Linux install - do not add "dropbox.list" to apt... (deb)

Despite there is no due date for the old format (not yet at least), it's good idea update to be performed on time! 👍

More information: here and here for instance.

Neal wrote:

... we have a built in command which will convert dropbox.list to dropbox.sources.

Hi Neal​,

I don't know what kind of command you have built, but your install still produces the old format. I just checked from the download page and select the newest deb file there. This file produces the old format still. The script (postinst) designed to install that information, residing there, is still the same (just a subset of that file I just downloaded):

....
REPOCONFIG="deb [arch=i386,amd64 signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/dropbox.asc] http://linux.dropbox.com/$DISTRO $REPO main"

          APT_GET="`which apt-get 2> /dev/null`"
          APT_CONFIG="`which apt-config 2> /dev/null`"

          # Parse apt configuration and return requested variable value.
          apt_config_val() {
            APTVAR="$1"
            if [ -x "$APT_CONFIG" ]; then
              "$APT_CONFIG" dump | sed -e "/^$APTVAR /"'!d' -e "s/^$APTVAR \"\(.*\)\".*/\1/"
            fi
          }

          # Set variables for the locations of the apt sources lists.
          find_apt_sources() {
            APTDIR=$(apt_config_val Dir)
            APTETC=$(apt_config_val 'Dir::Etc')
            APT_SOURCESDIR="$APTDIR$APTETC/$(apt_config_val 'Dir::Etc::sourceparts')"
          }

          # Add the Dropbox repository to the apt sources.
          # Returns:
          # 0 - no update necessary
          # 1 - sources were updated
          # 2 - error
          update_sources_lists() {
            if [ ! "$REPOCONFIG" ]; then
              return 0
            fi

            find_apt_sources

            if [ -d "$APT_SOURCESDIR" ]; then
              # Nothing to do if it's already there.
              SOURCELIST=$(grep -H "$REPOCONFIG" "$APT_SOURCESDIR/dropbox.list" \
                2>/dev/null | cut -d ':' -f 1)
              if [ -n "$SOURCELIST" ]; then
                return 0
              fi

              printf "$REPOCONFIG\n" > "$APT_SOURCESDIR/dropbox.list"
              if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
                return 1
              fi
            fi
            return 2
          }
....

As you can see, nothing changed! This is the install script part that has to be adapted.

By the way, the last line of Verwijs​'s example in OP is bad idea to be kept too. When possible (i.e. the sign is used for single repository only - that's the Dropbox case), it's advisable the sign to be embedded in the .source file (something impossible in .list) - so instead of 2 files (dropbox.asc and dropbox.list) will be enough only 1 (dropbox.source) and this is considered more secure.

All the best!

Apologies Здравко​!

I misspoke, the one-line call is built into apt, not Dropbox:

sudo apt modernize-sources

I did some research into this format, and while Debian using it by default is new, it will still work with every version of Debian and Ubuntu we support.

Neal wrote:

I did some research into this format, and while Debian using it by default is new, it will still work with every version of Debian and Ubuntu we support.

Yes, it is valid still and will be to year 2029 at least (as described in documentation you have research did on). After that, despite not fixed yet when, the format may be stopped at any one moment. By the way, many other companies (like Microsoft, Oracle, etc.) have already moved their packages format to the new one. It's still not something urgent, but like many other things Dropbox will wait till old format becomes officially deprecated and dropped. 🤷 (i.e. when it comes up as something urgent)
And not only Debian uses it and it's not something new - Ubuntu uses it for ~3 years already as well as all other derivative distributions (check on all standard Ubuntu repositories 🙂 - can you see some .list there?!; I hope you wont check some too old unsupported release).

I hope you (Dropbox) won't rely users use any external commands (external to Dropbox) for Dropbox bugs fix! (including the one you posted) Would be a good idea Dropbox to "modernize" its packages, so additional modernization wouldn't be needed.

Hi again Здравко​!

This is the feedback I absolutely love to see on the Community!

I totally get it, addressing it before it becomes an issue and create less steps for the user. I've shared this thread and your detailed explanation with our team that handles Dropbox for Linux.

Hopefully this can be updated soon!