Re: Hosting my app and content

EvoluZion3 · ‎03-17-2018

Hi, there are a couple of points in the developer's reference guide I don't quite understand. I want to use DropBox to host my app, and any downloadable content I create for it.

My app will be freely-available worldwide, and it will contact my *Free* DropBox account upon startup and check/download any updates.

I don't understand the 50/500 user limit part of the documentation for Development status - surely my app is just one single "user", regardless of the fact that hundreds/thousands of people may be using it?

Also with regards "App Folder" security, does it mean just the flat folder is sharable, or is it that folder and all sub-folders?

Sorry for the newbie questions.

Greg-DB · ‎03-18-2018

The API was designed with the intention that each user would link their own Dropbox account, in order to interact with their own files. However, it is technically possible to connect to just one account. The SDKs don't offer explicit support for it and we don't recommend doing so, for various technical and security reasons. If you do only have your app connect to a single account, the user limit wouldn't have any impact, since there would only be one Dropbox account.

However if you did want to go this route, instead of kicking off the authorization flow, you would manually use an existing access token for your account and app. (Just be careful not to revoke it, e.g. via https://www.dropbox.com/account/security .)

Also, the "app folder" permission means that a special "app folder" is created for your app in the linked account and the app only has access to things in that folder, including nested files/folders, but not anything elsewhere in the account.

View solution in original post

Greg-DB · ‎03-18-2018

The API was designed with the intention that each user would link their own Dropbox account, in order to interact with their own files. However, it is technically possible to connect to just one account. The SDKs don't offer explicit support for it and we don't recommend doing so, for various technical and security reasons. If you do only have your app connect to a single account, the user limit wouldn't have any impact, since there would only be one Dropbox account.

However if you did want to go this route, instead of kicking off the authorization flow, you would manually use an existing access token for your account and app. (Just be careful not to revoke it, e.g. via https://www.dropbox.com/account/security .)

Also, the "app folder" permission means that a special "app folder" is created for your app in the linked account and the app only has access to things in that folder, including nested files/folders, but not anything elsewhere in the account.

EvoluZion3 · ‎03-20-2018

Thanks Greg, that gives me something to think about.

KuroyukiDev · ‎08-26-2018

I just read your reply, and I was wondering how to setup an "app folder" for hosting a JSON data file for pulling data into a JavaScript app? What is the process to setting up the app folder? I couldn't find any info on this in the help section here. Thanks for your time.

Happy Coding! (^_^)y

~ Mikoto from KuroyukiDev

KuroyukiDev · ‎08-26-2018

Never mind, I just figured it out by googling Dropbox developer console. I was able to take it from there once I found the dev console. Thanks for your time guys!

Happy Coding! (^_^)y

~ Mikoto from KuroyukiDev