[Solved, Ubuntu 22.04] Dropbox is always "Connecting..."

[leoheck]

Hi, Dropbox tray icon says it is "Connecting..." forever.

I cannot see the list of the latest modified files as it used to show or use the tray, actually.

I am using Linux Ubuntu 22.04 (but it like that since the 19.10, I suppose)

The currently installed version of Dropbox is 149.4.4568

I also don't have the "Early releases" enabled as you can see in the following screenshot. 

I also tried to remove `.dropbox` and `.dropbox-dist` manually to reinstall them cleanly.

You can check the date and time it was reinstalled here.

[Nancy]

Hi @leoheck, and welcome back to our forum!

As a first, can you please clarify if you have any type of antivirus/firewall on your device that could be preventing the Dropbox app from connecting to our servers? 

Also, did you have any updates recently on your device that could have affected this? When did you start noticing this issue approximately? 

Let me know, and we’ll take it from there.

[leoheck]

I don't use any antivirus. I don't use any proxy. I use my computer in different networks and everywhere this "connecting..." is always there.

It is like this since a while. Let's stay for months or a year. I have changed computer already and updated the Ubuntu from 21.04 to 21.10 to 22.04 and the issue is always there.

I have no idea what is causing this an how I can fix it.

The files are being updated correctly. But I am constantly worried since I don't have much info if the files are getting updated since the correct information is not being displayed in this outdated tray.

[alanpmuscat]

Hi All

I also have this issue since I upgraded (full clean install) from Pop!_OS 20.04 LTS to Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS. After installing Dropbox (Version: 149.4.4568) on the upgraded OS the app is constantly stuck indicating "Connecting" even though the Dropbox folder has  updated and synced normally.

Once I realised the issue I followed the instructions found at:  https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/advanced-reinstall. I performed the instructions twice, both attempts were unsuccessful. Second time around I even deleted my Dropbox folder and reinstalled it from backup just in case there might be some flags or markers set which may be upsetting the tray app.

I do not have a firewall and do not use a proxy. The Dropbox folder is installed on a BTRFS partition under my /home directory. I am also fully compliant with the requirements found at: https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/system-requirements

I have an instance of the Dropbox app (same version as the one causing the problems) running on another Computer with Pop!_OS 20.04 LTS and this is functioning well and normally.

We really need a solution for this. Please!

Thanks.

[Здравко]

Hi guys,

Nobody have posted the status command result. There could be some additional info or direct guidance (sometimes). Check result coming from following command executed in terminal:

dropbox status

I believe, you can figure what's going out. If some doubts, post the result.

Sometimes troubles can be seen (and evaluated) within messages provided on standard err output on startup. You can see it by running Dropbox application in terminal instead of graphical shell. At the beginning make sure the application is off by following command:

dropbox stop

After that, run it anew using:

dropbox start

Startup and initialization steps list will follow. There may be some message showing mistake. If you can't direct yourself to the trouble on this base, post the entire output, so can be some people able to provide ideas.

Hope this gives direction.

[alanpmuscat]

As requested here is a screenshot of the commands....

[Здравко]

Everything seems normal in your post @alanpmuscat. You files are in sync, at least.

If I have to bet this is some type of escalation of old problem related to tray icon and menu. Nobody from Dropbox development took care! There are bugs in haw Dropbox application "communicates" to the desktop environment. It always has been on border of stability.

Let's hope somebody will take some more care, finally (when already behind this border of stability). Let's hope...

[alanpmuscat]

Thanks for the quick reply.

@dropbox given the above response I kindly request that the Tray Icon and Menu issue be escalated so that a solution is found.

Thanks in advance.

[leoheck]

Hey @Здравко I did not post the status command because it is ok, working. 

Actually, I had an issue where 3 old folders were not syncing. And the status was indicating "Downloading 13 files..." forever.

And the folders were appearing with this sync icon. This was happening for a long time ago, let's say, more than a year. Or at least this is when I started to note it.  The related files inside these problematic folders were mostly ".png" images, probably exported from an old app on an old OS during my Ms.C. Other files in the same folder (mostly .csv and .pdf) were Ok. Also, the filenames were not using any kind of non-utf8 format. 

Well, I managed to solve this somehow, by removing these folders, deleting the Dropbox app, and adding them back, on the last day. So, the "dropbox status" is "Up to date" now. 

I am a dropbox user for a long time, and I haven't seen any improvement for Linux. This tray icon is the worst thing I saw, including the old blurry icon. In the beginning, (many years ago) it was good and also useful. Today, it is always stuck at "Connecting..." and it definitely looks abandoned. 

Also, installing dropbox on Linux/Gnome is really complicated since there are many non-nofficial ways of doing it and all of them are not good or outdated. 

Also, on Gnome, I am using this extension allowing dropbox to be visible in the top menu.

https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/2890/tray-icons-reloaded/

This is an example of how outdated this tray icon is.

Also, I am not even mentioning that there are still some deprecated issues with the dropbox script... Most of the time I see dropbox complaining about something.

The last one is this isSet, that is is_set now.  It happens in line 614. 

[Здравко]

Hi @leoheck,

Yes, you are as expressive as possible. I can't add too much. Unfortunately I can't disagree. 🤷 Linux is NOT first class citizen here.

About 'isSet' method deprecation, it's just one more example. This planed move didn't reflect in the control script, as you mentioned. Fortunately, this method is not dropped yet. Let's hope Dropbox will update the script before Python's interpreter drop it completely.

In meantime (till possible Dropbox' fix), you can patch your script using following command:

sudo sed -i s/isSet/is_set/ /usr/bin/dropbox

The above will just update methods name. 😉

Hope this helps to some extent.