New file-level collaboration support
It sounds like the new file-level collaborations are only via the API, at least for right now? I am guessing there are plans for adding it to the web interface? My application is tracking collaborators so this is somewhat of a huge issue for me. Instead of recursing through all the folders in a tree looking for collaborators, I will now have to look at the files as well. What level of access is required to invite a collaborator to a file? Does this honor the flag that only owners and co-owners can send invites? Is there a way to block file-level collaborators on a folder? On a institutional instance? Is there any new functionality to locate items with collaborators without an API call for each one? As it stands this will increase the number of API requests I need to send dramatically.
Help! Please say this isn't the nightmare scenario that it sounds like!
-
Hi Daishi,
Thanks for all the questions. I apologize if this change will mean that you'll need to modify your application, but maybe some additional details can help.
> It sounds like the new file-level collaborations are only via the API, at least for right now?
Yes, that's correct.
> I am guessing there are plans for adding it to the web interface?
We do have plans to bring file-level collaboration to the web interface in the future.
> What level of access is required to invite a collaborator to a file?
Similar to folders, people must be an Editor or Co-Owner to invite others to as a collaborator to a file.
> Does this honor the flag that only owners and co-owners can send invites?
Yes.
> Is there a way to block file-level collaborators on a folder or an institutional instance?
There will not be a specific setting for this. The other current settings available today that prevent collaborator will work though for file collaboration, for example like the "Only folder owners and co-owners can send collaborator invites" setting that you already mentioned.
> Is there any new functionality to locate items with collaborators without an API call for each one?
Not at the moment, but we could consider this as feedback for the future.
-
(Beginner's) Question for clarification on use of collaboration permissions.
I want to create a Folder area so I can manage all my documents associated with one project in one area.
However within there I may have multiple documents where I want different users to have access to the documents. For example Doc 1 to be accessed by users 1,2,3 and Doc 2 to be accessed by users 2,4,5.
What is the best way of doing that today in the Web Interface?
Do I have to create sub folders simply to set the right restriction levels??
Please tell me I am missing something and there is an easy way to do this.
-
These are great questions.
Currently the Box web app only lets you add a file-level collaborator to a Box Note and not other file types. The File-Level Collaboration API lets you add a user as a collaborator to any file type.
As you described, the best way to accomplish this use case in the web app is to create subfolders for the documents and then add the appropriate collaborators to those subfolders.
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
3 comments