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Home»BlackBerry Software»News & Rumors, BlackBerry Apps

FileScout now fully integrated with Dropbox

by Bla1ze on 17 Jan 2011 12:02 AM
19
 
FileScout now fully integrated with Dropbox

Long time fans of FileScout will likely already be aware of this but for those of you out there who may be making use of Dropbox and have not as of yet, not heard of Filescout this should be of some interest. FileScout has recently been updated to include support for Dropbox and is now listed on the Dropbox website as an official plugin for the BlackBerry application. As a plugin to Dropbox, FileScout now makes sending and recieving files from your Dropbox account easier then ever before. You can hit the break for the full changelog and see more about how FileScout integrates with Dropbox. If you're looking to get started with FileScout and Dropbox just click on the source link for the download.


What's New

  • FileScout Caches will be initiated on device start (and not on each start of FileScout):
  • FileScout will now start way much faster
  • Search and GoTo-Directory functions are instantly available after FileScout is started
  • Previously generated Thumbnails will be displayed right after the start
  • On application exit Thumbnails Cache will not be written - so the application close right away
  • Thumbnail Cache will be fully automated written (when an updated is required) every 24h in the background
  • Thumbnails will be automatically generated (in the background) when a new image is created on the device
  • The complete new behavior & functions can be of course switched off in general options of FileScout
  • FileScout will handle the SDCard insert or remove events
  • New key short cut [SHIFT]+[T]: Goto Top of the file list
  • New key short cut [SHIFT]+[B]: Goto Bottom of the file list

FileScout Dropbox Plugin Integration In order to keep the main FileScout Application as small as possible the FileScout Dropbox Plugin is a separate available Application by emacberry.com that allows you to interact with your Dropxbox. The Plugin have to be installed separately OTA. Therefore you will find in the FileScout options a new Section called Dropbox Options. When the Plugin is not present you will find there a button which allows you to install the FileScout Dropbox Plugin OTA directly from FileScout just with a single click.


After the Plugin is installed you need to specify your Dropbox login details (email & password) and press the login button. After your login have been verified you can start to access your Dropbox from FileScout.
If you don't know the Dropbox Service or if you don't have a Dropbox account yet visit the Dropbox website for details. If you like you can create a new Dropbox account with a referral to the emacberry.com Dropbox account.

What you can do with the FileScout Dropbox Plugin:

  • Download single files, list of files or complete folders (not recursive) from your Dropbox to any folder of your BlackBerry Device. This can be done by navigating to the destination folder and select Receive from... from the #Menu within Filescout and in the following popup Dialog select Dropbox.
  • Upload a single file, a selection of files or complete folders (not recursive) from your BlackBerry® Device to your Dropbox. Select a file, multiple files or a folder and select Send to... from the #Menu within FileScout and in the following popup Dialog select Dropbox.
  • When you are uploading a file, files or a folder you can also create a new directory at your Dropbox.
  • FileScout is caching the folder and file structure of your Dropbox if you like to force a refresh you can do this via the Refresh #Menu
  • Display file or folder details for any item on your Dropbox (key short cut [O|I])


FileScout Dropbox Options:

  • Logout - disconnect FileScout from your Dropbox account
  • Enable/disable Online Warning Message (warning about transfer volume)
  • When you use "Auto" as FileScout Options/General Options/Preferred Network setting you can disable certain fallback transports - e.g. when your BES Admin have blocked access to the Dropbox URL.
  • Enable/configure a warning notification if a transfer will exceed a certain volume - you can select between OFF, 1 MiB, 5 MiB, 25 MiB and 200 MiB
  • Check for FileScout Dropbox Plugin Update button
  • Clear FileScout Dropbox Plugin Cache button - FileScout is caching the folder structure of Dropbox - this cache can be flushed via this function.

Source: Dropbox

Filed Under: News & Rumors, BlackBerry Apps; Tags: Dropbox, FileScout
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19 Comments

Posted by ajtouchstone Monday, Jan 17, 2011 493 days ago

This new feature totally made me buy FileScout after being a longtime Lite version user. I love emacberry's apps. They're always so fully-featured and bring so much usefulness to the BlackBerry family. Excellent program that I've already used a dozen times since buying it yesterday!

 
 
Posted by mrjackson Monday, Jan 17, 2011 493 days ago

I haven't bought it yet, but I'm going to very soon because of this feature. Just last week I was wondering if there was another way to upload stuff to dropbox as the app is a little limiting.

 
 
Posted by gyubok Monday, Jan 17, 2011 493 days ago

With os5 and 6, there's file app where you can browse through device and sdcard directory. What's the point of buying the app? I went on their website and couldn't find anything useful (like who's going to unzip stuff from their bb?)
Who are they targetting anyway? Os 4.5 users?

 
 
Posted by Jleeblanch Monday, Jan 17, 2011 493 days ago

Apparently you didn't do very good research! A lot of users LOVE FileScout because there is MANY things you can do that the native "Files" application can't do! And honestly, I unzip quite a bit of files using my BlackBerry because it's easier than the alternative (which would be to transfer the file to my computer, unzip it, then transfer it back to my BlackBerry). File management in general is much easier using FileScout when it comes to keeping Device Memory and my SD Card organized. Yes, the native "Files" app can handle some things but when moving around entire directories and reorganizing files, it's MUCH easier to use FileScout. Now, add in some DropBox support and it's easier than ever to download files in my DropBox and upload them quickly and easily! Of course you are welcome to your opinion, that's what it's all about but I think I speak for the majority in saying FileScout is an amazing application for what it's developed to do and does it better than all the other apps out there designed to do the same! But hey, that's just my opinion, right?

 
 
Posted by gyubok Monday, Jan 17, 2011 493 days ago

But thanks for explaining how a user can benefit from using filescout in detail! You are right when you say I didn't do enough research. I suppose hardcore blackberry users will use the app to their benefit effectively!
Thanks again for detailed explanation!

 
 
Posted by emacf1 Monday, Jan 17, 2011 493 days ago

Even before OS 5.x there was a Files application (some sort of hidden) - In the MediaApp select "Browse" from the Menu and you have what you know from OS5+ as the Files App...

 
 
Posted by Jleeblanch Monday, Jan 17, 2011 493 days ago

I updated FileScout and downloaded the DropBox Plugin a couple days ago and personally, I'm loving this new feature!

Granted, I use the DropBox application for BlackBerry but lately I've found that I'm using it less and less now! The FileScout Plugin feature is a little bit more complex than the actual DropBox app itself, but if you're familiar with FileScout, than learning the new features is easy business!

I definitely recommend FileScout to the BlackBerry user whom will find it useful! It had MANY great features prior to this update! Add in some DropBox support and holy impressed! I didn't see this one coming! :)

 
 
Posted by Rootbrian Monday, Jan 17, 2011 493 days ago

I use filescoutlite, but don't feel the need to use dropbox, but this is just awesome! A lite user for life! :D

 
 
Posted by aspiroots Monday, Jan 17, 2011 493 days ago

Great! I'll test it now
For those who want a Dropbox account with extra free space, use this link :
http://db.tt/Da5BW4H

 
 
Posted by emacf1 Monday, Jan 17, 2011 493 days ago

the only one who is getting "extra space" from the link above is you...

 
 
Posted by jimcalvert Monday, Jan 17, 2011 493 days ago

Assuming that's a standard Dropbox referral link, then both he and the new user would get an extra 250MB of space in their Dropbox. Same with this one: http://db.tt/JVM23pu

 
 
Posted by Tripster Monday, Jan 17, 2011 493 days ago

Much appreciated for this update, Emac.

 
 
Posted by Bigbusa1 Monday, Jan 17, 2011 493 days ago

Awesome app to have

 
 
Posted by BFskinnerpunk Monday, Jan 17, 2011 492 days ago

Can I download an entire dropbox folder onto my blackberry SD card? I often just want the actual file sitting right there inside the blackberry...it is a bit quicker to send the actual .doc file that way rather than the .dat (which confuses people when they get a .dat in their email).

 
 
Posted by visortgw Monday, Jan 17, 2011 492 days ago

Absolutely!

 
 
Posted by BFskinnerpunk Monday, Jan 17, 2011 492 days ago

OK... they actually say you can download entire folders (not just individual documents) from dropbox. However, once you get to "recieve from..."... and choose dropbox.... be sure to choose "refresh" to be sure that you are downloading the latest and greatest update of that particular folder. I tested it out:
1 - I downloaded an entire folder from my dropbox
2 - I went to my computer and added a document to it
3 - Back to the blackberry, and told filescout to download the exact same folder. I did this to see if it would notice the change and update it with my new document included
4 - Nope! Instead, it gave a warning that "all those files are already present"... something like that.
5. I did the whole thing again, only this time hit found that "refresh" was an option on the folder that I was seeking to download.
That fixed it.

 
 
Posted by emacf1 Tuesday, Jan 18, 2011 492 days ago

just as explanation - Dropbox is asking developers to consider dropbox API requests as an expensive resource - therefor they offer different functionality to cache locally some data - that's what the FileScout Plugin is doing as well - once a directory an it's content have been requested from Dropbox this content will be cached for 24h - so what ever you do on this directory on your Dropbox you will not get the changes automatically - you need to do a manual refresh.

Since you know that you changed the content it should not be a big deal to remember that you have to refresh the Folder in the FileScout Dropbox Plugin as well.

Yes this is not optimal - but the IMHO the best compromise that I could implement in order to fitful the Dropbox API usage guidelines.

 
 
Posted by blackthesoul Wednesday, Jan 19, 2011 491 days ago

I purchased FileScout about 20mins after the dropbox plugin was announced and became available,
used the lite version for a while , was looking to upgrade but work commitments and time consuming events etc, i never got round to doing it... until now
and ive never been happier! great app!! great support!! Great Dev!

this app is like a fine wine, it only gets better with age ;-)

if your on the fence about buying this app, then just take the plunge, its not expensive and is VERY HANDY INDEED! and packed with features :-)

 
 
Posted by emacf1 Thursday, Jan 20, 2011 490 days ago

Thanks for the compliments!