Using Dropbox to save files: Difference between revisions

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(Replaced content with "'''''Dropbox has a new API which is [https://www.dropbox.com/developers/documentation documented on their site]. As a result, this page has been deprecated.'''''")
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It's easy to save and read files on Dropbox using AppStudio. You can then access them on all your devices and on your desktop.
'''''Dropbox has a new API which is [https://www.dropbox.com/developers/documentation documented on their site]. As a result, this page has been deprecated.'''''
* Apps must be set up in Dropbox before they will run.
* Apps need to be deployed. They cannot run locally.
* Apps using PhoneGap will need a different procedure to do OAuth than described here.
* Your site will need a signing certificate so OAuth will work.
* You can only run someone else's app if you have their permission.
* Therefore you can only access someone else's files with their permission.
* If you want to access a file on a record by record basis, use a [[Using a Dropbox Datastore|Dropbox Datastore]].
 
Here's how:
 
== Get a DropBox account. ==
 
Use your existing account or get a new one. They're free and easy to set up.
 
== Create your app in the Dropbox App Console ==
 
Go to [https://www.dropbox.com/developers/apps Dropbox App Console] and create a Dropbox API app, that does "Files and data stores" that it creates. It's also possible to access existing files in the Dropbox by choosing appropriate options here.
 
[[File:Dropboxappconsole0.png|600px|none]]
 
 
=== Settings ===
[[File:Dropboxappconsole1.png|600px|none]]
 
Settings Fields:
* Status: Development allows up to 100 users. To apply for Production, your app will have to approved by Dropbox.
* Development users: Who is allowed to use the app?
* Permission type: Normally, read and write to its own folder.
* App Folder Name: Name the folder you want to use in Dropbox/Apps for your app's files. If it does not exist, it will be created.
* App key, App secret: Generated by Dropbox. Use App key in your app to identify the Dropbox app.
* OAuth redirect URIs: The complete URL to your deployed app, including index.html.
* Drop-ins domains: Not needed.
* Datastores: Not needed.
 
=== Details ===
[[File:Dropboxappconsole2.png|500px|none]]
 
Details Fields:
* App name: The name of your app. Don't use "Dropbox" in the name.
* Publisher: Your name or the name of your company.
* Description: A description of your app.
* App website: The main website for your app.
* App icons: 64x64 and 256x256 images. You need to save them to your Dropbox before uploading them.
 
== Write your app ==
 
=== Add the Dropbox library to your project ===
 
Select Global Code and Project Properties in the Project Explorer, and add the Dropbox library to the project:
 
[[File:Dropboxlibrary.png|600px|none]]
 
=== Log into Dropbox ===
 
Security is important to Dropbox apps. Before you can do anything, you need to login. Dropbox uses a security schema call [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OAuth OAuth], which is fairly ease to use. OAuth requires that you use https: your site site will need a signing certificate. You can install a self signed certificate (browsers will complain) or an official one (about $59/year from a certificate authority).
 
Here is what you do at the start of your app:
<pre>
Dim APP_KEY = "qx65sf9nruudj73"
Dim client = new Dropbox.Client({key: APP_KEY})
client.authenticate({interactive:False}, authenticationError)
 
Function authenticationError(err)
  If err Then MsgBox "DropBox Authentication error: " & err
End Function
</pre>
 
Once this is done, you can check to see if the user is authorized. If not, you need to authenticate:
<pre>
client.authenticate()
</pre>
This will load the Dropbox web page, ask the user to log in if needed and get authorization for the app.
 
=== Write a file to your DropBox ===
 
Once authenticated, writing files out is easy.
<pre>
s="This is my data"
client.writeFile("MyData.txt", s, {}, writeComplete)
 
Function writeComplete(err)
  MsgBox "Data written. Error: " & err
End Function
</pre>
* The file will be created in /DropBox/Apps/''yourAppName''
* You can use any extension.
* It's your responsibility to format the data properly for the extension you use.
* If the file exists, it is overwritten by default.
* To prevent overwrite, put {noOverwrite: true} into the 3rd parameter.
* Data to be written out can be quite large.
* JSON is a nice format to use for structured data. Use [[JSON.Stringify|JSON.Stringify]] and [[JSON.Parse]].
* writeFile executes asynchronously.
* The last parameter is the function to call on completion of write.
* An error code is passed to the writeComplete function.
* If operation is successful, null is passed.
 
=== Read a file from your DropBox ===
 
Reading is as easy as writing.
<pre>
client.readFile("MyData.txt", {}, readComplete) 
 
Function readComplete(err, data)
  MsgBox "Data read: " & data
End Function
</pre>
* The file will be read in /DropBox/Apps/yourAppName
* If the file exists, it is overwritten by default.
* JSON is a nice format to use for structured data. Use JSON.Stringify and JSON.Parse.
* readFile executes asynchronously.
* The last parameter is the function to call on completion of write.
* An error code  and the data is passed to the readComplete function.
* If operation is successful, null is passed as err.
* There are additional options for data type, start position and number of bytes to read.
 
=== Other Dropbox file commands ===
Here is the full list of calls that can be made to the Dropbox client. Docs are [https://www.dropbox.com/developers/datastore/docs/js here].
 
* signOut(options, callback)
* getAccountInfo(options, callback)
* readFile(path, options, callback)
* writeFile(path, data, options, callback)
* resumableUploadStep(data, cursor, callback)
* resumableUploadFinish(path, options, callback)
* stat(path, options, callback)
* readdir(path, options, callback)
* makeUrl(path, options, callback)
* history(path, options, callback)
* readThumbnail(path, options, callback)
* revertFile(path, versionTag, callback)
* findByName(path, namePattern, options, callback)
* makeCopyReference(path, callback)
* pullChanges(cursor, callback)
* mkdir(path, callback)
* remove(path, callback)
* copy(from, toPath, callback)
* move(fromPath, toPath, callback)
* appInfo(appKey, callback)
* isAppDeveloper(userId, appKey, callback)
* hasOauthRedirectUri(redirectUri, appKey, callback)

Latest revision as of 14:15, 13 November 2020

Dropbox has a new API which is documented on their site. As a result, this page has been deprecated.