Skip to main content
To select a specific representation call the GET /files/:id endpoint with a x-rep-hints-header defining the required representation format.
curl https://api.box.com/2.0/files/123?fields=representations \
    -H "x-rep-hints: [pdf]" \
    -H "authorization: Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN"
When the status changes from pending to success, the representation is ready to download. The status indicates if the representation is available. Available options are success, viewable, pending, or none. Success means you can immediately download the representation, while none indicates the representation can be generated.

Multiple dimensions

Some formats will require the dimensions to be passed in to select a specific size. This can be achieved by appending the dimensions to the header.
curl https://api.box.com/2.0/files/123?fields=representations \
    -H "x-rep-hints: [jpg?dimensions=94x94]" \
    -H "authorization: Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN"

Multiple representations

Multiple representations can be fetched by chaining the different types in the x-rep-hints-header.
curl https://api.box.com/2.0/files/123?fields=representations \
    -H "x-rep-hints: [pdf][jpg?dimensions=94x94]" \
    -H "authorization: Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN"

API Response

This API call will result in one or more representations with a url_template value that includes a {+asset_path} value.
{
  "etag": "1",
  "id": "123",
  "representations": {
    "entries": [
      {
        "content": {
          "url_template": "https://dl.boxcloud.com/api/2.0/internal_files/123/versions/345/representations/pdf/content/{+asset_path}"
        },
        "info": {
          "url": "https://api.box.com/2.0/internal_files/123/versions/345/representations/pdf"
        },
        "properties": {},
        "representation": "pdf",
        "status": {
          "state": "success"
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "type": "file"
}
The url_template in this response is an opaque URL. This URL format might change over time and no assumptions should be made about its format except for the presence of the {+asset_path} variable.