(Node.js) Download File from Dropbox into a String Variable

Demonstrates how to download a file from Dropbox directly into a string variable.

Install Chilkat for Node.js and Electron using npm at Chilkat npm packages for Node.js Chilkat npm packages for Electron on Windows, Linux, MacOSX, and ARM

var os = require('os');
if (os.platform() == 'win32') {  
    if (os.arch() == 'ia32') {
        var chilkat = require('@chilkat/ck-node21-win-ia32');
    } else {
        var chilkat = require('@chilkat/ck-node21-win64'); 
    }
} else if (os.platform() == 'linux') {
    if (os.arch() == 'arm') {
        var chilkat = require('@chilkat/ck-node21-arm');
    } else if (os.arch() == 'x86') {
        var chilkat = require('@chilkat/ck-node21-linux32');
    } else {
        var chilkat = require('@chilkat/ck-node21-linux64');
    }
} else if (os.platform() == 'darwin') {
    if (os.arch() == 'arm64') {
        var chilkat = require('@chilkat/ck-node21-mac-m1');
    } else {
        var chilkat = require('@chilkat/ck-node21-macosx');
    }
}

function chilkatExample() {

    // This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
    // See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

    // A Dropbox access token should have been previously obtained.
    // Dropbox access tokens do not expire.
    // See Dropbox Access Token.

    var rest = new chilkat.Rest();

    // Connect to Dropbox
    var success = rest.Connect("content.dropboxapi.com",443,true,true);
    if (success !== true) {
        console.log(rest.LastErrorText);
        return;
    }

    // Add request headers.
    rest.AddHeader("Authorization","Bearer DROPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN");

    // The download "parameters" are contained in JSON passed in an HTTP request header.
    // This is the JSON indicating the file to be downloaded:
    // { 
    //    "path": "/jack.txt",
    // }

    var json = new chilkat.JsonObject();
    json.AppendString("path","/jack.txt");
    rest.AddHeader("Dropbox-API-Arg",json.Emit());

    // The content of the file on Dropbox is returned.
    var fileContent = rest.FullRequestNoBody("POST","/2/files/download");
    if (rest.LastMethodSuccess !== true) {
        console.log(rest.LastErrorText);
        return;
    }

    // When successful, Dropbox responds with a 200 response code.
    if (rest.ResponseStatusCode !== 200) {
        // Examine the request/response to see what happened.
        console.log("response status code = " + rest.ResponseStatusCode);
        console.log("response status text = " + rest.ResponseStatusText);
        console.log("response header: " + rest.ResponseHeader);
        console.log("response body (if any): " + fileContent);
        console.log("---");
        console.log("LastRequestStartLine: " + rest.LastRequestStartLine);
        console.log("LastRequestHeader: " + rest.LastRequestHeader);
        return;
    }

    // Show the file content that was downloaded:
    console.log(fileContent);
    console.log("----");

    // Information about the downloaded file is also available as JSON in a response header.
    // The "dropbox-api-result" response header contains the information.  For example:
    var apiResult = rest.ResponseHdrByName("dropbox-api-result");
    console.log(apiResult);

    // In this case, the pretty-formatted dropbox-api-result JSON looks like this:
    // { 
    //   "name": "jack.txt",
    //   "path_lower": "/jack.txt",
    //   "path_display": "/jack.txt",
    //   "id": "id:yqx4-tE_NKAAAAAAAAAAAQ",
    //   "client_modified": "2016-06-02T20:42:11Z",
    //   "server_modified": "2016-06-02T20:42:11Z",
    //   "rev": "8482db15f",
    //   "size": 42
    // }

    // Load the JSON, pretty-print it, and demonstrate how to get some values...
    var jsonResult = new chilkat.JsonObject();
    jsonResult.EmitCompact = false;
    jsonResult.Load(apiResult);
    // Show the JSON pretty-printed...
    console.log(jsonResult.Emit());

    // Sample code to get data from the JSON response:
    var size = jsonResult.IntOf("size");
    console.log("size = " + size);

    var rev = jsonResult.StringOf("rev");
    console.log("rev = " + rev);

    var clientModified = jsonResult.StringOf("client_modified");
    var ckdt = new chilkat.CkDateTime();
    ckdt.SetFromTimestamp(clientModified);
    var bLocalTime = true;
    // dt: DtObj
    var dt = ckdt.GetDtObj(bLocalTime);
    console.log(dt.Day + "/" + dt.Month + "/" + dt.Year + " " + dt.Hour + ":" + dt.Minute);


}

chilkatExample();