Can I open a file attachment directly in an editing program?

Answer:

When working with different types of file attachments in a web-based environment, your internet browser and the operating system often dictate how it will handle certain file types. Below is a guide that may (depending on your system configuration) help you force your browser to execute a behavior you would prefer.

If the majority of file types that you're storing in DivvyHQ are images, most internet browsers know exactly how to handle those. In most cases, the default behavior for most browsers, upon clicking the file thumbnail, is to open a new browser tab and display the full-size image. Easy peasy. 

But when you're working with other file types (e.g. MS Word .docx files), you may find that your internet browser forces you to download/save the file instead of opening it in a native editing application. Sometimes this happens because your computer simply doesn't recognize the type of file you're trying to open. Other times, your internet browser just needs a "rule" (a settings adjustment) that would go something like this: When clicking on a link or preview image that has a .docx file extension, automatically download it and open it in MS Word. 

If you find that DivvyHQ attachments are only prompting the download/save function, and you'd rather they just open in an editing app, simply follow the instructions below.

Google Chrome

Step-by-step instructions are provided here as Chrome is the most-used browser among DivvyHQ users.

1. Find an attachment in DivvyHQ and click the linked file name or thumbnail preview
2. Proceed to download the file (save to your computer).
3. After the download, check the status bar at the bottom of your browser. Click the arrow icon next to the file name and choose "always open files of this type". 

That's it! Your browser should now recognize that you wish to open files of that type directly in a native application on your computer (assuming your computer recognizes the file type). The same process can be used for any file type that you have the ability to edit (ex: PSDs, PDFs, etc.). 

Safari - Instructions here

Firefox - Instructions here

IE - Instructions here

Edge

There is currently no support (at least we are not able to find any supporting documentation) for adjusting which default programs can be launched by clicking a link/file thumbnail in Microsoft Edge. 

Having Trouble?

If this process does not work for you, there may be other factors prohibiting your system from recognizing your desired behavior. There are obviously many operating systems, browser configurations, and file types, so the process outlined above may not work in all cases. Feel free to submit a support ticket if you can't get this to work. We'll do our best to help you troubleshoot.