Can't un-exclude directories with `dropbox.py exclude remove <directory>` on Ubuntu 20.04.2

For both exclude commands (add, remove) you must be in the Dropbox directory. 

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caconym wrote:

I have a Linux machine (running Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS, "Focal Fossa") upon which I am running a "headless" Dropbox daemon as per here: https://www.dropbox.com/install-linux

 

The Dropbox daemon is up to date:

 

```

$ dropbox.py version
Dropbox daemon version: 125.4.3474
Dropbox command-line interface version: 2020.03.04

```

 

This machine is truly "headless", so I am doing everything on the command line. Installation of the daemon and initial sync seemed to work fine, though autostart isn't working for me.

 

I've found that I can exclude directories with `dropbox.py exclude add <directory>` just fine. When I run that command for a directory in my Dropbox, the directory briefly appears in the list output from `dropbox.py exclude`. However, once the directory is actually deleted from the local Dropbox directory, it disappears from the list too. For example, I do have a bunch of directories excluded, and they are not present in the local Dropbox directory. However, the tool incorrectly reports no excluded directories:

 

```

$ dropbox.py exclude
No directories are being ignored.

```

 

This is fine, if a bit weird, but the problem is that I can't add excluded directories back (un-exclude them?) with `dropbox.py exclude remove <directory>`. That command outputs nothing and has no effect.

 

Why not? How can I get this to work? It seems totally broken right now.

---

cd ~/Dropbox

python ~/bin/dropbox.py exclude remove "Camera Uploads"

This will start downloading the Camera Uploads directory that was previously excluded.

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prentrodgers wrote:

For both exclude commands (add, remove) you must be in the Dropbox directory. 

...

---

prentrodgers, No, you don't need to be in any fixed place (including in Dropbox directory, in spite possible). Wherever you are, you must point the desired folder correctly though (with either absolute or relative path - in both cases local path). Even more you should keep in mind that the desired folder is not yet there - something that has potential to confuse. Once correct local path is provided, Dropbox control script (dropbox.py) makes sure correct mapping of that path to network one (incorrect local path cannot result to correct network one, of course). When you are into Dropbox folder, relative local path is just the same as the network one (literally), but nothing more.