command-line download app

[jrcampins]

I am trying to build an App to let other people (even non-Dropbox users) easily download files from a specific folder in my Dropbox. The App only needs to have read-only access to such folder.

Based on the examples, I built a very simple command-line download app. The app works just fine but I don't want to distribute it as it is, as my access token is hard-coded in it, and although its permission type is "App folder" and therefore its access should be limited to that folder it would be read-write access.

Could anybody please help me find a way build this App without sharing my access token and/or my secret key?

[Greg-DB · Accepted solution]

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, as you've done, but we don't recommend doing so, for various technical and security reasons, like you mentioned.

Anyway, there isn't a way to configure a read-only permission, but I'll pass this along as a feature request.

Alternatively, you could consider using shared links to link to content in your Dropbox:

https://www.dropbox.com/help/files-folders/view-only-access

You can modify these links for direct access, e.g., to programmatically download from them:

https://www.dropbox.com/help/desktop-web/force-download

[jrcampins]

Thanks a lot! Modifying the links for direct access solves my problem. Files can be downloaded very easily using FileUtils.copyURLToFile (no need for Dropbox's API).