Dropbox Business Authenticate an Element Instance

You can authenticate with Dropbox to create your own instance of the Dropbox Business element through the UI or through APIs. Once authenticated, you can use the element instance to access the different functionality offered by the Dropbox platform.

Authenticate Through the UI

Use the UI to authenticate with Dropbox and create an element instance. When authenticating use the App key and App secret that you identified in Dropbox Business API Provider Setup as the API Key and API Secret. After you create the instance, you'll log in to Dropbox to authorize Cloud Elements access to your account. For more information about authenticating an element instance, see Authenticate an Element Instance (UI). 

After successfully authenticating, we give you several options for next steps. Make requests using the API docs associated with the instance, map the instance to a virtual data resource, or use it in a formula template.

Authenticate Through API

Authenticating through API is a multi-step process that involves:

• Getting a redirect URL. This URL sends users to the vendor to log in to their account.
• Authenticating users and receiving the authorization grant code. After the user logs in, the vendor makes a callback to the specified url with an authorization grant code.
• Authenticating the element instance. Using the authorization code from the vendor, authenticate with the vendor to create an element instance at Cloud Elements.

Getting a Redirect URL

Use the following API call to request a redirect URL where the user can authenticate with the vendor. Replace {keyOrId} with the element key, dropbox.

GET /elements/{keyOrId}/oauth/url?apiKey=<api_key>&apiSecret=<api_secret>&callbackUrl=<url>&siteAddress=<url>

Query Parameters

Example cURL

curl -X GET
-H 'Content-Type: application/json'
'https://api.cloud-elements.com/elements/api-v2/elements/dropboxbusiness/oauth/url?apiKey=fake_api_key&apiSecret=fake_api_secret&callbackUrl=https://www.mycoolapp.com/auth&state=dropbox'

Example Response

Use the oauthUrl in the response to allow users to authenticate with the vendor.

{
"element": "dropboxbusiness",
"oauthUrl": "https://www.dropboxbusiness.com/api/oauth2/authorize?response_type=code&client_id=insert_dropbox_client_id0&redirect_uri=https://www.mycoolapp.com/auth&state=dropboxbusiness"
}

Authenticating users and receiving the authorization grant code

Provide the response from the previous step to the users. After they authenticate, Dropbox provides the following information in the response:

• code
• state

Authenticating the Element Instance

Use the /instances endpoint to authenticate with Dropbox and create an element instance. If you are configuring events, see Dropbox Business Events.

To create an element instance:

1. Construct a JSON body as shown below (see Parameters):

           {
             "element": {
               "key": "dropboxbusiness"
             },
             "providerData": {
               "code": "<AUTHORIZATION_GRANT_CODE>"
             },
             "configuration": {
               "oauth.api.key": "<CLIENT_ID>",
               "oauth.api.secret": "<CLIENT_SECRET>",
               "oauth.callback.url": "https://www.mycoolapp.com/auth"
             },
             "tags": [
               "<ADD_YOUR_TAGS>"
             ],
             "name": "<INSTANCE_NAME>"
           }
   

2. Call the following, including the JSON body you constructed in the previous step:

   POST /instances
   

   Note: Make sure that you include the User and Organization keys in the header. For more information, see Authorization Headers, Organization Secret, and User Secret.

3. Note the Token and ID and save them for all future requests using the element instance.

Example cURL

curl -X POST \
  https://api.cloud-elements.com/elements/api-v2/instances \
  -H 'authorization: User <USER_SECRET>, Organization <ORGANIZATION_SECRET>' \
  -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "element": {
      "key": "dropboxbusiness"
    },
    "providerData": {
      "code": "8aa74ff8ae16ba3ca19d12cbdea83aff16bddcd7"
    },
    "configuration": {
      "oauth.api.key": "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "oauth.api.secret": "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx",
      "oauth.callback.url": "https://mycoolapp.com/auth"
    },
    "tags": [
      "Test"
    ],
    "name": "API Instance"
  }'

Parameters

API parameters not shown in Cloud Elements are in code formatting.

Example Response for an Authenticated Element Instance

{
  "id": 123,
  "name": "Test",
  "token": "5MOr3Sl/E4kww6mTjmjBYV/hAUAzz1g=",
  "element": {
      "id": 22,
      "name": "Dropbox Business",
      "key": "dropboxbusiness",
      "description": "Add a Dropbox Business Instance to connect your existing Dropbox Business account to the Documents Hub, allowing you to manage files and folders. You will need your Dropbox Business account information to add an instance.",
      "image": "elements/provider_dropbox.png",
      "active": true,
      "deleted": false,
      "typeOauth": true,
      "trialAccount": false,
      "existingAccountDescription": "Give your application access to your existing
   Dropbox Business accountEnter your credentials and details for your Dropbox Business Account",
      "configDescription": "If you do not have an Dropbox Business.net account, you can create one at Dropbox Business.Net Signup",
      "transformationsEnabled": false,
      "authentication": {
        "type": "oauth2"
      },
      "hub": "documents"
    },
    "provisionInteractions": [],
    "valid": true,
    "disabled": false,
    "maxCacheSize": 0,
    "cacheTimeToLive": 0,
    "eventsEnabled": false,
    "cachingEnabled": false
  }