Dropbox Automation Using Python

Streamlining Medical Imaging Collaboration with Python-powered Dropbox Automation

Introduction

In today’s fast-paced world of medical imaging, efficient data management is crucial. Collaborating with fellow professionals, sharing data, and keeping track of new cases are all essential tasks. Dropbox is a widely used platform for data sharing, but manual navigation through its web interface can be cumbersome and time-consuming. In this blog post, we will explore how to automate Dropbox operations using Python, making it easier to manage and access medical imaging data.

With Python and the Dropbox API, we can create a powerful tool to list files in specified directories, download single or multiple files from one or more folders, and even automatically detect and download newly uploaded files. This automation will not only save time but also streamline the process of accessing and managing shared data.

Join us as we dive into the details of this process and how you can leverage it to enhance your workflow in the medical imaging, Python, and computer vision realms.

Image generated using Midjourney and edited using Canvas

Dropbox API

To begin, you’ll need to configure your Dropbox application and obtain access tokens, enabling you to utilize the Dropbox API. First, visit https://www.dropbox.com/developers and select “Create apps.” Please note that this assumes you already have a Dropbox account.

Complete the required fields and proceed by clicking on “Create app.”

Next, we’ll address the crucial aspect of setting permissions. You have the freedom to assign any desired permissions to your app. The following permissions were granted in our case:

Once you’ve selected the appropriate permissions, click on “Submit.” Your app is now set up and ready for use. All that remains is to generate the access token. On the app settings page, you’ll find a section dedicated to generating the token:

Upon generating the token, ensure that you store it securely and refrain from sharing it with others, as this token grants access to your data and enables actions under your profile.

Coding Part

Installation

The first thing to do is to install the packages:

pip install dropbox
pip install PyYamml
pip install pytest-shutil

After installing the packages, you can simply clone the GitHub repo:

git clone https://github.com/amine0110/dropbox-automations

Features

Authenticate with Dropbox using an access token
List available files in a given directory
Download individual files, multiple files, or files from multiple folders
Automatically detect and download new files that have been uploaded
Simplify data sharing and collaboration for medical imaging or other use cases

Demo

Here’s a demonstration script showcasing the various operations available in this release (version 1.0.0).

But before using the notebook, don’t forget to put the access token that you generated, in the config file.

Before utilizing the notebook, remember to insert the access token you generated into the config file.

Releases

How Dropbox Automations works (Plan)

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