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Pysio13's avatar
Pysio13
Helpful | Level 6
2 years ago
Solved

Shared Link / "scl" to "s"

Hello. My question concerns my recent issue with file sharing. Usually, my links were generated in this way: 'https://www.dropbox.com/s/'. However, lately, every file is being generated in this way: ...
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  • JasonSilverDBX's avatar
    JasonSilverDBX
    2 years ago
    Thank you BenDBX  for splitting off a new thread specific to the 3rd party integrations issue, and especially for doing it in a way that migrates all the relevant posts to date!  To properly wrap up this thread, below is a summary.


    Why the new "/scl" link format?

     

    Dropbox is moving to an updated shared link architecture where links are based on the content being shared rather than on the user doing the sharing.  This new content-based link architecture is already in place for edit access links to folders and newly created links to files, and can be identified by the presence of an ‘rlkey’ parameter in the URL.  (They also begin with "/scl" instead of the previous architecture's  "/s".)  It is the rlkey parameter which grants access to the content.  That is why removing that parameter results in visitors having to sign in and request access.  I talk more about this transition in this forum thread.
     
    Over the next few months, we’ll round out the shared link portfolio by bringing this new architecture to newly created view-only access folder links, or view folder links for short.

    Direct Download on new link architecture is Solved

     
    Regarding this thread on “direct / forced” download not working on new links, this should be solved since a fix was implemented 2 weeks ago.  That is, all new links should now function the same as legacy links for these purposes.  This can be accomplished in two ways.  
    1. modifying the dl parameter in the URL
    2. modifying using dl.dropbox.com or dl.dropboxusercontent.com.  

     

    👉 In both cases you must retain the rlkey parameter for the URL to grant your recipients permission rights to access your file.

     

    What is the DL parameter?

     

    Anything following the ? in a URL are query parameters.  It’s worth reemphasizing that dl parameter in new links did not break and will continue to function identically to those in legacy links.  Manually changing the dl parameter does the following:

     

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/<token>/path.jpg?rlkey=<token>&dl=0

    • Default link. This will render the content in the Dropbox file viewer.

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/<token>/path.jpg?rlkey=<token>&dl=1

    • Downloads the content of the link (if the user has access to the content based on link settings). This query parameter takes precedence even if raw=1 is also added.

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/<token>/path.jpg?rlkey=<token>&raw=1

    • Directly renders the content in the browser (if the link has a public audience and no other restrictions). Note that this link has an HTTP 302 redirect, so the application or browser must be able to follow the redirect.

     

    What are the dl.dropbox... modifications?

     
    These are link transformations from the early days of Dropbox.  While we don't "officially" list these anymore in our Help Center, we are continuing to support them for now.  
     
    https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/<token>/path.jpg?rlkey=<token>&dl=0
    • Replacing www with dl works exactly like a ?raw=1 link: this will directly render content for public links in the browser. It requires following an HTTP 302 redirect.
    https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/scl/fi/<token>/path.jpg?rlkey=<token>&dl=0
    • Works like a ?raw=1 link, but the application or browser will not need to follow an HTTP 302 redirect to access the content.
     
stiletto2's avatar
stiletto2
Helpful | Level 6
2 years ago

I too find the new "scl" links unusable for posting .jpg files to web sites so that they fully render as a full screen image when clicked.  I am looking forward to a quck solution from Dropbox or will have to change my file hosting service.

  • Здравко's avatar
    Здравко
    Legendary | Level 20
    2 years ago

    Hi guys,

    The links starting with www.dropbox.com/scl/ are preview links, not classical shared links. They can be links to files (www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/) of folders (www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/). Such links are presumably used for preview and not for direct download or embedding (in spite of some links can be redacted and made downloadable, but not all and not for embedding). There are different places where such links can be received from, but most probably you have received editable links, instead of view only (classical) shared links. What kind of links type to be received can be controlled on individual link creation, as well as changing the default link type (always when just "Copy link" is used - not "Share this file" or "Share this folder", the default link type gonna be created). Using "Share this ..." you can select "can edit" or "can view" for per link type select (before actual link creation). If the link is already created you may need to clear it and recreate proper link type anew. To change the default link type (if you have set or has been set inappropriate type), go to your sharing settings and select the desirable link type ("can view" or "can edit" in the field "What people can do"; most probably you want to ensure there is "can view" selected).

    Good luck.

    • stiletto2's avatar
      stiletto2
      Helpful | Level 6
      2 years ago

      Thanks for your thoughts.  I went into default sharing settings and changed "What people can do" to "can view".   The only choice I then make is to right click on a dropbox file and chose the "copy dropbox link" option in the resulting dropdown which fills the buffer with same kind of "scl" type link.  So changing the option to "can view" didn't change the result.   Any other ideas?

       

       

       

       

      • Здравко's avatar
        Здравко
        Legendary | Level 20
        2 years ago
        stiletto2 wrote:

        ...   The only choice I then make is to right click on a dropbox file and chose the "copy dropbox link" option in the resulting dropdown which fills the buffer with same kind of "scl" type link.  So changing the option to "can view" didn't change the result. ...

        "Didn't change the result." 🧐 Hm... What that means? Did this result left there from before or the link is just created? As I said:

        Здравко wrote:

        ... If the link is already created you may need to clear it and recreate proper link type anew. ...

        In other words, changing the default link type reflects to all new created link that use creation by default. If you have some links already created they stay as they are; the setting change is not retroactive! So if you have some link (doesn't matter what type) once you click "Copy link", the link's gonna be just copied as is. To be certain new link will be created for particular file (link of type you have selected), make sure there is no any existing link and remove/revoke it if any (as seems to be). 🙋

        Hope this helps.

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