Method for expanding a link shortener in a cell

[Cameron_Goldber]

Hey!

I’m using a Zapier and connecting to dropbox. In my Zap, it drops the a URL of the file uploaded into dropbox back into my Airtable table. Problem is, I don’t want my users to have to use dropbox. Luckily there is a feature through Dropbox that allows you to turn any share link into a direct download link by adding a “1” at the end of the URL instead of the 0.

Problem is, the Zapier API is giving me a shortened dropbox link… I can’t change this…

is there anyway that I could expand the short link in another cell?

That would allow me to create a formula that’d change the last digit of the URL into a direct download link.

Thanks in advance!

[Bill_French]

Cameron_Goldberg:

is there anyway that I could expand the short link in another cell?

Yes. Don’t use Zapier. :winking_face:

I would look at two pathways -

1. If you absolutely MUST submit yourself to a life of agony with Zaps, transform this data using its integrated javascript option.
2. You you prefer a life of leisure and fewer integration headaches, take a look at Integromat - I believe that they have a more advanced approach for dealing with this (@ScottWorld probably knows if this is true).

[ScottWorld]

Hi @Cameron_Goldberg,

Yes, as @Bill.French mentioned above, you should definitely avoid Zapier (if possible) because it’s terrible.

Integromat is fantastic, and it also has FULL Dropbox integration. It gives you the option between using the full download link (ending in a “1”) and the full non-download link (ending in a “0”).

You don’t even need to do anything extra or anything special to make it happen — it’s just built into Integromat.

p.s. I am a professional Airtable consultant and a Registered Integromat Partner, and the Integromat link above contains my personal referral code. If you have a budget for your project and need to hire a consultant to help you setup this Dropbox automation, you can contact me through my website at scottworld.com.