Dropbox daemon can't run on Linux without dependency

[laidlaws]

Running Mageia Linux Official, Release 7.  Desktop Xfce.

A few days ago, a new update arrived for my existing Dropbox client (not the helper RPM.)  It just hung forever.  Eventually, I discovered that libatomic.so.1 wasn't installed.  On my distro, the only other programe needing that library  is Google Chrome, which I don't use.  I installed the library globally, and the problem was solved.

I filed a report on Mageia's Bugzilla (Bug 25701) suggesting that libatomic.so.1 be made a dependency of the helper RPM, but Dropbox can run fine without installing the RPM, which provides management tools only.  The reply was that Dropbox uses bundled libraries, listed in the hidden folder $HOME/.dropbox-dist, and the missing library needs to be added to those, so this is really an "upstream" probem.  I probably need to start a ticket, but this forum is the only access I can find.

[Jay]

Hi @laidlaws, thanks for posting on the Community!

We’ve not experienced this ourselves, though, bear in mind that currently, the system requirements for the Dropbox desktop application are a Ubuntu or Fedora installation. 

As of yet, we haven’t heard of any similar issues with Mageia, or any other distro, so I’ll leave this thread open to see if any other user has the same issue.

Thanks!

[laidlaws]

Mageia has a lot in common with Fedora, being RPM based.  I have used Dropbox for years (the popup doesn't like my typing,) and this is the first time I have experienced it.  I usually have Google Chrome installed, so the dependency is installed.  There have been posts on the Ubuntu forums, but they didn't involve Dropbox.  At least one post mentioned Firefox, which wasn't affected in my system.  For example:

https://github.com/kylef/heroku-buildpack-swift/issues/32

https://support.mozilla.org/questions/1243962

Do you want all users to switch to Ubuntu or Fedora?  Or, do you want to make dropbox usable in any Linux distro?

[Здравко]

Hi @Jay,

One clarification! The packages list containing used code/data and describing requirements to the system (in fact) has never been full. There are some info/code used by Dropbox (in particular case the library "libatomic.so.1" contained inside package "libatomic1") which have never been declared! Probably your developers rely on package being used somewhere else and always being there, but this is like time bomb. There is not any way package manager to know that particular entry is in use when that use isn't declared. This is bug in fact (packaging bug). So, the package manager when discover that particular library, for example, is not used anymore (or usage is not declared) then the package could be removed or will never be installed (if not need or the package manager isn't aware of such necessity). Such effects are not restricted to particular distribution!

Hope this clarifies the need for improvements in such direction.

[laidlaws]

Precisely.  Dropbox is for the individual user; even on Windows, there is a warning not to install it system-wide.  Dropbox is downloaded from your server.  The Dropbox daemon will run without any package from the distro, so it is not a bug that can be fixed by an RPM.  Distro packages don't install in a home directory.  You provide a program with needed libraries bundled.  If you leave one out, that is your doing, not the package manager's.  It is your package that won't install; it is your package that can't start.  I know how to do your job, and install the missing package, but I shouldn't have to, and it took a bit of troubleshooting to identify the problem.

I no longer need Dropbox.  There are plenty of alternatives, both locally and in the cloud. So I will simply uninstall Dropbox,  like every other Linux user not running Ubuntu or Fedora.

[Jay]

I appreciate the update, @laidlaws.

Would it be okay if we reach out to your email address associated with your forum profile to look into this matter in more detail? Thanks!

[Здравко]

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@Jay wrote:

... to look into this matter in more detail ...

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Hey @Jay,

What kind of "more details" are needed?! It's clear - missing package - libatomic1. Just have to be installed, nothing more (in particular case). Also, make your developers add this (and other missing packages) to the dependencies and such issues will never bring up again. That's it.

[laidlaws]

I have no obection.    What is contained in my Dropbox account has no effect on whether Dropbox is looking for a library.  You already know whether you supply the package, or whether you don't. Or I could send you a copy of the listing in my .dropbox-dist folder.

You have good precedents: Trump and Prince Andrew.

[Jay]

Thanks @laidlaws, you should have an email in your inbox now, so I can then forward this to the appropriate team!

[Здравко]

@laidlaws, That package isn't managed/supplied by Dropbox. Use your package manager commands to install it. Could be automatic process, but have to be declared. It's not, so it's should get installed by hands.