How to install Dropbox on Arch Linux

Storing data on either a work system or a personal computer can become difficult because of its size, so to encounter such an issue different cloud storage services provide to back up or save the data in an online server. Dropbox is one of the cloud storage servers that not only backs up the data but also syncs the file across multiple devices. This helps when any of your data is lost or you want to share any files or folders with different people using different devices. On Arch Linux Dropbox can be installed in various ways which provides the liberty to the user to use different methods in case any of them fail.

Outline:

• How to Install Dropbox on Arch Linux
• Getting Started with Dropbox on Arch Linux
• How to Remove Dropbox From Arch Linux
• Conclusion

How To Install Dropbox on Arch Linux

Dropbox comes with block-level sync and LAN sync which speeds up the uploading and downloading of large or frequently changed files. Moreover, as compared to its competitors it has better integration with third-party applications like Microsoft Office and Adobe Reader. To Install Dropbox on Arch there are various ways and the choice of method based on your preference:

Method 1: Through Git Repository

To install Arch, one way is by cloning the Dropbox Git repository while cloning you will face an error regarding the validation of PGP signatures as in the image below:

So to avoid such an error you need to import the Dropbox public key from the key server using GnuPG and for that execute:

Once you have imported the key now clone the Dropbox Git repository and for that execute:

Now navigate to the cloned directory and build the packages from the scripts along with the build file using the makepkg command:

Next, verify the installation of Dropbox:

You can launch Dropbox either from the command line or from the activities menu and for the command line execute:

Method 2: Through Tar File

Usually, when Dropbox is installed by any package installer, it automatically starts up on system boot-up. So, if you install it through a tar file then you have to manually run it, and also you can have the latest version of Dropbox as a tar file is only available from its official site:

The extracted file will be hidden so you can list all the files in the directory and launch the Dropbox by executing:

Method 3: Through AUR Helper

Another way to install packages on Arch is by using the Arch User Repository which is primarily a community-driven system repository. To facilitate the installation through AUR there are different AUR helpers used like yay and pamac. So here I have illustrated the method for installation from both.

1: Yay

To install Dropbox on Arch using yay execute:

You can launch Dropbox either from the command line or from the activities menu and for the command line execute:

Yay is not pre-installed on Arch so to install it execute the below sets of commands one by one:

2:Pamac

Pamac is an AUR helper that provides the option of installing applications through its graphical user interface. Just like yay it is also not pre-installed on Arch so to install it execute:

After the Pamac installation, launch it from the activities menu:

Now go to the Preferences option of Pamac from the context menu by clicking on the hamburger icon:

Now under the Third Party tab turn on Enable AUR support as it will allow Pamac to install packages from the AUR repository:

After that, search for Dropbox in Pamac and install it by selecting the first option in the search result:

You can launch Dropbox either from the command line or from the activities menu and for the command line execute:

Method 4: Through Flatpak

The next method for installing Dropbox on Arch is by using the Flatpak package installer which uses the Flathub repository for package installation. To install Dropbox using Flatpak execute:

After the installation, launch the Dropbox from the command line by executing:

On Arch Linux none of the third-party package installers are pre-installed, so to install Flatpak on Arch execute the below sets of commands:

Method 5: Through Software Manager

The last installation method for Dropbox on Arch is by using the Software application by GNOME so simply search for Dropbox and click on Install:

Once the Dropbox is installed, launch it through the activities menu:

Getting Started with Dropbox on Arch Linux

Dropbox is a sort of hard drive or USB that can be accessed from any system that provides a password manager, a vault for confidential files, and e-signature services. Though it comes with quite less storage in its free version but still a better choice for getting started with cloud storage. So here are some heads-up information that you might need to know if you have used Dropbox previously:

1: Creating an Account on Dropbox

The first thing you need to do after Dropbox installation on Arch Linux is to create an account on it and for that click on Create an Account once you launch it:

Now add the personal information, click on Agree and sign up:

Once you are signed up, verify the account by verifying the Dropbox email received on the given email and afterward login by using the account credentials:

2: Adding Files or Folders on Dropbox

On Dropbox you can create or upload files and folders, the files can be documents, multimedia, or any sort of compressed data files. To Upload any file or folder simply click on Upload and then select the type of data you want to upload:

 

Further, you can create a file, folder, presentation, recording, and more by clicking on the Create option:

3: Sharing Files on Dropbox

To share any data from Dropbox there are various ways, one is by clicking on the share icon right next to the file or folder you want to share:

Next, enter the email of the people with whom you want to share the data and add some description which can be about the data or the task assigned to that user:

Next, you need to set the edit access for the folder or file you are sharing, for that click on the can edit option and select based on your preference. Afterward, click on share:

Alternatively, to share any data you can copy the link and share it with the users you want to give access to the data, don’t forget to set the edit access of the data first:

4: Sync Files and Folders with Dropbox

On Arch Linux when Dropbox is installed, and you launch it for the very first then it will ask for Continue installation to create a folder named Dropbox:

Next, you need to install an additional package which is a Dropbox extension for nautilus which is the default file manager for GNOME. It makes it easy to access and manage Dropbox files from nautilus file manager:

Once the extension is installed successfully, you will see a tick mark on the Dropbox folder:

5: Creating Signatures on Dropbox

One of the features of Dropbox is that you can create digital signatures that can be used to access protected data either by yourself or by the people with whom the data is shared. For it click on the Signatures option on the left. Next, click on Create Signatures and either draw your signature, type your name, upload a signature picture, or load any saved signature for editing:

How To Remove Dropbox From Arch Linux

Just like the installation methods, the uninstallation methods also vary as they depend on the installation methods. So on Arch, the method of application removal is the same if either installed through the AUR repository or by its default package installer. Usually, Dropbox is running in the background even if you have closed its application window, so first it’s better to terminate it and then remove it:

Next, remove the additional package installed for integrating Dropbox with the GNOME desktop environment:

On the removal you will get the warning messenger that will state the de-linking of the Dropbox folder, so here you simply need to click on Exit:

To remove Dropbox from Arch if installed using the Pamac GUI go to Foreign packages in the installed tab and from there select Dropbox and then click on Apply:

To remove the Dropbox package from Arch installed from Flatpak execute:

To remove Dropbox installed through the GNOME software application simply go to installed applications and search for Dropbox. Next, click on the delete icon and select App Settings & Data based on your preference, afterward click on Uninstall:

Once you have uninstalled Dropbox from Arch you need to remove the files and folders associated with it to remove it completely and for that execute the set of commands below:

Conclusion

Dropbox is a cloud storage network that allows users to back up their personal data or to share any data with different people. To install Dropbox on Arch Linux, there are five different ways and the recommended one is using the AUR repository or downloading the image file for Dropbox which removes the hassle of getting into the installation process.