DropBox Connector for SSIS

Read / write DropBox data inside your app; perform many DropBox operations without coding, just use easy to use high performance API Connector for DropBox
You can use this connector to integrate DropBox data inside SSIS and SQL Server. Let's take a look at the steps below to see how exactly to accomplish that.

Download Documentation

Video Tutorial - Integrate DropBox data in SSIS

This video covers following and more so watch carefully. After watching this video follow the steps described in this article.

  • How to download / install required driver for DropBox integration in SSIS
  • How to configure connection for DropBox
  • Features about API Source (Authentication / Query Language / Examples / Driver UI)
  • Using DropBox Connection in SSIS

Prerequisites

Before we perform steps listed in this article, you will need to make sure following prerequisites are met:
  1. SSIS designer installed. Sometimes it is referred as BIDS or SSDT (download it from Microsoft site).
  2. Basic knowledge of SSIS package development using Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services.
  3. Make sure ZappySys SSIS PowerPack is downloaded and installed (download it). Check Getting started section for more information.

Read data from DropBox in SSIS (Export data)

In this section we will learn how to configure and use DropBox Connector in API Source to extract data from DropBox.

  1. Begin with opening Visual Studio and Create a New Project.

  2. Select Integration Service Project and in new project window set the appropriate name and location for project. And click OK.

  3. In the new SSIS project screen you will find the following:

    1. SSIS ToolBox on left side bar
    2. Solution Explorer and Property Window on right bar
    3. Control flow, data flow, event Handlers, Package Explorer in tab windows
    4. Connection Manager Window in the bottom
    SSIS Project Screen
    Note: If you don't see ZappySys SSIS PowerPack Task or Components in SSIS Toolbox, please refer to this help link.

  4. Now, Drag and Drop SSIS Data Flow Task from SSIS Toolbox. Double click on the Data Flow Task to see Data Flow designer.
    SSIS Data Flow Task - Drag and Drop

  5. From the SSIS toolbox drag and API Source (Predefined Templates) on the data flow designer surface, and double click on it to edit it:
    SSIS API Source (Predefined Templates) - Drag and Drop

  6. Select New Connection to create a new connection:
    API Source - New Connection

  7. Use a preinstalled DropBox Connector from Popular Connector List or press Search Online radio button to download DropBox Connector. Once downloaded simply use it in the configuration:

    DropBox
    DropBox Connector Selection

  8. Proceed with selecting the desired Authentication Type. Then select API Base URL (in most cases default one is the right one). Finally, fill in all the required parameters and set optional parameters if needed. You may press a link Steps to Configure which will help set certain parameters. More info is available in Authentication section.

    Steps how to get and use DropBox credentials : User Account [OAuth]

    To use OAuth authentication, firstly, you need to create OAuth application:

    1. Log into your DropBox account.
    2. Go to DropBox My Apps.
    3. Then press Create app button to create a new app: My OAuth apps in Dropbox
    4. Once a new page opens, select Scoped access option: Create OAuth app to get Dropbox REST API data
    5. Next, select Full Dropbox to access all files and folders or App folder to access specific folder's files and folders option.
    6. Continue by giving your app a name.
    7. Then check I agree to Dropbox API Terms and Conditions checkbox.
    8. Click Create app button.
    9. Once a new page opens, click Enable additional teams and Enable additional users buttons: Configure OAuth app in Dropbox
    10. Then copy App key and App secret and copy paste them into your favorite text editor (you will need them later).
    11. Proceed by setting a Redirect URI and clicking Add button.

      NOTE: If you don't have a working Redirect URI, you can use https://zappysys.com/oauth (it's safe).

    12. Then click on Permissions tab and select application scopes: Set OAuth app permissions in Dropbox
    13. Select all Individual Scopes and Team Scopes if you want to manage team data.
    14. Click Submit button.
    15. Now go to SSIS package or ODBC data source and in User Account authentication set these parameters:
    1. For ClientId field use App key value.
    2. For ClientSecret field use App secret value.
    3. For ReturnUrl field use Redirect URI value.
  9. Done! Now you are ready to use Dropbox Connector!
NOTE: If you are planning to use your current data connection/token for automated processes, we recommend that you use a generic account for token generation when the login box appears (e.g. sales_automation@mycompany.com instead of bob_smith@mycompany.com). When you use a personal account which is tied to a specific employee profile and that employee leaves the company, the token may become invalid and any automated processes using that token will fail. Another potentially unwanted effect of using a personal token is incorrect logging; the API calls (e.g. Read, Edit, Delete, Upload) made with that token will record the specific user as performing the calls instead of an automated process.

Configuring authentication parameters
DropBox
User Account [OAuth]
https://api.dropboxapi.com/2/
Required Parameters
UseCustomApp Fill-in the parameter...
ReturnUrl Fill-in the parameter...
Optional Parameters
ClientId
ClientSecret
Scope
RetryMode RetryWhenStatusCodeMatch
RetryStatusCodeList 429
RetryCountMax 5
RetryMultiplyWaitTime True
ZappySys OAuth Connection