Changes to shared links stopped me from downloading them in Windows Powershell

[Rodney2024]

I run a few radio stations and often use Windows Powershell to download show content from Dropbox. I prefer to do it this way because I do things such as change the file names, reorganize multiple files and move them to the correct folders for the broadcast software. This also makes sure that the show content is downloaded and ready to be aired even when no one is in the studio to do it manually.

This is an example of the command I use in a .bat file:

set _wdraft=%~dp0\playback\TheNameOfTheShow.mp3
set _dlwebf="[Removed as per Community Guidelines]
Powershell -Command "(New-Object Net.WebClient).DownloadFile('%_dlwebf%','%_wdraft%')" >NUL

That is using an old link, however the latest links do not work using this method.

Any suggestions?

[Jay]

Hi @Rodney2024, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Are you certain that you're using the whole link? Newer shared links have an rlkey that needs to be included when accessed.

This will help me to assist further!

[Rodney2024]

Yes the new link will work in a browser but not in the same Powershell command and yes I use the entire link only changing the dl_ value from 0 to 1

[Rodney2024]

Looks like the url becomes broken. It added spaces around the &  

Powershell -Command "(New-Object Net.WebClient).DownloadFile('"db link  & st=1nk3hwsd & dl=1"','B:\DropBox Download Tool\\WORK\NewLinkTest2024.zip')" 1>NUL
The string is missing the terminator: '.
+ CategoryInfo : ParserError: (:) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : TerminatorExpectedAtEndOfString

'st' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
'dl' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

[Rodney2024]

Okay I found something about it. I basically need to put the url inside of a single, double, double quotes '""....URL-STRING...""'

Spoke too soon

[Rodney2024 · Accepted solution]

Okay adding the ^ in front of the & solves the problem