Automating File Uploads from Dropbox to AWS S3

As a tech-savvy individual, I'm always on the lookout for ways to streamline my workflow and reduce tedious tasks. Recently, I discovered an innovative solution that allows me to upload files from Dropbox directly to Amazon S3 using Hazel, a powerful automation tool. In this article, I'll walk you through my setup and show you how to replicate it.

The first step is to create an S3 bucket and structure the folder hierarchy similar to your WordPress content directory. I named my bucket 'mywebsite' to use as a subdomain for this site. This allows me to easily access and manage my files using the S3 console.

To make the upload process seamless, I integrated Dropbox with Hazel. Whenever I add an image or video to a specific folder in Dropbox, Hazel automatically uploads it to my designated S3 account and generates a link that's added to my Link Log file in NVAlt and clipboard stack. The best part? The actual script is just one line of code!

Here's the script:

`Logfile.write(nowTime+' '+imageLink+'

')`

This script encodes the file name, appends the URL to the log file, and uploads the file to S3 using the boto library.

To make this setup even more efficient, I created a custom Hazel rule that includes the following steps:

1. Determine the current month and year to create the upload path.

2. Upload the file to S3 using the `set_contents_from_filename` method.

3. Write the log entry to my Link Log file in NVAlt.

The boto library is an incredibly powerful tool for working with Amazon AWS, offering a wide range of methods for automating tasks. By installing the boto module and creating a Python-based Hazel rule, I was able to integrate Dropbox and S3 seamlessly.

In conclusion, this setup has greatly reduced my workload by automating the process of uploading files from Dropbox to AWS S3. With Hazel's powerful automation capabilities and the boto library's robust features, I can focus on more important tasks while ensuring my files are safely stored in the cloud.

Dropbox aws s3