Need to see if your shared folder is taking up space on your dropbox 👨‍💻? Find out how to check here.

Forum Discussion

littleninja's avatar
littleninja
Explorer | Level 3
9 years ago

Creating a syncing folder in the Dropbox Desktop folder with Node JS

I'm developing a desktop (electron) app that integrates with the Dropbox javascript SDK and uses node js to perform tasks on the local machine, allowing an online and offline experience.   All I am...
API
Greg-DB's avatar
Greg-DB
Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
9 years ago
No, unfortunately there isn't an API call like that. We'll consider it a feature request, but I can't promise if/when it would be implemented. Sorry I don't have better news for you!
littleninja's avatar
littleninja
Explorer | Level 3
9 years ago

Surely then you can tell me how creating a folder manually differs from creating one through node js? I can't believe what I'm trying to do isn't achievable?!?!

  • Greg-DB's avatar
    Greg-DB
    Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
    9 years ago

    The difference is that with the Node JS library, you're communicating with the Dropbox servers directly, so any changes are essentially remote changes that get synced down to the desktop client, respecting the online only setting for the default behavior for new content. (I.e., the folder creation API call would work whether or not the desktop client is installed.)

    When creating the folder manually, you're operating on the local filesystem, not directly on Dropbox.

    Sorry I don't have better news for you!

    • littleninja's avatar
      littleninja
      Explorer | Level 3
      9 years ago

      I see what you're saying but I am acting purely on the local filesystem with Node js... the process has absolutely no connection to the dropbox API whatsoever... it is even done when there is not internet connection, so I'm really at a loss as to why a folder created in the local directory by node js differs to one created manually in the local directory... do you see what I'm saying?

      • Greg-DB's avatar
        Greg-DB
        Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
        9 years ago

        I'm not sure I follow. You originally mentioned "the Dropbox JavaScript SDK", which I took to mean the official Dropbox JavaScript SDK:

         

        https://github.com/dropbox/dropbox-sdk-js

         

        That does use the Dropbox API. That wouldn't work without an Internet connection. Creating the folder manually on the local filsystem (not using the Dropbox SDK) would work without an Internet connection.

         

        If something isn't working as expected, please share the relevant code/output.

About Dropbox API Support & Feedback

Node avatar for Dropbox API Support & Feedback
Find help with the Dropbox API from other developers.

The Dropbox Community team is active from Monday to Friday. We try to respond to you as soon as we can, usually within 2 hours.

If you need more help you can view your support options (expected response time for an email or ticket is 24 hours), or contact us on X, Facebook or Instagram.

For more info on available support options for your Dropbox plan, see this article.

If you found the answer to your question in this Community thread, please 'like' the post to say thanks and to let us know it was useful!