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Forum Discussion
lyza3
4 years agoExplorer | Level 4
How to delete all files in a folder by API
Hi API Team, I am using dropbox folders temporarily to upload videos to youtube. I need to clean/delete files from Dropbox files after I upload them to youtube since I don't need them anymore and ...
- 4 years ago
The Dropbox API does not offer a way to configure automatic deletions like this, nor does it offer a way to specify a wildcard like that or otherwise just delete everything in a particular folder without deleting the folder itself, but I'll pass this along as a feature request. I can't promise if or when that might be implemented though.
Instead, you'd need to specify each item you do want to delete. Also, /2/files/permanently_delete is for permanently deleting; you can use /2/files/delete_v2 to just delete things. (Deleted items are automatically permanently deleted after a certain amount of time. You can find more information in the help center.) Also, you can use /2/files/delete_batch to delete multiple items at once (though you still need to specify each one).
Greg-DB
Dropbox Staff
The Dropbox API does not offer a way to configure automatic deletions like this, nor does it offer a way to specify a wildcard like that or otherwise just delete everything in a particular folder without deleting the folder itself, but I'll pass this along as a feature request. I can't promise if or when that might be implemented though.
Instead, you'd need to specify each item you do want to delete. Also, /2/files/permanently_delete is for permanently deleting; you can use /2/files/delete_v2 to just delete things. (Deleted items are automatically permanently deleted after a certain amount of time. You can find more information in the help center.) Also, you can use /2/files/delete_batch to delete multiple items at once (though you still need to specify each one).
Kirill-TpuSoft
10 months agoHelpful | Level 5
Hi Greg
I tried to call api https://api.dropboxapi.com/2/files/permanently_delete
but received the following message:
Error in call to API function "files/permanently_delete": Your app is not permitted to access this endpoint because it does not have the required scope 'files.permanent_delete'. The owner of the app can enable the scope for the app using the Permissions tab on the App Console.
In the App settings of permissions this scope (files.permanent_delete) is avalaible only for Team, but the api https://api.dropboxapi.com/2/files/permanently_delete - is user endpoint. I can't enable files.permanent_delete for the individual scopes. I can't find any way to use this api function. Thanks
but received the following message:
Error in call to API function "files/permanently_delete": Your app is not permitted to access this endpoint because it does not have the required scope 'files.permanent_delete'. The owner of the app can enable the scope for the app using the Permissions tab on the App Console.
In the App settings of permissions this scope (files.permanent_delete) is avalaible only for Team, but the api https://api.dropboxapi.com/2/files/permanently_delete - is user endpoint. I can't enable files.permanent_delete for the individual scopes. I can't find any way to use this api function. Thanks
- iNeil10 months agoDropbox Engineer
Kirill-TpuSoft
That’s correct, the /2/files/permanently_delete endpoint is only available for team-linked apps. The permanent delete API functionality is unavailable for individual user-linked apps.- Здравко10 months agoLegendary | Level 20
iNeil, In general permanent deletion is available for all users (including personal). Why does API behave different at all? 🤔 Isn't it some sort of oversight?
- Greg-DB10 months agoDropbox Staff
We don't have information to share on the decisions behind the design of any particular endpoint/scope on the API, but this is the expected behavior for this endpoint and scope.
- Kirill-TpuSoft10 months agoHelpful | Level 5
Thanks a lot for fast support, got it
Im Sorry, I inadvertently didn't notice that the documentation included the following text: “Note: This endpoint is only available for Dropbox Business apps.”
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