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File

A standard representation of a file, as returned from any file API endpoints by default

This resource has a few variations that can be encountered when using the API.

The fields that are part of the standard variant are generally returned when the resource is requested via its own API endpoints. For example, when retrieving a file by ID, it will return these fields unless the fields parameter has been specified.

id string

example12345

The unique identifier that represent a file.

The ID for any file can be determined by visiting a file in the web application and copying the ID from the URL. For example, for the URL https://*.app.box.com/files/123 the file_id is 123.

type string

examplefile

file

Value is always file

content_created_at string (date-time)

example2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00

The date and time at which this file was originally created, which might be before it was uploaded to Box.

content_modified_at string (date-time)

example2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00

The date and time at which this file was last updated, which might be before it was uploaded to Box.

created_at string (date-time)

example2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00

The date and time when the file was created on Box.

created_byUser (Mini) object

The user who created this file

description string

exampleContract for Q1 renewalmax length255

The optional description of this file. If the description exceeds 255 characters, the first 255 characters are set as a file description and the rest of it is ignored.

etag string

example1

The HTTP etag of this file. This can be used within some API endpoints in the If-Match and If-None-Match headers to only perform changes on the file if (no) changes have happened.

file_versionFile version (Mini) object

The information about the current version of the file.

item_status string

exampleactive

Defines if this item has been deleted or not.

active when the item has is not in the trash
trashed when the item has been moved to the trash but not deleted
deleted when the item has been permanently deleted.

Value is one of active,trashed,deleted

modified_at string (date-time)

example2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00

The date and time when the file was last updated on Box.

modified_byUser (Mini) object

The user who last modified this file

name string

exampleContract.pdf

The name of the file

owned_byUser (Mini) object

The user who owns this file

parentFolder (Mini) object

The folder that this file is located within.

path_collection object

The tree of folders that this file is contained in, starting at the root.

path_collection.entriesFolder (Mini) array

The parent folders for this item

path_collection.total_count integer (int64)

example1

The number of folders in this list.

purged_at string (date-time)

example2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00

The time at which this file is expected to be purged from the trash.

sequence_id string

example3

A numeric identifier that represents the most recent user event that has been applied to this item.

This can be used in combination with the GET /events-endpoint to filter out user events that would have occurred before this identifier was read.

An example would be where a Box Drive-like application would fetch an item via the API, and then listen to incoming user events for changes to the item. The application would ignore any user events where the sequence_id in the event is smaller than or equal to the sequence_id in the originally fetched resource.

sha1 string (digest)

example85136C79CBF9FE36BB9D05D0639C70C265C18D37

The SHA1 hash of the file. This can be used to compare the contents of a file on Box with a local file.

shared_link object

The shared link for this file. This will be null if no shared link has been created for this file.

shared_link.access string

exampleopen

The access level for this shared link.

open - provides access to this item to anyone with this link
company - only provides access to this item to people the same company
collaborators - only provides access to this item to people who are collaborators on this item

If this field is omitted when creating the shared link, the access level will be set to the default access level specified by the enterprise admin.

Value is one of open,company,collaborators

shared_link.download_count integer

example3

The number of times this item has been downloaded.

shared_link.download_url string (url)

examplehttps://www.box.com/shared/static/rh935iit6ewrmw0unyul.jpeg

A URL that can be used to download the file. This URL can be used in a browser to download the file. This URL includes the file extension so that the file will be saved with the right file type.

This property will be null for folders.

shared_link.effective_access string

examplecompany

The effective access level for the shared link. This can be a more restrictive access level than the value in the access field when the enterprise settings restrict the allowed access levels.

Value is one of open,company,collaborators

shared_link.effective_permission string

examplecan_download

The effective permissions for this shared link. These result in the more restrictive combination of the share link permissions and the item permissions set by the administrator, the owner, and any ancestor item such as a folder.

Value is one of can_edit,can_download,can_preview,no_access

shared_link.is_password_enabled boolean

exampletrue

Defines if the shared link requires a password to access the item.

shared_link.permissions object

Defines if this link allows a user to preview, edit, and download an item. These permissions refer to the shared link only and do not supersede permissions applied to the item itself.

permissions.can_download boolean

exampletrue

Defines if the shared link allows for the item to be downloaded. For shared links on folders, this also applies to any items in the folder.

This value can be set to true when the effective access level is set to open or company, not collaborators.

permissions.can_edit boolean

examplefalse

Defines if the shared link allows for the item to be edited.

This value can only be true if can_download is also true and if the item has a type of file.

permissions.can_preview boolean

exampletrue

Defines if the shared link allows for the item to be previewed.

This value is always true. For shared links on folders this also applies to any items in the folder.

shared_link.preview_count integer

example3

The number of times this item has been previewed.

shared_link.unshared_at string (date-time)

example2018-04-13T13:53:23-07:00

The date and time when this link will be unshared. This field can only be set by users with paid accounts.

shared_link.url string (url)

examplehttps://www.box.com/s/vspke7y05sb214wjokpk

The URL that can be used to access the item on Box.

This URL will display the item in Box's preview UI where the file can be downloaded if allowed.

This URL will continue to work even when a custom vanity_url has been set for this shared link.

shared_link.vanity_name string

examplemy_url

The custom name of a shared link, as used in the vanity_url field.

shared_link.vanity_url string (url)

examplehttps://acme.app.box.com/v/my_url/

The "Custom URL" that can also be used to preview the item on Box. Custom URLs can only be created or modified in the Box Web application.

size integer

example629644

The file size in bytes. Be careful parsing this integer as it can get very large and cause an integer overflow.

trashed_at string (date-time)

example2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00

The time at which this file was put in the trash.

Response Example

{
  "id": "12345",
  "type": "file",
  "content_created_at": "2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00",
  "content_modified_at": "2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00",
  "created_at": "2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00",
  "created_by": {
    "id": "11446498",
    "type": "user",
    "login": "ceo@example.com",
    "name": "Aaron Levie"
  },
  "description": "Contract for Q1 renewal",
  "etag": "1",
  "file_version": {
    "id": "12345",
    "type": "file_version",
    "sha1": "134b65991ed521fcfe4724b7d814ab8ded5185dc"
  },
  "item_status": "active",
  "modified_at": "2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00",
  "modified_by": {
    "id": "11446498",
    "type": "user",
    "login": "ceo@example.com",
    "name": "Aaron Levie"
  },
  "name": "Contract.pdf",
  "owned_by": {
    "id": "11446498",
    "type": "user",
    "login": "ceo@example.com",
    "name": "Aaron Levie"
  },
  "parent": {
    "id": "12345",
    "type": "folder",
    "etag": "1",
    "name": "Contracts",
    "sequence_id": "3"
  },
  "path_collection": {
    "entries": [
      {
        "id": "12345",
        "etag": "1",
        "type": "folder",
        "sequence_id": "3",
        "name": "Contracts"
      }
    ],
    "total_count": 1
  },
  "purged_at": "2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00",
  "sequence_id": "3",
  "sha1": "85136C79CBF9FE36BB9D05D0639C70C265C18D37",
  "shared_link": {
    "access": "open",
    "download_count": 3,
    "download_url": "https://www.box.com/shared/static/rh935iit6ewrmw0unyul.jpeg",
    "effective_access": "company",
    "effective_permission": "can_download",
    "is_password_enabled": true,
    "permissions": {
      "can_download": true,
      "can_edit": false,
      "can_preview": true
    },
    "preview_count": 3,
    "unshared_at": "2018-04-13T13:53:23-07:00",
    "url": "https://www.box.com/s/vspke7y05sb214wjokpk",
    "vanity_name": "my_url",
    "vanity_url": "https://acme.app.box.com/v/my_url/"
  },
  "size": 629644,
  "trashed_at": "2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00"
}