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Question

Error handling uploading a file to Box 409

  • May 23, 2025
  • 1 reply
  • 93 views
C
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I have this code which deliberately attempts to upload a file that already exists in the Box folder.

try:
    new_file = client.folder(8888888888888).upload('c.txt')
except:
    print('End')

 

How do I capture the "409" response from Box that tells me that the file already exists? For simplicity, I would like something like:

try:
    new_file = client.folder(8888888888888).upload('c.txt')
except 409:
    print('File already exist in Box, file will be updated' )

    updated_file = client.file(222222222222).update_contents('c.txt')

except 400:
    print('Some other error occurred' )

 

How do I get the identify the error and also retrieve the file ID from the error?

    1 reply

    C
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    Hi En,

    In order to do this you need to capture the exception and look inside the error attributes, and inside the BoxAPIException (e.g. to get the conflicting file id)

    Python example:

    def upload_file(client: Client, folder_id: int, file_path: str) -> File:
        """ Upload a file to Box  """
        try:
            file = client.folder(folder_id=folder_id).upload(file_path)
            print(f"Uploaded file: {file}")
            return file
        except BoxAPIException as err:
            if (
                err.status == 409
                and err.code == "item_name_in_use"
                and err.context_info["conflicts"]["type"] == "file"
            ):
                existing_file_id = err.context_info["conflicts"]["id"]
                print(
                    f"File already exists, let's try updating it \nexisting_file_id: {existing_file_id}"
                )
                return update_file(client, existing_file_id, file_path)
            raise err

    I would recommend you check more than just the generic 409 http error, there are plenty more details inside the BoxAPIException. For example there may be a name conflict with a folder name or a web-link object.

    Check our this full example here.

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