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When trying to list folder contents, error happens

Hello,

New to Dropbox API.

I can create folders and files, but when I try to list the contents of a folder, I get an error message. I'm particularly interested in getting the contents of the root folder, but for now, I'm just trying to test it with a specific folder I have. I'm using https://api.dropboxapi.com/2/files/list_folder, and trying to copy the documentation example exactly, like so:

--header "Authorization: Basic XXXX"

--header "Content-Type: application/json"

--data "{\"include_deleted\":false,\"include_has_explicit_shared_members\":false,\"include_media_info\":false,\"include_mounted_folders\":true,\"include_non_downloadable_files\":true,\"path\":\"/FolderTest\",\"recursive\":false}"

But I get this error, and I don't see the mistake I'm making:

{

"error" :

{

".tag" : "path",

"path" :

{

".tag" : "unsupported_content_type"

}

"error_summary" : "path/unsupported_content_type/.."

}

Any ideas? Thanks.

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Accepted answers

Greg-DB

I see you're supplying a folder path and not a shared link and are using app authentication on this /2/files/list_folder call, which can cause this 'path/unsupported_content_type' error.

When using app authentication, that is, with the app key and secret instead of an access token, you do not have access to an account directly. Using app authentication with /2/files/list_folder is instead meant for accessing the contents of a shared link.

So, you would need to either supply a shared_link on the /2/files/list_folder call, or switch to using user authentication, that is, with an access token for an account.

All comments

Greg-DB

MBUST

Hello Greg!

Thanks for your help!!

I thought I had to use the type of authentication use in the documentation's example (as I recall reading somewhere else here), but I see now that using the token will do what I need. Thanks!

rohitkmk

Hi Dropbox Team,

When I try to use API: /2/files/list_folder using App Authentication using my personal account it works successfully, but when I try same using my Company/Business account it gives following error:

{

"error_summary": "path/unsupported_content_type/..",

"error": {

".tag": "path",

"path": {

".tag": "unsupported_content_type"

}

Could you please let us know why this difference is there?

Also Dropbox documentation mentions we can use App Authentication as well, so why it is been restricted ?

Здравко

Hi @rohitkmk,

As Greg already mentioned, app authentication can be used for information that doesn't need access to particular account (either personal or business) - listing public accessible shared links or at most password protected (the one you can provide thorough the call parameter). App Authentication identifies the application itself, but not the user that uses it! That's why you cannot use App Authentication to access data closely related to any particular account (i.e. to user, again both neither personal nor business) in any way (here we assume no any shared link points to the content; a link that can be "workaround"). To list (or do something else to) any part of account content, you need to represent somehow user having access to that content. That's what different tokens (access token and refresh token) are used for - user authentication.

According to your description you are already using user authentication (most probably; and by mistake label it as app authentication). If so, just keep in mind that for individual accounts providing token identifies in unique way particular user (the only user), but in case of business account (team account) it identifies in unique way the team (not user) if you have selected one team scope at least. You can solve it by removing all team specific scopes from permissions of your application (if you don't need them) or explicitly point the user using 'Dropbox-API-Select-User' header - whatever better match your case.

Hope this helps.

PS: Just a recall - when you change permissions, you need to reauthenticate the user; such changes are NOT retroactive!

In any case post exact way you got to the error (like represented in OP).

Greg-DB

@rohitkmk I see Здравко already helpfully offered some guidance here, but if you're still having trouble with this, please feel free to share the relevant code/request that's failing with this error. Please be sure to redact any secret values, such as an app secret or access token though.

rohitkmk

Hi @Greg,

Please find the details of issue I am facing with /2/files/list_folder API.
When I try to fetch the list of folders using this API, I only the list of folders I have created for my Apps (Apps created from Developer console). For e.g.:

But other folders to which I have access in Dropbox (created by other team members or myself), they never appear in the List folder API response.

Should I ask my Team admin to create App in Developer console, use the client id and client secret(for Bearer token generation) of this App to call APIs

so that I can get list of all folders and files created by the Team or do I need to have Administrator role for myself to fetch all these details?
Could you please guide?

Здравко

Yes @rohitkmk, by default your user folder could be accessed only. Did you set 'Dropbox-API-Path-Root' header to change this? (your headers stay invisible on the screenshot) If not, try it. 😉

Good luck.

rohitkmk

Hi @Здравко, I am using automated connector in a 3rd Party Application which uses these APIs . I cannot add Dropbox-API-Path-Root in request header in the actual connector, so I wanted to check if we use App created by Admin to call this API, would I get to see all folders present in the workspace using list folder API call. Could you please help?

rohitkmk

Hi Здравко,
I am using a 3rd Party Connector which uses this Dropbox APIs. I cannot add Dropbox-API-Path-Root in actual connector. So wanted to check if using App(to generate Bearer Token) created by Administrator work and help in getting list of all folders in workspace?

rohitkmk

Hi Здравко/Greg, I am using a 3rd Party connector which internally uses these APIs, i cannot add Dropbox-API-Path-Root in the connector calls, if I use an App created by Administrator to call the List Folder API, will the API list all the folders in response?

Здравко

@rohitkmk wrote:
..., if I use an App created by Administrator to call the List Folder API, will the API list all the folders in response?

It doesn't matter who's the owner/creator of the application. What/how the application can access depends on how application authenticates (i.e. on behalves of who is authenticated) and how the calls are performed (i.e. everything that Greg and me already said above). In short - No.

@rohitkmk wrote:
..., I am using a 3rd Party connector which internally uses these APIs, i cannot add Dropbox-API-Path-Root in the connector calls, ...

Hm... Inform the creators of this connector for mentioned imperfection/bug. In fact this restricts you to access everything outside user private folder on Business account with spaces configuration (in spite you still could be able access old configurations, where no change of the root is need). The connector has to get updated definitely!

Hope this clarifies matter.

Greg-DB

@rohitkmk Здравко is correct; to access the team space you'd need to set the 'Dropbox-API-Path-Root' header. (It doesn't matter who owns/creates the app.) You can find more information in the Team Files Guide.