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Instructions for a simple link on a webpage?

All I want to do is hyperlink from a webpage to a shared drobox folder. Is this impossible? No matter how I format the link, I get "Dropbox refuses to connect". I created an app and added that domain, still refuses to connect. If I paste the link into a browser window, it works.

This seems like such a simple thing. Does anyone have instructions anywhere on how to connect from a secure website to a specific dropbox folder? I don't need any functionality at all. I don't even need to display the contents anywhere. I just want to direct the user from the webpage to dropbox.

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Greg-DB

Based on your description, such as creating the app and registering the domain, it sounds like you've tried to set up the Dropbox Embedder. The Dropbox Embedder is a way of displaying content from a Dropbox shared link directly on a third party site.

You mentioned that you don't actually want to display the contents though, so you don't need to use the Embedder. You can use standard HTML functionality to link to Dropbox web pages, just like one might do with other URLs.

We can't really offer support for HTML itself, but just for example, you could make an anchor element for a hyperlink like this:

<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/">Link to Dropbox</a>

You can replace https://www.dropbox.com/ with your full desired URL.

Msadr

Thanks but this is exactly what I did. When I click on it, I only get the message "Dropbox refuses to connect". What must I do to the shared folder link to make it clickable from the webpage? Pasting the link into the browser works. Clicking the link from the webpage does not. I feel stupid that I can't get a hyperlink to work! There must be some parameter that I need in the URL?

Здравко

@Msadr wrote:
... There must be some parameter that I need in the URL?

Hi @Msadr,

No, you only need to keep all URL params as they are - just don't change nor remove something. If you have some example page that doesn't work, it would be more informative.

Good luck.

Greg-DB

@Msadr Здравко is correct; you do not need to add anything to make a standard hyperlink work. From your description though, it sounds like you may still be using some Embedder or iframe functionality. Make sure you only have the standard anchor element if that's the only thing you want. Otherwise, feel free to show what you have that isn't working as expected.

Msadr

Thanks, that gave me a hint. The website I'm working with defaults the link target to the frame. All I had to do was add target = "_blank" and the hyperlink works now.

barbarartist

Hey could one of you share a sample complete link using the solution Msadr came up with? I am trying to do the same things at my website. It is on a password accessible page and I want to provide a link to the drop box file that has photos of the project. I too created a link to the dropbox file and added it to my website (using the standard method suggested by Gre_DB above). But instead of linking to the dropbox file of images, I am getting a 404 Not Found. Thanks!

Здравко

@barbarartist wrote:
... But instead of linking to the dropbox file of images, I am getting a 404 Not Found. ...

Hi @barbarartist,

There is no such thing like "file of images"! There could be a link to image file or link to folder of images files.

Anyway... your issue is something completely different! On OP, the issue is impossible embedding of a Dropbox frame (or most of them at least - excluding some like targeting Dropbox Embedder). In your case the link seems broken - you have damaged it or inactivate it or maybe pointed file has been removed. Fix your link; adding anything else wouldn't change anything. If you can point something that doesn't work (as example), it will clarify the things.

barbarartist

I copied the link at my dropbox for a collection of images called 'Unlocking Desire Image Collection'. I have shared this link with press people so they can choose images for any articles they write, and have had no problem. Here is an example of a link at my website:

May 2023 Unlocking Desire was announced in Variety at <a href=https://variety.com/2023/film/global/barbara-neri-blanche-dubois-lgbtqia-unlocking-desire-1235622714/>the 2023 Cannes Film Festival </a>.

So I did the same think with the dropbox link I copied on my dropbox. It won't work. It goes to a 404 Not Found page.

Even though this link works perfectly at my website I am getting this message as I try to send this to you:

Your post has been changed because invalid HTML was found in the message body. The invalid HTML has been removed. Please review the message and submit the message when you are satisfied.

Здравко

@barbarartist, Since you don't want to show me nonworking example I cannot say much more.

About the message for wrong formatting (I suppose on your forum post), just don't copy formatted text, but plain text only and you won't have any issues (clear the formatting when needed - seems forum imperfection). This message has nothing to do with your issue though.

barbarartist

Well, the only one I have that is not working is to the file at my dropbox. And I really don't want to share that link to this public forum. If I could send it to you privately that would work. I'm at [personal information removed per the Community's Guidelines]

Здравко

For sure: I have never invite you to send on public place some private info!!! Even your email posted here is BAD thing! Erase it.

That what I invite you is to post "nonworking example". 😉 You can use a link pointing some dummy file. The only mandatory thing is to show the issue - i.e. the issue to be clear.

Hope it's a bit more clear now.

barbarartist

This is to an empty dummy file:

<a href=”https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/yndx3xyfkwczmmjbzegqz/AP5IuRHPTk67Oyl-MTG9ROw?rlkey=gam3ghcw8c41hhhx4v2p8jn8m&st=4yb20pn5&dl=0/>Dummy Folder</a>

This is how I formatted the link to the other file full of photos. When I copied the link to my webpage, the link showed but took me to a 404 Not Found page.

barbarartist

Oh, and I am talking about adding it to the code at my website. It is a custom site, coded. All the other links there are formatted in this way.

Здравко

@barbarartist wrote:
This is to an empty dummy file:
<a href=”https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/yndx3xyfkwczmmjbzegqz/AP5IuRHPTk67Oyl-MTG9ROw?rlkey=gam3ghcw8c41hhhx4v2p8jn8m&st=4yb20pn5&dl=0/>Dummy Folder</a>

This is how I formatted the link to the other file full of photos. When I copied the link to my webpage, the link showed but took me to a 404 Not Found page.

😂@barbarartist, Is this your first try to create a link node in web page? 🙂

There is a bunch of mistakes. First of all, keep in mind that HTML is design language and it has strict rules despite some flexibility related to some other programing languages. This is NOT a human language with large degree of freedom - some small changes may make the things wrong.

In particular case: Use only ASCII symbols (the quotes especially), when you open quote, have to close it too, and DO NOT change the link (as mentioned already multiple times - including adding slashes). 👆

ADD: Take a look how work your corrected "nonworking" link (embedded in a place):

Take more care! 😉

barbarartist

No it is not the first time. I've done tons of them and simply by copying the way they are done at my site. Okay, so I closed the quotes and got rid of the dash. (Added the dash after it would not work.) Care to share the link with me that you got to work? Because other than adding the <a href=" and having the link as is from dropbox and concluding with

”></a> I have added nothing and it still does not work for me.

barbarartist

I meant 'slash' not dash - Yep, I added that. Now it is gone.

Здравко

I don't have anything to share. The only thing I changed is the background - didn't look well on dark background - nothing else. Probably you have other mistakes. Can you share the place where you have tested this dummy folder? (link to the place, don't cite the node)

ADD: By the way:

@barbarartist wrote:
...
”></a> I have added nothing and it still does not work for me.

What about "only ASCII symbols" ??!!! Is the quote above an ASCII symbol?

Again, take more care!

barbarartist

No, I am talking about the code you created and posted at your site in order to link to the dummy folder. Can you share the code so I can see what you did? The page in question is password accessible only. I can't share that because I would have to give you the logins. I can give you another page at my site that is the same coding, will that help you?

Здравко

Again, it's one to one the yous. Only the mistakes, I mentioned, have been fixed - nothing more.

ADD: I see you regularly place wrong quotes! Check what you have used on your side.

barbarartist

Well, I have a website that encompasses 40 years as an artist and there are many many links I have created there. Lol. The Dropbox link seems to be a real problem. I don't think Dropbox really wants users to create such links or it wouldn't be so problematic. Thanks anyhow.