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CollaborationItem schema advertises full File/Folder; list-collaborations returns mini (no owned_by) #618

Closed as not planned

Description

@ploomis-box

Description of the issue

The generated API reference for GET /files/:id/collaborations (and folder collabs) shows a full nested `item` including `owned_by`. Live responses always return the mini item (`type`, `id`, `etag`, `sequence_id`, `name`). `fields=owned_by` and `fields=item.owned_by` do not expand nested item. This mismatched example has hurt a major customer's trust in Box docs.

Root cause in this spec: `CollaborationItem` is `oneOf: File | Folder | Web Link` (standard), so the docs generator renders the large example. Contrast GET `/folders/:id/items`, which correctly `$ref`s `File--Mini`.

Related: `marker` on these operations says it requires `usemarker=true`, but there is no `usemarker` parameter. File listing is marker-only. Folder listing defaults to offset (`total_count`); pass `marker=` to switch to marker paging.

Proposed change

PR: (linked once opened) from `ploomis-box:fix/collab-item-mini-docs`

  • `CollaborationItem` → `File--Mini | Folder--Mini | WebLink--Mini`
  • Describe that nested `item` cannot be expanded with `fields`; hydrate via GET file/folder `?fields=owned_by`
  • Asana-style callout on the two list operations
  • Fix `marker` copy (no `usemarker`)

Not in scope: adding `owned_by` to this endpoint. That is a File System / `#public-api-service-support` product ask. File System's direction for new collab-list endpoints is keep `item` mini and require a follow-up GET.

Open question for DevRel (Łukasz): mini/standard/full variant labeling was removed from API ref pages some time ago. Restoring it site-wide is separate from this schema fix.

Live contract (2026-09-23, CCG)

  • POST `/collaborations`, GET `/collaborations/{id}`, GET file/folder collabs: mini `item`, never `owned_by`
  • `fields=owned_by` on list: entries become `{type,id}` only
  • `GET /files/{id}?fields=owned_by`: works (hydrate workaround)
  • `usemarker=true`: silently ignored (HTTP 200)

Activity

  1. ploomis-box commented on Sep 23, 2026

    @ploomis-box
    Author

    Ready-to-apply spec patch: #617 (ploomis-box:fix/collab-item-mini-docs). CONTRIBUTING prefers issues over PRs; the PR is the exact JSON diff for CollaborationItem, list-operation callouts, fields, and marker/usemarker.

  2. ploomis-box commented on Sep 23, 2026

    @ploomis-box
    Author

    Closing. Tracking internally.

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