Ubuntu 20.04: Running /usr/bin/nautilus from the terminal invokes nautilus-dropbox instead

[HalHal]

Environment

Ubuntu 20.04

Dropbox 2020.03.04

GNOME nautilus 3.36.3

Problem Description

Since an OS update this morning, when I run nautilus from the terminal, it invokes, nautilus-dropbox, returning the message, "Initializing nautilus-dropbox 2020.03.04", and blocks the terminal (can't type anything until CTRL+C). Before the update, running nautilus functioned properly, and did not block the terminal.

I've tried purging dropbox (apt purge dropbox) and reinstalling. I've also rebooted the system.

The file manager can be opened from Gnome, seemingly as normal, although that doesn't mean that the problem isn't also happening in the background. 

nautilus-dropbox files on my system:

/usr/lib/nautilus/extensions-3.0/libnautilus-dropbox.so
/usr/lib/nautilus/extensions-2.0/libnautilus-dropbox.so

ls -l /usr/bin/nautilus
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1767264 Jan  3 17:30 /usr/bin/nautilus

type -a nautilus ; type -a nautilus-dropbox
nautilus is /usr/bin/nautilus
nautilus is /bin/nautilus
bash: type: nautilus-dropbox: not found

dpkg -L nautilus
/.
/usr
/usr/bin
/usr/bin/nautilus
/usr/bin/nautilus-autorun-software
/usr/lib
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/nautilus
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/nautilus/extensions-3.0
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/nautilus/extensions-3.0/libnautilus-image-properties.so
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/nautilus/extensions-3.0/libnautilus-sendto.so
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/nautilus/extensions-3.0/libtotem-properties-page.so
/usr/share
/usr/share/applications
/usr/share/applications/nautilus-autorun-software.desktop
/usr/share/applications/org.gnome.Nautilus.desktop
/usr/share/dbus-1
/usr/share/dbus-1/services
/usr/share/dbus-1/services/org.freedesktop.FileManager1.service
/usr/share/dbus-1/services/org.gnome.Nautilus.service
/usr/share/doc
/usr/share/doc/nautilus
/usr/share/doc/nautilus/NEWS.gz
/usr/share/doc/nautilus/copyright
/usr/share/man
/usr/share/man/man1
/usr/share/man/man1/nautilus-autorun-software.1.gz
/usr/share/man/man1/nautilus.1.gz
/usr/share/metainfo
/usr/share/metainfo/org.gnome.Nautilus.appdata.xml
/usr/share/doc/nautilus/changelog.Debian.gz

Help would be appreciated.

[Здравко]

Hi @HalHal,

Hmm.. 🤔 When has it been:

---

@HalHal wrote:

... Before the update, running nautilus functioned properly, and did not block the terminal.

...

---

Are you certain? Any application, that doesn't fork, block the terminal when runs (including Nautilus). Are you sure when you say "not block" you mean Nautilus running really on terminal or just bringing working instance up? Take in mind that Nautilus is singleton application. When you run it for first time the actual application runs. Every next try to run just figure out that another instance works already and sends there proper command (exiting immediately after that). Try run Nautilus in you environment (out of terminal) and try run "nautilus" in the terminal after that. Is it still blocking? 😀 This is the same all the time. Another "workaround" is using "nautilus &" as command.

---

@HalHal wrote:

... I run nautilus from the terminal, it invokes, nautilus-dropbox, returning the message, "Initializing nautilus-dropbox 2020.03.04", ...

---

😁 Of course, since Nautilus load all plugins on initial load (including Dropbox one), all messages from any plugins (again including Dropbox related) out their messages. This doesn't happen when Nautilus is not loading (no fully at least), but just send a message to another instance. 😉 As you found out already, there is no nautilus-dropbox to be run (it's just a package name and name embedded in the plugin)!!!

Hope this clarifies matter.

[HalHal]

Thanks for your reply.

When I say, "block the terminal", I mean, the message, "Initializing nautilus-dropbox 2020.03.04" is displayed in the terminal, and nothing can be executed until CTRL+C is pressed, to quit the running process. Before the update, it would open a nautilus window, regardless of whether one was already open, and then drop through to the command prompt, ready for the next command.  An ampersand did not need to be appended (nautilus &). I'd really rather not have to use an ampersand, as it creates output that I don't want (the process ID).

I troubleshooted this for over 2 hours before I opened this thread. Neither reinstalling, purging or rebooting resolved the issue.

If I've misunderstood your points, please give me precise commands to run, and I'll happily provide the information.

Thanks

[Здравко]

@HalHal, I have never seen such a behavior, you described (for any distribution). 🤷 Probably you used to use some special configuration... 🤔 so I can't comment that.

---

@HalHal wrote:

... I'd really rather not have to use an ampersand, as it creates output that I don't want (the process ID).

...

---

If your concern is the output, you can wipe any output out, using following:

(nautilus 2>&1 &) > /dev/null

Good luck.

[HalHal]

Thanks for the workaround, but I'd prefer it to work properly. It shouldn't block the terminal. When dropbox is not installed, it works as expected.

[Здравко · Accepted solution]

Wow... I have to agree with you. There is influence of the Dropbox plugin on how Nautilus behaves and degrade its behavior. I haven't noticed it till now, but it looks like a bug in the plugin. 🤦 I don't want to disappoint you, but don't rely this bug to be fixed. Linux is NOT first class citizen here unfortunately.

[HalHal]

Thank you for empathizing. It's a relief that you've spotted the problem. Is the plugin proprietary, and so unlikely to get any help from the community?

[Здравко]

---

@HalHal wrote:

... Is the plugin proprietary, and so unlikely to get any help from the community?

---

Yes and No. Yes, of course, it's Dropbox property and in this context is proprietary. No, it's FOSS so you can download the sources and fix what disturb you if/when you have/find some time. Take a look here. The plugin there is newer - not yet part of the official compiled distribution.

[HalHal]

Thanks for your help. I raised an issue in the project on github.