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Create or Update Shared Link

Guides Shared Links Create or Update Shared Link
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Create or Update Shared Link

Shared links may be created or directly for file, folder, or web link resources to generate a read-only URL to permit users with the appropriate access level to view the content.

You may only have one active shared link for a file, folder, or web link at any time.

At minimum the information needed to create a shared link will be:

  • The type of resource, either a file, folder, or web link.
  • The ID of that resource.

Optionally when creating a shared link the following may be specified:

  • The access level, which may be one of:

    • open: A public shared link. Anyone with the link may access the link.
    • company: Anyone within your enterprise may access the link.
    • collaborators: Anyone collaborated on the content may access the link.
  • An expiration time when the shared link will automatically disable.
  • A password required to access the resource.

If an access level is not specified when creating a shared link it will use the default access level specified by the enterprise admin.

Create or Update Shared Link for File

To create a shared link on a file, specify the ID of the file with any optional shared link parameters.

cURL
curl -i -X PUT "https://api.box.com/2.0/files/32423234?fields=shared_link" \
     -H "authorization: Bearer <ACCESS_TOKEN>" \
     -d '{
       "shared_link": {
         "access": "open",
         "password": "mypassword",
         "unshared_at": "2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00",
         "permissions": {
           "can_download": false
         }
       }
     }'
.NET
string fileId = "11111";
var sharedLinkParams = new BoxSharedLinkRequest()
{
    Access = BoxSharedLinkAccessType.open,
    Permissions = new BoxPermissionsRequest
    {
        Download = true,
        Edit = true
    }
};
BoxFile file = client.FilesManager.CreateSharedLinkAsync(fileId, sharedLinkParams);
string sharedLinkUrl = file.SharedLink.Url;
Java
// Optionally we can calculate and set the date when shared link will automatically be disabled
final long ONE_WEEK_MILLIS = 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24 * 7;
long unsharedTimestamp = System.currentTimeMillis() + ONE_WEEK_MILLIS;
Date unsharedDate = new Date(unsharedTimestamp);

BoxFile file = new BoxFile(api, "id");
BoxSharedLinkRequest sharedLinkRequest = new BoxSharedLinkRequest()
    .access(OPEN)
    .permissions(true, true)
    .unsharedDate(unsharedDate);
BoxSharedLink sharedLink = file.createSharedLink(sharedLinkRequest);
Python
file_id = '11111'

url = client.file(file_id).get_shared_link(access='open', allow_download=True, allow_edit=True)
print(f'The file shared link URL is: {url}')
Node
client.files.update('12345', {
  shared_link: {
    access: "open",
    password: "do-not-use-this-password", 
    unshared_at: "2022-12-12T10:53:43-08:00",
    vanity_name: "my-shared-link",
    permissions: {
	  can_view: true,
	  can_download: true,
	  can_edit: true
    }
  }
}).then(file => {
  // ...
})
iOS
client.files.setSharedLink(
    forFile: "11111", 
    access: .open, 
    canDownload: true, 
    canEdit: true
) { (result: Result<SharedLink, BoxSDKError>) in
    guard case let .success(sharedLink) = result else {
        print("Error setting file shared link")
        return
    }

    print("File shared link URL is \(sharedLink.url), with \(sharedLink.access) access")
}

Create or Update Shared Link for Folder

To create a shared link on a folder, specify the ID of the folder with any optional shared link parameters.

cURL
curl -i -X PUT "https://api.box.com/2.0/folders/32423234?fields=shared_link" \
     -H "authorization: Bearer <ACCESS_TOKEN>" \
     -d '{
       "shared_link": {
         "access": "open",
         "password": "mypassword",
         "unshared_at": "2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00",
         "permissions": {
           "can_download": false
         }
       }
     }'
.NET
var sharedLinkParams = new BoxSharedLinkRequest()
{
    Access = BoxSharedLinkAccessType.open
};
BoxFolder folder = await client.FoldersManager.CreateSharedLinkAsync("11111", sharedLinkParams);
string sharedLinkUrl = folder.SharedLink.Url;
Java
// Optionally we can calculate and set the date when shared link will automatically be disabled
final long ONE_WEEK_MILLIS = 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24 * 7;
long unsharedTimestamp = System.currentTimeMillis() + ONE_WEEK_MILLIS;
Date unsharedDate = new Date(unsharedTimestamp);

BoxFolder folder = new BoxFolder(api, "id");
BoxSharedLinkRequest sharedLinkRequest = new BoxSharedLinkRequest()
        .access(OPEN)
        .permissions(true, true)
        .unsharedDate(unsharedDate);
BoxSharedLink sharedLink = folder.createSharedLink(sharedLinkRequest);
Python
folder_id = '11111'

url = client.folder(folder_id).get_shared_link(access='open', allow_download=False)
print(f'The folder shared link URL is: {url}')
Node
client.folders.update('12345', {
  shared_link: {
    access: "open",
    password: "do-not-use-this-password",
    unshared_at: "2022-12-12T10:53:43-08:00",
    vanity_name: "my-shared-link",
    permissions: {
      can_view: true,
      can_download: true
    }
  }
}).then(folder => {
  // ...
})
iOS
client.folders.setSharedLink(forFolder: "11111", access: .open) { (result: Result<SharedLink, BoxSDKError>) in
    guard case let .success(sharedLink) = result else {
        print("Error setting folder shared link")
        return
    }

    print("Folder shared link URL is \(sharedLink.url), with \(sharedLink.access) access")
}

Create or Update Shared Link for Web Link

To create a shared link on a web link, specify the ID of the web link with any optional shared link parameters.

cURL
curl -i -X PUT "https://api.box.com/2.0/web_links/32423234?fields=shared_link" \
     -H "authorization: Bearer <ACCESS_TOKEN>" \
     -d '{
       "shared_link": {
         "access": "open",
         "password": "mypassword",
         "unshared_at": "2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00",
         "permissions": {
           "can_download": false
         }
       }
     }'
.NET
string webLinkId = "11111";
var sharedLinkParams = new BoxSharedLinkRequest()
{
    Access = BoxSharedLinkAccessType.open
};
BoxWebLink link = client.WebLinksManager
    .CreateSharedLinkAsync(webLinkId, sharedLinkParams);
string sharedLinkUrl = link.SharedLink.Url;
Python
url = client.web_link('12345').get_shared_link(access='open')
print(f'The web link shared link URL is: {url}')
iOS
client.webLinks.setSharedLink(forWebLink: "11111", access: .open) { (result: Result<SharedLink, BoxSDKError>) in
    guard case let .success(sharedLink) = result else {
        print("Error setting weblink shared link")
        return
    }

    print("WebLink shared link URL is \(sharedLink.url), with \(sharedLink.access) access")
}