Can Dropbox js sdk write into the local Dropbox directory, on mobile?

[Avner11]

Can a web app, use the Dropbox js sdk, to write a file locally into the Dropbox folder on mobile (Android)?

I want the file to be synced automatically to the cloud via the native Dropbox application, or via a third party app (e.g. Dropsync).

Or is the web app limited to the same origin, i.e. it will not see the Dropbox folder?

Thanks,
Avner

[Walter]

Hey there Avner - how are you today?

I'm sorry if I'm missing something obvious here but could you elaborate on what you'd like to accomplish eventually and specifically how (the exact steps)? 

By the way, are you developing your own app? 

Any additional information you can share will be much appreciated!

[avner1]

Hi Walter
Yes, I'm developing an app.
The web app, is without server side, and interacts with a large zip file (~1GB) with many images.
The zip file is downloaded from the cloud via the Dropbox js sdk.
The mobile application adds one image to the file, and on save, uploads the file onto the dropbox account on the cloud.
With my current implementation the entire zip file is uploaded with every save, which is slow.
I'm looking for a way to speed up the upload and keep the file synced in the cloud.
From what I read, Dropbox native app, and other Dropbox related third party apps (e.g. Dropsync) have incremental sync, which I want to make use of.
If only I could save to the local folders of these apps...

Thanks,
Avner

p.s.

other related links are here, here, here, and here.

[Walter]

Thanks for clarifying that and providing these details @avner1, I appreciate it. 

I have moved your post to the relevant section of our Community so the right people can get on it and assist further.

In the meantime, have a lovely weekend!

PS: I guess you're using two separate accounts and you're the same person as @Avner11, right? 

[Greg-DB]

The Dropbox API doesn't offer the ability to do incremental/differential uploads, but I'll pass this along as a feature request. I can't promise if or when that might be implemented though. 

The Dropbox API, e.g., accessed using the Dropbox JavaScript SDK, operates by having your app communicate directly with the Dropbox servers, not the user's local filesystem. What you do with the result, e.g., the data for a file you downloaded from Dropbox, is up to you. For instance, it sounds like you may want to download it to the user's local computer to have another application, such as the official Dropbox application, do the upload. The Dropbox JavaScript SDK doesn't offer functionality for that in particular.

While you can certainly upload and download files from/to the Dropbox servers in a web app in the browser using the Dropbox API via the JavaScript SDK, you may not be able to accomplish the local filesystem write operations that you want automatically. That would depend on the local file capabilities of the browser, but I can't offer guidance on that. (For instance, you may be able prompt the user to save a file manually, but not automatically.)