How to - multiple dropbox instances?

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1

After looking around online it seems pretty easy to have multiple dropbox accounts running. All you have to do is change an environmental variable and then run dropbox. However, I’ve tried editing the .desktop file so the Exec line is changed from this:

Exec=dropbox start -i

which is the default, to this:

Exec=env "HOME\=/home/reg/.dropbox-alt" dropbox start -i

which from everything I have read should work. I’ve also tried all the variations of escaping and quoting like:

Exec=env HOME\=/home/reg/.dropbox-alt dropbox start -i
Exec=env "HOME=/home/reg/.dropbox-alt" dropbox start -i
Exec=env HOME=/home/reg/.dropbox-alt dropbox start -i

and nothing seems to launch dropbox. However if I try the same line in bash it tries to launch but falls short but that’s only because dropbox is looking for a GUI. That being the case I would have thought that doing the above in the .desktop file would work but I get nothing at all happening.

I’m doing this without any dropbox instances running already so it cannot be that dropbox is looking for other instances and stopping itself from loading another instance.

If I try this in the .desktop file:

Exec=env dropbox start -i

It will launch dropbox but now it’s the default instance which has no benefit.

Can anyone tell me what I’m missing to make this work?

2

  1. If you’re following some kind of guide or reference, you should provide a link to it.

  2. What file are you editing? Is this a dropbox.service Unit file?

  3. Without knowing what reference you are folowing, I strongly suspect that for more than one Dropbox “instance” to exist, you need to clarify whether you only want to mount the different Dropbox instances (access would then be through your file system) or a specific application (You’ll likely need to identify the app) which might set up remote access without mounting or be a front end to mounts.

TSU

3

I don’t think you need a link, I think you just need to know what “.desktop” files are (mentioned in the very first paragraph and repeated further down) and if you don’t then you probably don’t have the knowledge to help with the question. That being said, for anyone interested - .desktop file specification.](Desktop Entry Specification)

Thanks for commenting.

4

On Sun 22 May 2016 12:56:02 AM CDT, Reg gie wrote:

After looking around online it seems pretty easy to have multiple
dropbox accounts running. All you have to do is change an environmental
variable and then run dropbox. However, I’ve tried editing the .desktop
file so the Exec line is changed from this:

Code:

Exec=dropbox start -i

which is the default, to this:

Code:

Exec=env “HOME=/home/reg/.dropbox-alt” dropbox start -i

which from everything I have read should work. I’ve also tried all the
variations of escaping and quoting like:

Code:

Exec=env HOME=/home/reg/.dropbox-alt dropbox start -i
Exec=env “HOME=/home/reg/.dropbox-alt” dropbox start -i
Exec=env HOME=/home/reg/.dropbox-alt dropbox start -i

and nothing seems to launch dropbox. However if I try the same line in
bash it tries to launch but falls short but that’s only because dropbox
is looking for a GUI. That being the case I would have thought that
doing the above in the .desktop file would work but I get nothing at all
happening.

I’m doing this without any dropbox instances running already so it
cannot be that dropbox is looking for other instances and stopping
itself from loading another instance.

If I try this in the .desktop file:

Code:

Exec=env dropbox start -i

It will launch dropbox but now it’s the default instance which has no
benefit.

Can anyone tell me what I’m missing to make this work?

Hi
Have a look here and run the script (MultipleDropboxInstances.sh) and
modify your directory names as requied. If all ok, then pop the script
in your ~/bin directory and create a desktop file pointing to the
script in you autostart directory;
http://www.dropboxwiki.com/tips-and-tricks/run-multiple-instances-of-dropbox-simultaneously-on-linux-or-mac-os-x

–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° LFCS, SUSE Knowledge Partner (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE Leap 42.1|GNOME 3.16.2|4.1.20-11-default
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5

If using a .desktop file is your method of implementation, that’d be important to know.

If you read the specification you referenced, it becomes obvious that the .desktop file can be used to launch and configure an application, so if this is what you’re doing it would fall within the description of my third point… You’re invoking an independent app with its own properties… I didn’t ignore or account for what you’re now describing.

So, this now suggests that you need to read the Dropbox documentation to see how it can be adapted to your .desktop file… I assume it’s likely that you need to identify where the URI is specified, if it’s not obviously in the .desktop file then it’s likely in a Dropbox config file. Where that URI is configured determines what to do next, whether it even makes sense to configure in the .desktop file.

If you’re less interested in hacking Dropbox configurations, this is the official Dropbox statement
https://www.dropbox.com/en/help/61

TSU