Migration from boxsdk to box-sdk-gen (Python)

[xmei2019]

• I have checked that the SDK documentation doesn't solve my issue.
• I have checked that the API documentation doesn't solve my issue.
• I have searched the Box Developer Forums and my issue isn't already reported (or if it has been reported, I have attached a link to it, for reference).
• I have searched Issues in this repo and my issue isn't already reported.

Description of the Issue

I had some experience with boxsdk Python. Now, need to develop some automation script for a new project. Seems like box-sdk-gen is the recommended option. Below is a simple script to show my question. The script below works till the line to access a folder. I tried both client and user_client, both got error to access a specific folder. I can only access folder '0' with client. The App Access Level is "App + Enterprise Access". With the same app config, I can access all folders and files using boxsdk. It just doesn't work with new box-sdk-gen (Python). Please suggest what I am missing here. Thanks.

Steps to Reproduce

from box_sdk_gen import BoxClient, BoxJWTAuth, JWTConfig

jwt_config = JWTConfig.from_config_file(config_file_path="/path_to_config/config.json")
auth = BoxJWTAuth(config=jwt_config)
client = BoxClient(auth=auth)

service_account = client.users.get_user_me()
print(f"Service Account user ID is {service_account.id}")

user_auth = auth.with_user_subject("my_user_id")
user_client = BoxClient(auth=user_auth)
# auth.retrieve_token()
# print(f"Impersonating user: {user_client.users.get_user_me().name} (ID: {user_client.users.get_user_me().id})")

user = client.users.get_user_by_id('my_user_id')
print(f"Impersonating user: {user.name} (ID: {user.id})")


folder = client.folders.get_folder_by_id('folder_id')
print(f"Folder name is {folder.name}")

Error Message, Including Stack Trace

Service Account user ID is xxxx
Impersonating user: my_user_name (ID: xxxx)
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File ".../test2.py", line 19, in <module>
    folder = client.folders.get_folder_by_id('folder_id')
             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/Users/.../.pyenv/versions/box_int_env/lib/python3.11/site-packages/box_sdk_gen/managers/folders.py", line 425, in get_folder_by_id
    response: FetchResponse = self.network_session.network_client.fetch(
                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/Users/.../.pyenv/versions/box_int_env/lib/python3.11/site-packages/box_sdk_gen/networking/box_network_client.py", line 141, in fetch
    self._raise_on_unsuccessful_request(
  File "/Users/.../.pyenv/versions/box_int_env/lib/python3.11/site-packages/box_sdk_gen/networking/box_network_client.py", line 261, in _raise_on_unsuccessful_request
    raise BoxAPIError(
box_sdk_gen.box.errors.BoxAPIError: 
Timestamp: 2025-09-11 10:08:38.871339
Underlying error: None
Message: 404 Not Found; Request ID: ry0gfui5a3w3qwnj
Request: 
        Method: GET
        URL: https://api.box.com/2.0/folders/folder_id
        Query params: 
{}
        Headers: 
{       'Authorization': '---[redacted]---',
        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
        'User-Agent': 'box-python-generated-sdk-1.17.0',
        'X-Box-UA': 'agent=box-python-generated-sdk/1.17.0; env=python/3.11.13'}
        Body: None
Response: 
        Status code: 404
        Headers: 
{       'Alt-Svc': 'h3=":443"; ma=2592000,h3-29=":443"; ma=2592000',
        'Transfer-Encoding': 'chunked',
        'box-request-id': '02484a93df31aef7756b661e0b1930900',
        'cache-control': 'no-cache, no-store',
        'content-type': 'application/json',
        'date': 'Thu, 11 Sep 2025 14:08:38 GMT',
        'strict-transport-security': 'max-age=31536000',
        'via': '1.1 google',
        'x-envoy-upstream-service-time': '141'}
        Code: not_found
        Context Info: 
{       'errors': [       {       'message': "Invalid value 'd_folder_id'. "
                                             "'item' with value "
                                             "'d_folder_id' not found",
                                  'name': 'item',
                                  'reason': 'invalid_parameter'}]}
        Request Id: ry0gfui5a3w3qwnj
        Help Url: http://developers.box.com/docs/#errors
        Body: 
{       'code': 'not_found',
        'context_info': {       'errors': [       {       'message': 'Invalid '
                                                                     'value '
                                                                     "'d_folder_id'. "
                                                                     "'item' "
                                                                     'with '
                                                                     'value '
                                                                     "'d_folder_id' "
                                                                     'not '
                                                                     'found',
                                                          'name': 'item',
                                                          'reason': 'invalid_parameter'}]},
        'help_url': 'http://developers.box.com/docs/#errors',
        'message': 'Not Found',
        'request_id': 'ry0gfui5a3w3qwnj',
        'status': 404,
        'type': 'error'}

Versions Used

Python SDK: <1.17.0>
Python: <3.11.13>

[congminh1254]

Hi @xmei2019

Did you have a mistake by still using client but not user_client?

Bests,
Minh

[xmei2019]

I did try both client and user_client.

[congminh1254]

Please double check your app configuration:

If you have the Make API calls with as-user header enabled, you can use as-user header, if you have Generate user access token, you can use auth.with_user_subject.

Let me know if it works.

[congminh1254]

Hi @xmei2019

We have just removed your latest comment, as it containing some sensitive data.

Please verify if all of your secrets are safe.

Bests,
Minh

[xmei2019]

Just want to know if anything wrong with the provided script. Please let me know if still needs to see the output. Thanks.

[lukaszsocha2]

This part seems odd:

user = client.users.get_user_by_id('my_user_id')
print(f"Impersonating user: {user.name} (ID: {user.id})")

get_user_by_id just fetches user info. If you want to impersonate user you should use as-user header feature - docs .
Who is the owner of the folder, which you are looking for? Service account, admin account or the user you're trying to impersonate?

[xmei2019]

It's odd. But works:) The folder I am testing is created by the user of 'my_user_id'. It is myself, also admin. The issue is:

First, client cannot retrieve any specific folder by ID, but the '0' root.
Second, user_client cannot access any specific folder or '0' folder.

[xmei2019]

I am using JWT as shown in the script. Why the error shows:

Underlying error: None
Message: 400 ; Request ID:
Request:
Method: POST
URL: https://api.box.com/oauth2/token
Query params: