Dropbox client in Docker with systemd unit

Dropbox client docker image that has the following futures.

• Supports any UID/GID.
• Can use cli client(dropbox.py) from host.
• Provides systemd unit file, so you can operate dropbox easily on CentOS7.

Quick start

$ mkdir ~/Dropbox ~/.dropbox
# docker run --rm --name=dropbox \
    -e USER_ID=1000 \
    -e GROUP_ID=1000 \
    -v ~/Dropbox:/home/dbox/Dropbox \
    -v ~/.dropbox:/home/dbox/.dropbox \
    -v /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro \
    littlef/dropbox:1.1.4

Environment variables

• USER_ID : ~/Dropbox directory's owner uid.
• GROUP_ID : ~/Dropbox directory's owner gid.

Directories

• ~/Dropbox : Dropbox synchronized directory.
• ~/.dropbox : Stores meta files which use dropbox client.

Quick start a dropbox client as systemd service (recomended)

Assume that the username is bob.

$ sudo cp dropbox@.service /etc/systemd/system/
$ sudo systemctl daemon-reload && echo OK
OK
$ sudo systemctl enable dropbox@bob.service
$ sudo systemctl start dropbox@bob.service

Unit's instance name should be unix user name.

Systemd controled dropbox docker container name is dropbox_<instance_name> such as dropbox_bob

First link to your Dropbox account

On the first start, you have to link your Dropbox account.

After starting dropbox service, please check journal logs.

$ sudo journalctl -fau dropbox@<instance_name>

You will see following messages.

This computer isn't linked to any Dropbox account...
Please visit https://www.dropbox.com/cli_link_nonce?nonce=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX to link this device.

Visit the URL and link to your account. When your computer linked successfully, you will see following message.

This computer is now linked to Dropbox. Welcome XXXXXX

How to show dropbox client status

You can use dropbox cli command (dropbox.py) as follows.

$ docker exec -it <container name> /dropbox <command>

For example you can show dropbox client status as follows.

$ docker exec -it <container name> /dropbox status

For more details, please use help command.

$ docker exec -it <container name> /dropbox help