Why does my shared link preview like "scl" instead of "s"? Can I change that?

Hi @Pysio13, thanks for contacting us.

What filetypes are you trying to create shared links for on the web, and are these folders as well?

This will help me to assist further!

Pysio13

Hi. I trying to share links for file .mp3, .png and .obj. And no, i no shared any folder

Are the files located in a subfolder, or the root folder of your Dropbox account?

Pysio13

Im trying share files are located in subfolders and in rootfolder. Well... on subfolders and rootfolder dont work

bleach hawk

I'm having the same issue. New png files in a subfolder always generate /scl/fi links instead of /s

I've been creating direct download links via drop box for years but for some reason since 1st June 2023 the links have been behaving differently.

Previously the view only share link would display with the ending dl=0. I'd change it to dl=1 and that's my direct download link.

Since the 1st June the view only share link appears with the ending dl=0&rlkey=randomkey

when I remove everything from the 0 onwards (0&rlkey=randomkey) and replace it with a 1 the direct download works on Chrome (I'm logged into dropbox via chrome) but it doesn't work on any other browser.

Has there been a setting change by dropbox? Is this a user error?

Help

Hi @Turville Wines, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

If you open the shared link with just dl=0, does it open normally on the site?

How are you copying the link, via the site, the desktop application, or the mobile app?

This will help me to assist further!

Yes, if I open with dl=0 then it opens in dropbox and asks me to sign in or request access.

If I open with dl=0&rlkey=randomkey it opens in dropbox and asks me to sign in or request access.

If I open it with dl=1 it does the same.

I'm copying the link via the site.

If you created a normal shared link, then there shouldn't be a login request, since the links should be visible to anyone with the URL. Is this a view-only shared link?

Are you part of a Dropbox Business team, which could've changed the permissions on shared links?

Could you clarify exactly how you created the link, and which steps you follow?

I've created a view only shared link.

I locate the file within FILES, click on the share icon, then switch to 'view only', then I click on 'create and copy link'.

It's the same way I've been creating links for ages but I'm not sure what could have changed to add &rlkey=randomkey or similar to the end of the link.

Is the file in a private or a shared folder? Are you part of a Dropbox Business team?

The file is just loose within 'All Files'.

It's not a business account but a colleague did login last week and I worry may have changed some settings.

I've logged into another dropbox account to test and I don't have the same issue, which suggests that it's an issue or setting change within the account.

Hi @Pysio13 and @bleach hawk. I hope you don’t mind me jump in.

Are you seeing this for any type of file located within your subfolders?

@bleach hawk, what if you create a shared link for a file located directly in your root Dropbox (outside of any folders)?

bleach hawk

Hi Nancy,

I've tried png, jpg, md and rtf files inside a subfolder as well as on the top-level of my dropbox.
The share link is generated with /scl/fi every time.

I have exactly the same problem.
All OK Sunday then Monday all links had /scI/fi and &rlkey = at the end.
They will not work in my web site

Need /s/ back asap

I think I have sussed why some old links are /s/ and some /scI/
Dropbox knows if a link has been requested historically in which case it continues to give the old linke.
If however it is the first time a link has been requested it will give the new /scI/ link.
So all new files will get the /scI/ link.

How can I force an old link with a new file ?

John

Are you perhaps creating shared links with edit permissions and not view-only permissions?

Are you perhaps creating shared links with edit permissions and not view-only permissions?

Hi Nancy,
Definitely view only.
John

Currently, there isn't a method to create a specific type of shared link URL. The functionality of opening the link on the site should remain the same, however.

Skyeman69

When I upload a file and copy the link, the link normally ends with ".mp3?dl=0"

my last two files now generates a link that ends "mp3?dl=0&rlkey=randomkey"

With all the extra characters, some of my 3rd party Apps will now not recognise this new style of generated link.

Can someone offer advice in what's going on?

Hannah

Hey @Scott Cameron, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

How are you generating the links? From our website?

If you edit the link and remove the last part, does the link work for you?

Let me know and we'll go from there.

Ufodynasty

Just out of curiosity, you aren't by chance referring to pulsus when you talk about a game? I came across this thread when I ran into the exact same issue. I temporarily mitigated it by creating a new dropbox account and creating a new shared link, however, if this persists I think pulsus will have to change the way it handles song uploading. If its not pulsus, you can still create a direct download link to the file by changing the dl=0 in the sharing url to dl=1.
From other support ticket browsing, my understanding is that dropbox is trying to end support for dropboxusercontent in favor of url parameters. If this is the case I will be very sad because it will break my use case.

aaronpanganiban21

I have a website via Webflow I'm using Dropbox to host content on.

There was a weird issue where it wouldn't upload the files to the folder via the integrated Mac Desktop thing and I tried adding and then removing it via browser. This froze up my Finder menu and I had to restart my machine.

Since then, the links have had the phrase "key" in its url. That line in the url has stopped me from being able to put the content up for preview because the previews wouldn't play anymore. However, days prior, Dropbox and the other files were working fine; and when you try to manage permissions, the files don't have an option to add passwords to them.

There's a workaround where my web developer removes them on his end and re-uploads them, but I'm frustrated it seems I can no longer add content by myself.

Has anyone had this issue? I went to support and as much as it was helpful, they couldn't go into it any further citing it was Webflow's fault (even though it was Dropbox creating the links. Not Webflow)

Has anyone found a way to turn off the add passwords feature entirely (not even the slideable button) or has dealt with this recently?

Hannah

Hey @aaronpanganiban21, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Can you please guide us through the steps you're following to create the links?

Also, can you give us an example of how a link used to look for you and how it looks now?

Just make sure it's not a real link, but a made up one, so you don't have to post your link publicly.

As for the link permissions, have you tried this through a different browser or a private browsing window, to see if that helps?

Thanks.

Forebears

Just here to say I’m experiencing the same issue on my client’s website. We were hosting mp3 files from Dropbox with no issues until yesterday when our uploads started generating “scl” links.

The HTML audio player will not preview these links regardless of the parameters I add to the URL.

Does anyone know what the “scl” directory is? I imagine it’s tied to sharing options.

aaronpanganiban21

So the process goes:
Create MP3 bounced from my program for making music.
Going into desktop integrated Dropbox and uploading it that way to a folder shared between me and my web developer for the site.

Then, on the browser, in that shared folder, hitting “copy link” so I can use that link to paste it into the url zone for website on Webflow.

That’s it. Nothing out of the ordinary as far as I know.
It’s worked before with two other files, and then after the Finder freeze and restart, it’s having issues.

My developer had found another forum post after he noticed the file links were different; the files that work had /s as their sub folder, but the one that didn’t had scl/fi. And the forum post had someone dealing with a similar issue

bleach hawk

Sadly it doesn't work the same way on my website. Files cannot be loaded from /scl/fi links.
Additionally it's impossible to use 'dl.dropboxusercontent.com' with these links, even when directly accessing the file from the browser.

Hi,
I am using the links on the Geocaching.com site.
I have over 335 caches and most have photos from Dropbox as Geocaching.com does not support third party servers other than their own or Dropbox.
I cannot now create a new cache page as the new /scL/ link no longer render.
I always change dl=0 to raw=1 after copying it into the html page.
Thankfully all the old links still work find as they have already been created.

I will contact Geocaching.com as this must be a serious issue for many CO's

Stratoman