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linux:dropbox [2016/10/06 07:47] – jansen | linux:dropbox [2020/07/22 09:15] (current) – [Setting up Dropbox on the Linux desktops] jansen | ||
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Dropbox is a nice tool to synchronize some documents between computers. It is available on our Linux desktops, but take care of a couple of things: | Dropbox is a nice tool to synchronize some documents between computers. It is available on our Linux desktops, but take care of a couple of things: | ||
- | * Dropbox offers 2GB storage. But synchronization implies, that a local copy is made. Default location is in your home directory, but perhaps you don't have 2GB there (or you don't want to waste the limited space that you have in home). So make sure you move your Dropbox folder to another location, preferably on the local disk of your desktop. (Dropbox preferences - Advanced tab).\\ | + | * Dropbox offers 2GB storage. But synchronization implies, that a local copy is made. Default location is in your home directory, but perhaps you don't have 2GB there (or you don't want to waste the limited space that you have in home). So make sure you move your Dropbox folder to another location, preferably on the local disk of your desktop. (Dropbox preferences - Advanced tab). |
Not only will that prevent quota problems on /home, it will also be faster, because your local copy is actually local. | Not only will that prevent quota problems on /home, it will also be faster, because your local copy is actually local. | ||
- | * Disable LAN sync (Dropbox | + | * **IMPORTANT**: |
- | * Do not run Dropbox on multiple desktops at the same time. Dropbox | + | - A new setup of Dropbox will by default start in ''/ |
- | * However, synchronizing between desktop and laptop | + | - If you followed earlier advice, and moved '' |
+ | * Close dropbox | ||
+ | * Rename the Dropbox | ||
+ | * Remove | ||
+ | * Restart dropbox. It will complain, as usual. | ||
+ | * Go to the preferences and tell Dropbox to move its data from '' | ||
+ | * Restart dropbox again. It will now work with the local location | ||
+ | * If you want, you can now remove the symbolic link from your home directory | ||
+ | - An alternative method tricks dropbox into seeing | ||
+ | * Stop Dropbox if it is already running | ||
+ | * Create the directory where you want the Dropbox files on the local disk, eg ''/ | ||
+ | * Point HOME to that location, and start installing dropbox: | ||
+ | * Next time you log in, repeat this command without the -i option: '' | ||
====== Setting up Dropbox on the Linux desktops ====== | ====== Setting up Dropbox on the Linux desktops ====== | ||
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Note that Dropbox sync is not running when you don't have a desktop session active, eg if you log in over ssh. You can still add files to your Dropbox folder, and they will be sync'd the next time dropbox is started on the desktop, or commandline synchronization is started (see below). | Note that Dropbox sync is not running when you don't have a desktop session active, eg if you log in over ssh. You can still add files to your Dropbox folder, and they will be sync'd the next time dropbox is started on the desktop, or commandline synchronization is started (see below). | ||
+ | |||
+ | Some important settings: | ||
+ | * Location of your Dropbox folder. See above. Use the local disk of your desktop, not /home | ||
+ | * Disable LAN sync (Dropbox preferences - general tab). It would only be useful to synchronize between computers in the local network, but the computers in our network can share disks through automount, so there just is no point to have Dropbox generate a lot of network traffic to duplicate a feature we already offer (with much greater flexibility, | ||
+ | * Do not run Dropbox on multiple desktops at the same time. Dropbox isn't aware of the fact, that a data location like ''/ | ||
+ | * However, synchronizing between desktop and laptop is possible, and useful. No harm there, since there are no shared disks. But here as well, LAN sync will not work, so switch it off please. | ||
====== Commandline tools ====== | ====== Commandline tools ====== | ||
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====== Dropbox on Windows ====== | ====== Dropbox on Windows ====== | ||
It is unfortunately not possible to have Dropbox working on the Windows pcs that are part of the domain. This seems to be a known bug with user profiles that are stored on a central cerver, something Dropbox currently cannot handle. On those machines, you are limited to using the dropbox web interface for uploading and downloading your files. \\ | It is unfortunately not possible to have Dropbox working on the Windows pcs that are part of the domain. This seems to be a known bug with user profiles that are stored on a central cerver, something Dropbox currently cannot handle. On those machines, you are limited to using the dropbox web interface for uploading and downloading your files. \\ | ||
- | Alternatively, | + | Alternatively, |
====== See also ====== | ====== See also ====== | ||
See also [[https:// | See also [[https:// | ||
- | '' | + | '' |
+ | See [[Cloud storage]] for a list of other, similar programs. | ||