Selective Sync doesn't load folder list in Ubuntu 16.04

[fernandog]

I have been using Dropbox in this computer for a while and it all worked fine. However, since I have updated from Ubuntu 14.04 to 16.04 I can't get Selective Sync to load the folder list.

When I on the button that opens it it says "Loading your folders...". That message disappears quite quickly, but I don't get the folders list and I only get Dropbox. If I click on it, nothing happens.

[Jane]

Hey fernandog, 

Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us, happy to work through this with you. 

As a reference, you can look into this help center article: https://www.dropbox.com/help/175.

Also, please note that you can exclude the folders that you would not like to sync down to your device through the command line. If we assume that your device is called "Jamespc", then your command line will be:

 
~/Jamespc/dropbox.py exclude add Nature
~/Jamespc/dropbox.py exclude add Dropboxwork
~/Jamespc/dropbox.py exclude add Folder1
~/Jamespc/dropbox.py exclude add University

 Hope this helps! If you need more clarifications about it, please let me know in your reply!

Kind Regards, 

JaneA

[edgarw]

I also have this problem on a newly installed Ubuntu. When I click Selective Sync (in the Preferences/Sync tab) nothing happens. The "Move" button for the folder location works fine, but selective sync simply does nothing... I also know the Windows and Mac version and there it works perfectly...

[Jane]

Hey @edgarw, since you mentioned that other functionalities in the Preferences menu work as expected for you, I’d suspect that this is merely a visual issue. If I were in your shoes, I’d initially try a device reboot & a quit/relaunch as a quick fix, just to see if that was merely a one-off. Additionally, can you let me know a bit more detail about your desktop environment Edgar?

If you’re still facing the same behavior after following my recommendations above, then unlinking & relinking your account once would be your best next step, just so as to re-create the local database. 

Please let me know how you get on with these pointers whenever you get a chance. Thanks!

[edgarw · Accepted solution]

I "fixed" it by using the command line. Thanks to shell scripts this is also quick to do.

The box displaying the directories to choose simply did not display. But the CLI is fine.

[Jane]

Ah, using the Command Line is always a great alternative & thanks for circling back to me to let me know of the fix. I’ve now gone ahead & marked your last comment as the Best Answer, since it may be useful to other users reaching this conversation in the future with the same question. 

Feel free to get back in touch with us here if you have any follow-up inquiries & it’ll be a pleasure to work with you again. Take care until then Edgar! 

[Adrian_F]

I should be noted that on more recent versions of (at least) Ubuntu, the command is just 

dropbox exclude add {FOLDERNAME}

Without the .py at the end.

That being said, it's two years on and you still can't manage Selective Sync through the GUI. It will, at best, work once, and then you'll never get into the Selective Sync windows. 

Come on guys, this isn't rocket science....

[jeff57]

I'm also having an issue with the "Selective Sync" button. I click on it and nothing happens...

All the other buttons work though.

I understand that I can use the command line, but I found the gui easier when it was working since I like to sync sub-folders.

Anybody have any idea of how to get the "Selective Sync" button to work properly?

Thanks!

[Здравко]

Current "stable build" trouble (especially in quotes!). Add your vote here: https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Desktop-client-builds/Stable-Build-80-4-126/m-p/363948

[PeterMac]

@Jane, Hi.

I have the same issue in that the "Selective Sync" button is not responsive. This is only a recent occuance and I've not knowingly updated.   Other funtions such as "Move" work.  As I only want a few folders on my laptop from hundreds on the Dropbox cloud, selective sync is important.

I've checked file and folder permissions; installed and reinstalled by various methods.  I see a recommendation to install an earlier verion of the daemon into ~/.dropbox-dist  I've not been able to do this as it means not using the Dropbox installer.  Down loading earlier versions and doing a manual build of the downloader still pull down the latest .dropbox-dist daemon.

On this and other forums many prople seem to have the same issue as far back as 2017.

Any suggestions?  Thanks, Peter

Using Ubuntu 18.04 with latest version 80.4.126 amd64