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Help Understanding how /files/list_folder/continue
I am working on an AWS serverless app that queries a specific DropBox folder tree for daily PDF uploads. My process and config/code are below. I _think_ I understand how the API endpoint is supposed ...
Thanks for the detailed writeup!
First, I should note that the 'dropbox-v2-api' package isn't made by Dropbox itself, so I can't really offer support for that or say what it may actually be doing under the hood, but I'll take a look here and advise with respect to the Dropbox API.
Anyway, looking over your code and description, it looks like you have the right basic idea here for the most part (though it will depend on exactly what you're trying to accomplish of course), but there are a few things to note:
- Regarding the deleted entries, note that the 'include_deleted' parameter only applies to "entries for files and folders that used to exist but were deleted", that is, at the time of the call to /2/files/list_folder/get_latest_cursor. Files or folders that are deleted after that call will still be reported later by /2/files/list_folder/continue as 'deleted'. Does this account for the entries you're seeing? Essentially, it may just be items deleted between 2:00 AM and 3:00 PM. If that doesn't seem to be it, perhaps you could share a sample so we can take a look? Feel free to open an API ticket privately if you'd prefer.
- Also, I don't see you checking the 'has_more' value returned by /2/files/list_folder/continue. You're not guaranteed to get everything back in one call, so you should check that 'has_more' value and call back again to /2/files/list_folder/continue as described in the /2/files/list_folder documentation.
- Also, it may or may not make sense for your use case, but you don't need to call /2/files/list_folder/get_latest_cursor every day. You can store and re-use the last cursor you received to be able to just receive updates about changes that have occurred since you received that cursor. That would let you track all changes over time. As written, it seems you're not monitoring anything that occurs between 3:00 PM and 2:00 AM. The Detecting Changes guide may be helpful, if you haven't already read it.
Greg-DB
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox StaffThanks for the detailed writeup!
First, I should note that the 'dropbox-v2-api' package isn't made by Dropbox itself, so I can't really offer support for that or say what it may actually be doing under the hood, but I'll take a look here and advise with respect to the Dropbox API.
Anyway, looking over your code and description, it looks like you have the right basic idea here for the most part (though it will depend on exactly what you're trying to accomplish of course), but there are a few things to note:
- Regarding the deleted entries, note that the 'include_deleted' parameter only applies to "entries for files and folders that used to exist but were deleted", that is, at the time of the call to /2/files/list_folder/get_latest_cursor. Files or folders that are deleted after that call will still be reported later by /2/files/list_folder/continue as 'deleted'. Does this account for the entries you're seeing? Essentially, it may just be items deleted between 2:00 AM and 3:00 PM. If that doesn't seem to be it, perhaps you could share a sample so we can take a look? Feel free to open an API ticket privately if you'd prefer.
- Also, I don't see you checking the 'has_more' value returned by /2/files/list_folder/continue. You're not guaranteed to get everything back in one call, so you should check that 'has_more' value and call back again to /2/files/list_folder/continue as described in the /2/files/list_folder documentation.
- Also, it may or may not make sense for your use case, but you don't need to call /2/files/list_folder/get_latest_cursor every day. You can store and re-use the last cursor you received to be able to just receive updates about changes that have occurred since you received that cursor. That would let you track all changes over time. As written, it seems you're not monitoring anything that occurs between 3:00 PM and 2:00 AM. The Detecting Changes guide may be helpful, if you haven't already read it.
Ok, that clarifies the deleted file issue perfectly. I thought it meant to exclude all deleted so that makese sense.
I do need to update the cursor every day because I only want the files for that day. If I don't update the cursor, won't that give me all files since the cursor? So that would give me all of the files going back possibly multiple days. That won't fit my use case.
Yes, I caught the has_more issue last night. Technically that is the right thing to do but it won't have any tangible impact since I have the limit set to 2,000 files and we are not coming anywhere close to that. The most I have seen to-date is 900 in one day including the deleted files. I am deploying the update once I have tested it but did not include it here because I have not fully tested the new code.
Thanks for the response. I think this resolves my issue. I mainly needed to confirm I'm understanding the way the API endpoint works and to clarify on the deleted files.
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