Is there a way to share a link to a folder through Synology Drive in a way that it doesn't require using the Drive app?

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Is there a way to share a link to a folder through Synology Drive in a way that it doesn't require using the Drive app?

In my iOS Drive app if I access the Share page for the folder: select Public Link and then enable Create Protection Link. If you text this link then it open the Drive sharing web page without having to be logged in or have the app.

Weird! So these no login links can only be created via the Drive app and not via the web interface? I'll give it a try later today.
 
Weird! So these no login links can only be created via the Drive app and not via the web interface? I'll give it a try later today.
I didn't say that. I said 'In my iOS Drive app' because I didn't test in the Drive web GUI ... and I was getting moaned at even doing this cos 'we' had something to go and do!

It seemed the likley way you were creating the links since you were texting them ... mobile device.
 
No matter how I share a link to a folder, I end up with this when it is viewed on an iPhone - either in Safari or Chrome.

This does not occur when sharing via File Station, but I would like to use Drive for sharing folders.

Is anyone else experiencing this?
 
It would seem to be built into Synology Drive Server.

The public Protection Link is the same regardless of if being created in the Drive web GUI or mobile app. The issue occurs when Drive Server responds serving the requested link.

I have iCab browser as a bit of a toolbox for when websites insist on serving different pages depending of the browser and platform (Apple iCloud web site etc). If I set iCab's browser ID to one for iPhone/iPad/Android then I get the 'open in Drive app' message, but for ID's WebKit iOS and any for desktop OS then I get the folder listing page.

I deleted Drive app off my phone and it still asked to used the app. When Drive app is installed but not logged it then it requires me to log in ... for this public link ... duh?
 
It would seem to be built into Synology Drive Server.

The public Protection Link is the same regardless of if being created in the Drive web GUI or mobile app. The issue occurs when Drive Server responds serving the requested link.

I have iCab browser as a bit of a toolbox for when websites insist on serving different pages depending of the browser and platform (Apple iCloud web site etc). If I set iCab's browser ID to one for iPhone/iPad/Android then I get the 'open in Drive app' message, but for ID's WebKit iOS and any for desktop OS then I get the folder listing page.

I deleted Drive app off my phone and it still asked to used the app. When Drive app is installed but not logged it then it requires me to log in ... for this public link ... duh?

Fredbert you are righteous - thank you so much for bringing the weight of your troubleshooting capabilities to this problem. I can really only do so much from where I am - and I don't really have mobile data where I am.

It's so disappointing - follow a sharing link in Chrome or Safari on an iPhone and you get the "Open in Drive app" ... but if I open the same link on an iPad with the same iOS version, I get the download option. So frustrating.

I've put in a support ticket with Synology to make sure that they know at least one human is angry about this problem. Supposedly this was fixed a while back, too:

Excerpt from here:

Release Notes for Synology Drive Server
Version: 2.0.2-11076
(2020-04-14)
1. Fixed the issue where users cannot view publicly shared folders through iOS Safari browser.
 
I had same problem and on other forum they found workaround - on iPhone in safari press AA a then "Request desktop website". Then you see same web page like on computer.
Anyway I still have to explain to receivers what to do, which makes everything more complicated then Dropbox.
 
I had same problem and on other forum they found workaround - on iPhone in safari press AA a then "Request desktop website". Then you see same web page like on computer.
Anyway I still have to explain to receivers what to do, which makes everything more complicated then Dropbox.
That's certainly a workaround and I didn't think of it.

But it's going make you look like you've backed the wrong horse when you have to explain this to everyone you send a link to, and for some that'll not be close friends so the impression will be bad. Imagine the whispers "don't they realise that that they could use A,B, C...M, N, O... X, Y, Z services and they don't make me jump through these stupid hoops, they're a bit too stubborn and geeky, not very easy to work with....etc".
 
BTW, folks, I got a crappy reply from Synology's support:


Hello,

Thank you for contacting Synology support.

You will need to share the file via File Station like the screenshot below in order to get past the need for the user to download Drive
 
When I left a bad feedback on my support experience I got this reply:


I received your feed back for this ticket and wanted to follow up with you on some points.

Since Drive uses a different sharing mechanism, when you share a link and get the page show in your second screenshot, this is expected behavior. A way the a user could potentially side step around this and get the options to appear as in the first screenshot would be to have the user access the shared link via "desktop mode" on the mobile browser. Sould be an option they can select while the browser is open on the phone or mobile device.

Lastly, I would like to give you the link to the feature request for so you may fill it out however you see fit to enable Drive or any other Synology product, to support the features you would like to see in the future.

https://www.synology.com/en-us/form/inquiry/feature

I hope this remedies the concerns you had with the ticket feedback!
 
I’m happy to see, that somebody realise, that it is a problem, too. Today I have left such a feature request on synology help desk:


When you provide an external link to the synology drive folder, it opens perfectly on the desktop. But when viewed from a mobile device, the only choice is to install the mobile app.
Unfortunately, this is very inconvenient for the work and normal use of the file storage (this is a public link, not for your team). For the sake of a few files, a third-party user will not download the application. And this is despite the fact that the view and functionality of viewing folders on mobile devices are implemented. I attach a screenshot of the display on the "small" screen with the emulation of the user agent "mobile" removed. The link to download the drive app can be used as a small banner, without blocking all the functionality with a full-screen. Or at least tell us how to disable this with coding. Public sharing a list of files through the mandatory download of the app is an unworkable. Moreover, this is a simple solution, and the adaptive is implemented correctly. Thanks!”

will try to do something with package code... (mobile version of the share page generation). I understand, that synology is trying to promote the app, but it is totally unusable. Or we should use an Owncloud on synology?)

If you see such a problem with mobile sharing, too, please join our feature enquiry flasmob:

Feature Inquiry | Synology Inc.

Go, team)
 

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