6GMFix9gIbtx6h3m
and the direct download link. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/content_link/lxHHDkwctjE4bYulFWAGCePorFgiKCQdNZIAQ0Nl8gbz0bPQlVinG5oSQGOcUXKD?dl=1
Both of which load the viewer with the error “Sorry, we were unable to find the document at the original source. Verify that the document still exists.”
I also tried https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/SMAC%20Sunday%20School/2014/term%203/Week%203/T3%20W3%20Skit%20%26%20Teaching%20Time.docx?_subject_uid=32596602&w=AAAb03VhylNXwo4v74DuJKC2pL4bK_oLfyjOgmkoxiq9OA&get_preview=1
This particular link works with the native Google Docs Viewer iframe, but only I can view it. I believe it is the same type of link that daxstec posted but it will show up as Not Found for everyone but the owner.
I have disabled “check for errors before loading viewer”.
EDIT: Nevermind, I think I accidentally left “block all download requests” checked which caused the issue.
Using this link works for me https://www.dropbox.com/s/nthcvpeu6kgbfph/T3%20W3%20Skit%20%26%20Teaching%20Time.docx?dl=1
