In addition to uploading files from the local computer, DF Studio has the ability to initiate transfers from folders stored online in a Dropbox account.
Click any “Upload” button to begin the process. These can be found in the Project or Folder Inspector occupying the right-hand sidebar, or in the toolbar beneath the workspace when any Project or Library folder is active.
In the Upload Monitor window, click “Select Cloud Files” to browse folders from the Dropbox account in the cloud.
Click the Dropbox logo to connect. If necessary, click “Connect to Dropbox” in order to provide authentication for the Dropbox account in another window.
The first time the Dropbox connection is established, it will be necessary to grant permission for the DF Studio Uploader to access the account. Click the “Allow” button to continue the process.
Once the authentication process is complete, focus will automatically return to the Upload Monitor window.
The Dropbox window will reveal the folders at the root of the user’s account. From here, it is possible to browse through the folder hierarchy by clicking on the names of folders to open.
Check the boxes to the left of any folders or individual files to be transferred to DF Studio, then submit them by clicking the “Select” button (which will display the number of Dropbox items selected, not the total number of files to be transferred).
After this point, the steps to complete the upload are identical to those for uploading files directly from a computer. For details regarding the rest of the uploading process, see Configure Uploads.
Tips for Dropbox Transfers
Dropbox Links Are Not Supported
In some cases, a contact will share Dropbox content by providing a Dropbox link. Similar to a DF Studio Messenger, this is a secure link which provides direct access to the Dropbox materials online. This link itself cannot be imported directly into DF Studio, because the DF Studio uploader only has access to materials within the Dropbox account to which it is connected.
Instead, open the link while signed in to a Dropbox account, and click the option to copy its contents into a folder in the connected Dropbox account. Then, follow the steps above to select the new folder and transfer its contents to DF Studio. Once the transfer is complete, the copied folder can be removed from the Dropbox account if desired.
Team Folders Are Not Supported
When browsing Dropbox files in the DF Studio uploader, folders that are designated “team folders” in the Dropbox account will not appear, due to a restriction Dropbox places on these folders.
Team folders can be identified by a specific folder icon when navigating the Dropbox account outside of the DF Studio uploader. See File and Folder Icons from the Dropbox knowledge base for more information.
For a better understanding of how team folders differ from personal or shared folders, consult Dropbox’s Team Space Overview.
If permissions in the Dropbox account allow it, a folder can be copied from a location in the team space into a Dropbox user’s personal folder, where it will be accessible for uploading to DF Studio. This copy can be deleted after the files have been transferred to DF Studio without affecting the original folder in the team space.
The Upload Monitor Window Must Remain Open
Even though the files are being transferred from Dropbox, the Upload Monitor window must remain open until the transfer is complete, like any other upload. This window is where the files are being cataloged and added to the DF Studio account, and closing the window will interrupt this process. The Sleep Lock feature functions the same for Dropbox uploads as it does for any other upload operation, so it is not necessary to monitor the upload while it is in progress.
Switch Between Dropbox Accounts
If necessary, it is possible to switch to a different Dropbox account to upload additional files. This process requires logging out from the Dropbox website first in order to prevent the uploader from reconnecting automatically to the current Dropbox account.
- Visit dropbox.com.
- Log out of the current Dropbox account.
- Follow the steps above to browse Dropbox files from the DF Studio Upload Monitor.
- Once the Dropbox account is displayed for browsing, click “Log out” in the top right corner.
- Click “Connect to Dropbox” to authenticate with the new Dropbox account.