Partial file update

Hi Greg-DB,

Seems, my example gets misunderstood. In the example changes detection is just a example part, not a final target! I'm aware how a change could be detected. Problem arise when multiple changes could happen in same time. Changes detection can't be used for conflicts avoid in such cases. I have no idea how this could be achieved using the available API features. Again, changes detection is just a part from the example (maybe far from perfect example, rather confusing, seems). In the referred performance guide, you mentioned, is nothing related to serialization!? Serialization is main concern, not the writes count! Is there stable way I can use to "flag" something and perform some sequence of operations without worry about performing the same operations set from another application instance could make a mess? Seems the "short-term locking", you are talking about, tend to prevent underlying Dropbox storage possible damage (i.e. per single write step protection and serialization). What about set of API calls?!

My idea and proposal (on "green" of course, just idea) is to lock files in a way that the existing pair do, but applicability not restricted between different Dropbox account, but applicable per application instance accessing the same thing (whatever is) in same or different account. Also care should be made for possible network issues! Unlike human action serialization, which can call one call to lock something and another to unlock, application serialization have to be implemented in one call, so if some network break gets up, locked entry gets released automatically. Something like locking and unlocking be implemented in a single call (at the beginning and the end) and generally behaving similar to "longpull" call (waiting not for some change, but for last POST byte or net link break). While the previous call is on go, a protected set of other calls (selection of developer) could be performed parallel in a safe manner. In such a way stability is guaranteed.

Hope now my idea is a bit more clear.