(VB.NET) Dropbox: OAuth2 Authorization to Obtain an Access Token

Demonstrates how to get a Dropbox OAuth2 access token from a desktop application or script.

This example runs the OAuth 2.0 authorization flow that lets the user sign in to Dropbox and authorize your app.

Chilkat .NET Downloads Chilkat .NET Framework Chilkat for .NET Core

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

' Note: This example requires Chilkat v9.5.0.66 or greater to work properly.

Dim oauth2 As New Chilkat.OAuth2
Dim success As Boolean

' The port should match the Authorized Redirect URL in your Dropbox app, 
' which would look like "http://localhost:3017/"
oauth2.ListenPort = 3017

' IMPORTANT: One of the OAuth2 redirect URIs for your Dropbox app must be
' exactly this string:  http://localhost:3017/

oauth2.AuthorizationEndpoint = "https://www.dropbox.com/oauth2/authorize"
oauth2.TokenEndpoint = "https://api.dropboxapi.com/oauth2/token"

' Replace these with actual values.
oauth2.ClientId = "DROPBOX_APP_KEY"
oauth2.ClientSecret = "DROPBOX_APP_SECRET"
oauth2.CodeChallenge = False

' Add token_access_type=offline to also get a refresh token in the response
oauth2.AddAuthQueryParam("token_access_type","offline")

' Begin the OAuth2 three-legged flow.  This returns a URL that should be loaded in a browser.
Dim url As String = oauth2.StartAuth()
If (oauth2.LastMethodSuccess <> True) Then
    Debug.WriteLine(oauth2.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


' At this point, your application should load the URL in a browser.
' For example, 
' in C#: System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(url);
' in Java: Desktop.getDesktop().browse(new URI(url));
' in VBScript: Set wsh=WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
'              wsh.Run url
' in Xojo: ShowURL(url)  (see http://docs.xojo.com/index.php/ShowURL)
' in Dataflex: Runprogram Background "c:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" sUrl        
' The Microsoft account owner would interactively accept or deny the authorization request.

' Add the code to load the url in a web browser here...
' Add the code to load the url in a web browser here...
' Add the code to load the url in a web browser here...



' Now wait for the authorization.
' We'll wait for a max of 30 seconds.
Dim numMsWaited As Integer = 0
While (numMsWaited < 30000) And (oauth2.AuthFlowState < 3)
    oauth2.SleepMs(100)
    numMsWaited = numMsWaited + 100
End While

' If there was no response from the browser within 30 seconds, then 
' the AuthFlowState will be equal to 1 or 2.
' 1: Waiting for Redirect. The OAuth2 background thread is waiting to receive the redirect HTTP request from the browser.
' 2: Waiting for Final Response. The OAuth2 background thread is waiting for the final access token response.
' In that case, cancel the background task started in the call to StartAuth.
If (oauth2.AuthFlowState < 3) Then
    oauth2.Cancel()
    Debug.WriteLine("No response from the browser!")
    Exit Sub
End If



' Check the AuthFlowState to see if authorization was granted, denied, or if some error occurred
' The possible AuthFlowState values are:
' 3: Completed with Success. The OAuth2 flow has completed, the background thread exited, and the successful JSON response is available in AccessTokenResponse property.
' 4: Completed with Access Denied. The OAuth2 flow has completed, the background thread exited, and the error JSON is available in AccessTokenResponse property.
' 5: Failed Prior to Completion. The OAuth2 flow failed to complete, the background thread exited, and the error information is available in the FailureInfo property.
If (oauth2.AuthFlowState = 5) Then
    Debug.WriteLine("OAuth2 failed to complete.")
    Debug.WriteLine(oauth2.FailureInfo)
    Exit Sub
End If


If (oauth2.AuthFlowState = 4) Then
    Debug.WriteLine("OAuth2 authorization was denied.")
    Debug.WriteLine(oauth2.AccessTokenResponse)
    Exit Sub
End If


If (oauth2.AuthFlowState <> 3) Then
    Debug.WriteLine("Unexpected AuthFlowState:" & oauth2.AuthFlowState)
    Exit Sub
End If


Debug.WriteLine("OAuth2 authorization granted!")

Dim json As New Chilkat.JsonObject
json.Load(oauth2.AccessTokenResponse)
json.EmitCompact = False

Debug.WriteLine("Access Token Response = " & json.Emit())


' A sample access token response:

' {
'   "access_token": "...",
'   "token_type": "bearer",
'   "expires_in": 14399,
'   "refresh_token": "...",
'   "scope": "account_info.read",
'   "uid": "562542581",
'   "account_id": "dbid:AACQhDS0E3_Vb72Ynd0F-GxGWdTI2qcTHzA"
' }

Debug.WriteLine("Access Token = " & oauth2.AccessToken)

' Save the JSON access token response to a file for subsequent use..
json.WriteFile("qa_data/tokens/dropbox.json")