Can you get dropbox shared folder metadata without accessing the api?

Additionally, I am using python and exifread to access file metadata.

Thanks for your help!

Hi Jared, no, shared folder metadata isn't available locally on the file system, nor is there an interface for asking for it from the desktop client itself. The only option is to use the Dropbox API, but I'll be sure to pass this along as feedback. 

Thanks, It would be really nice if it could be added to the file metadata as a dictionary of dropbox metadata... or something like that.  Then, as files are passed around, the dropbox information (and I guess an advertisement -- if you think about it like that) would be passed along with it. 

Is there any way for me to add this sort of system to my dropbox by writing code that is run when my user adds a file?

I would assume not.  Dropbox is great, but I have been sorely disappointed by its flexibility.  Unless I see some major changes (like being able to share parent and child folders separately) it is unlikely that I will continue to be a customer. 

This would be possible using the API. You could use webhook to be notified of changes that occur, if this is a server-side app:

https://www.dropbox.com/developers/reference/webhooks

Or /list_folder/longpoll if it's a client-side app:

https://www.dropbox.com/developers/documentation/http/documentation#files-list_folder-longpoll

And then use the shared folder metadata endpoints to get the desired information:

https://www.dropbox.com/developers/documentation/http/documentation#sharing-list_folders

https://www.dropbox.com/developers/documentation/http/documentation#sharing-get_folder_metadata

Thanks Gregory!  I appreciate the resources!