Transferring Data from One Cloud Storage to Another

What this scenario does: Watches Dropbox for newly uploaded files, searches for the file in Google Drive, and uploads to Google Drive if the file does not exist. 

Level Of Difficulty: Beginner 

Implementation Time: Approximately 20 mins 

Assumptions: You have a Dropbox and Google Drive account with both connections added. Destination folders have been created in the cloud storage and selected in the modules. You understand how to use/add Filters. 

Cloud storage is a convenient way to store all types of files safely and have access to them at any given time. Most of us have more than just one cloud storage and may use one as a backup for the other. 

However, we understand that it’s no easy task to transfer files between clouds. Yes, we just can’t afford to lose those important documents or precious pics on the beach in Phuket sipping cocktails. Let us show you how to transfer from one cloud storage to another automatically. 

Let’s go.

Configuring the scenario

The scenario consists of the following modules:

• Dropbox > Watch Uploads

• Dropbox > Get a file

• Google Drive > Search for files/folders

• Google Drive > Upload a file 

Here is the scenario: 

 The Dropbox > Watch Uploads trigger module has a straightforward configuration so let’s move on to the Get a File module that downloads a file from a specified folder. 

Under the Way of selecting files field, select the Map a file path option and map the Path lower element in the File Path field from the Watch Uploads module: 

 Here in the Google Drive > Search for Files/Folders module, select the Destination and List a folder options. 

You also need to select the Search within file/folder names option in the Search field. Simply map the Name element from the Dropbox > Watch Uploads module to the Query field. 

This provides Google Drive with the file name that it must search for in the destination folder: 

 Next, let’s open the filter located on the route between the two Google Drive modules to view the setting. 

The purpose of the filter is to avoid uploading duplicate files to Google Drive. Give the filter a name (New File), map the Title element from the Google Drive > Search for Files/Folders module to the Condition field and select the Does not exist basic operator. 

The bundle will only pass through this filter if the file does not currently exist in the Google Drive’s destination folder: 

 Moving on to the Google Drive > Upload a file module, select the Destination and Target folder. Under Source file, select the Dropbox > Get a File module. 

This allows the file that was fetched by this module to be uploaded to the destination folder in Google Drive: 

The scenario has been fully configured and executed twice successfully. Let’s take a look at both executions.

Scenario execution 1:

The new file was uploaded to Dropbox, the file was retrieved, and it was searched for within the Google Drive folder, it did not exist in the folder therefore the bundle met the filter’s criteria, passed through, and was uploaded to Google Drive: 

Scenario execution 2:

The same file was manually selected by right-clicking on the Dropbox > Watch Uploads module and selecting Choose where to start; then selecting Choose manually. 

Since the file already exists in Google Drive, the bundle didn’t meet the filter’s criteria and was stopped from proceeding to the Google Drive > Upload a file module: 

And that’s how you transfer data from one cloud storage to another without duplication!

Happy Automating!