How to Preview a File Using Box Java SDK in Android?

[snehas13]

Hi,

I'm using the Box Java SDK in my Android app to access and preview files. I’m trying to generate a preview link using:

However, previewLink is always null, even though the file is a supported type (PDF, DOCX, etc.).

What I’ve Checked:
The file is uploaded and accessible.
The file type is supported for preview.
I’m authenticated using a valid developer token.
The file has been uploaded for a while, so it should be processed.

Questions:
Are there specific scopes or permissions required for getPreviewLink() to work?
Is this method supported in Android, or should I use a different approach?
Any known issues or workarounds?
Thanks in advance for any help!

[lukaszsocha2]

Hi @RajaReddyP,
it sound like you are trying to use expiring_embed_link field of the File.
This field is not available in the standard representation of the file - you need to explicitly ask about this field using fields parameter - check this docs.

So in your case your code may look like this:

BoxFile file = new BoxFile(api, "id");
// Only get information about a few specific fields.
BoxFile.Info info = file.getInfo("expiring_embed_link");

Remember you can also use BoxFile.ALL_FIELDS property to get all possible fields:

BoxFile.Info info = file.getInfo(BoxFile.ALL_FIELDS);

Hope it solves your issue, if not let me know.
Best,
@lukaszsocha2

[snehas13]

Thanks for sharing the info.'

Does expiring_embed_link expire in 60seconds? We want to preview a link which does not expire

How about adding actions like share, download a video, pdf etc..
Do we need to implement our own custom view and then add this options manually?

Can you suggest code if we want to add Share and Download functionalities in our app?

[lukaszsocha2]

Hi,
so to share you can create shared link:
https://github.com/box/box-java-sdk/blob/e2d407ded3370ffee6eb074044fd562629a904be/doc/files.md#create-a-shared-link
and to download you can use getDownloadURL() function:

BoxFile file = new BoxFile(api, "id");
URL url = file.getDownloadURL();

I guess you have to create a view of your own and then use URLs from the samples I shared with you.
Hope this helps

[snehas13]

Can you let us know the file types supported for uploading in box?

[mwwoda]

I believe for file upload, Box should accept file with any extension. I'm not aware of any restrictions there

[snehas13]

I am getting below error when i try to delete file with below code snippet.
Please let me know the root cause of this issue and how to resolve the same.

            val api = BoxAPIConnection(accessToken)
            val file = BoxFile(api, fileId)
            file.delete()

com.box.sdk.BoxAPIResponseException: The API returned an error code [403 | uo7d0fi3mni0ec1a.016194819529947d111d4602b9f073e9e] access_denied_insufficient_permissions - Access denied - insufficient permission

[arjankowski]

Hi @snehas13,

As the error message says, the issue is related to insufficient permissions for the access token you are using. The error code access_denied_insufficient_permissions suggests that the access token does not have the necessary permissions to delete the specified file.

This can happen if you are trying to delete a file you do not own (for example, a file shared with you), or if your app created in the developer console does not have sufficient permissions.

1. Please first ensure that you can delete the file manually through the Box web interface by checking if the trash icon is visible after selecting the file. If you cannot delete it manually, then your user cannot delete it via the API as well.

2. Make sure that your app in the developer console has the correct scopes enabled, specifically Write all files and folders stored in Box. If this scope was not enabled, enable it and then, in the Authorization tab, submit your changes so an admin can approve them. After the admin approves the changes, generate a new developer token and try again.

For future reference, I recommend creating a separate issue for each new question so that others with the same issue can find the answer easily.

Please let me know if this solves your issue.
Regards,
Artur

[mwwoda]

Closing due to the lack of activity. Feel free to reopen this ticket if you have any more questions.