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sshweky
Helper III
Helper III

Data source hosted on Dropbox

Hi,

 

I am using Power Query in Excel and need to pull in some data via a query from an Access file on Dropbox. If I add the local version of the file, other users can't use the file b/c they dont have the same local file path to Dropbox as I do.

 

Is there some way to connest to the web version of the file on Dropbox? I tried, but it doesn't see the tables inside the database?

 

Any other ideas?

 

Thanks,

 Steven

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Can you please look at my URL below and see if I did it correctly because it still says "authentication failed". What is the proper format of the filepath?


@ankitpatira wrote:

@sshweky URL should be as below and you choose anonymous method as you already have api token specified in URL

 

 

https://api-content.dropbox.com/1/files/auto/{FILE PATH}?access_token={YOURAPITOKEN} 

 


 

 

View solution in original post

13 REPLIES 13
DUYARRA_BI
Regular Visitor

Hello,

 

I tried again and it works fine, here is the M code of the query, in this case, retrieving a CSV file:

 

 

let
    Origen = Csv.Document(Web.Contents("https://www.dropbox.com/s/------/Anexar1_peque.csv?dl=1"),[Delimiter=","]),
    #"Tipo cambiado" = Table.TransformColumnTypes(Origen,{{"Column1", type text}})
in
    #"Tipo cambiado"

 

Note that I changed the ?dl=0 for ?dl=1 

Kamal_PK
New Member

I tried this solution. 

Relocate the Dropbox folder to Drives other than C (OS Drive). For Ex: F:\DropBox (Using Preferences in the Dropbox in Taskbar). Do the same for your peers in their system (Whoever wants to try access the files in Dropbox). 

Now try to work on the files in Dropbox. Peers when they access the files and refresh, data gets updated.

 

Thanks

Kamal

Anonymous
Not applicable

thanks for your suggestion, but my dropbox folder is already outside C:\...

It is in D:\.

The issue persists.

Make sure the file source path is similar to whoever access the files, like d:\Dropbox. I tried with my team it's working.
Anonymous
Not applicable

no... I don´t want it working on PBI Desktop. I need it working on PBI Service, PBI Service cannot connect directly to Dropbox cloud. that is my problem: cannot make it work from PBI cloud to dropbox cloud.

ankitpatira
Community Champion
Community Champion

@sshweky Make use of Dropbox REST APIs. 

 

1. Go to https://www.dropbox.com/developers and sign in and get API token.

 

2. In power bi desktop click web connector enter URL as below, replaceing {FILE PATH} and {YOURAPITOKEN}.

 

https://api-content.dropbox.com/1/files/auto/{FILE PATH}?access_token={YOURAPITOKEN}

3. Right click result of query and select Access. 

 

Capture.PNG

 

 

 

@ankitpatira

 

Hi Ankit,

 

 

Thank you so much! However, I ran into 1 small roadblock. When I hit connect I get this box where I need to sign in.

 

Here is s screenshot of what I am seeing...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3ssfx6c2hq5p5kr/Capture.PNG?dl=0

 

I tried to log in a bunch of different ways and it tells me 'user not authourized'. Any ideas?

 

Here is the final link tot he file with API Token & Path.

https://api-content.dropbox.com/1/files/auto/https://www.dropbox.com/s/vyt5wxklr9sh5ns/fc.mdb?dl=0?a...

 

Thank you so much for your help!!!

 

 

Steven

 

 

you dont need to give the /https://www.dropbox.com/ in the middle in the file path. 

you just need to give red color text as folder path as below 

 https://api-content.dropbox.com/1/files/auto/folder%20path%20Team%20Folder/OSO.xlsx?access_token=-dssgsgsfqertr

 

then it works in anomous login.

 

thanks,

Karthik

@sshweky URL should be as below and you choose anonymous method as you already have api token specified in URL

 

 

https://api-content.dropbox.com/1/files/auto/{FILE PATH}?access_token={YOURAPITOKEN} 

 

Anonymous
Not applicable

Hi @ankitpatira.

 

this answer is using API v1, and it is no more supported by dropbox.

https://blogs.dropbox.com/developers/2016/06/api-v1-deprecated/

 

using API v2, could you please help list/view all files inside a folder?

using web query, I am having issue to make it work with my token and the link below.

https://api.dropboxapi.com/2/files/list_folder

Can you please look at my URL below and see if I did it correctly because it still says "authentication failed". What is the proper format of the filepath?


@ankitpatira wrote:

@sshweky URL should be as below and you choose anonymous method as you already have api token specified in URL

 

 

https://api-content.dropbox.com/1/files/auto/{FILE PATH}?access_token={YOURAPITOKEN} 

 


 

 

It works for me when I get a link from dropbox via vile explorer and when I paste the link I change  "?dl=0" for "?dl=1". Then I can use the url in Power Query getting data from web.

"https://www.dropbox.com/s/je1pd9qmopp5t_____________rec2015.xlsx?dl=0"   change it to "https://www.dropbox.com/s/je1pd9qmopp5t_____________rec2015.xlsx?dl=01"  

I cold not make it work with a folder and haven't tried with the Power BI service. Hope it helps.

Have you or anyone else had an issue when the dropbox explorer link got changed automatically?

I have an excel file which I have linked using your method in various PBI reports, like this "https://www.dropbox.com/s/je1pd9qmopp5t_____________rec2015.xlsx?dl=01".

And now I am back from my holiday and all the PBI reports are not refreshing because the link has changed. The 'file' is still in the same dropbox folder and has the same file name. I asked my colleagues, but nobody changed the file location or such.

Just wondering if there is some better way to link the dropbox file in the future inorder to avoid opening all the desktop files> editing the link> and publishing it again. Chaotic!

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