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If UserA logs in to an OS X machine (at the GUI) and starts Dropbox, UserB logs in via ssh and adds a file to their Dropbox, will Dropbox work for UserB? Or does UserB need to log in via the GUI also, and then "switch" (not log out) to UserA?

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  • log in via ssh?! I didn't know dropbox supported that. are we talking about apple "drop box" or dropbox.com ?
    – cregox
    Commented Jan 13, 2011 at 18:39
  • Log into the Mac running the Dropbox.com desktop client. I have tried to clarify the question.
    – user588
    Commented Jan 13, 2011 at 19:07

2 Answers 2

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DropBox does not support not-logged-in users. The solution seems to be the following:

Log in and start Dropbox from the command line:

alias dropbox='/Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox &'
dropbox # start it.

ps aux | grep -i dropbox # shows multiple instances running

The above technique seems to work. Error messages are sent when the second Dropbox launches:

already someone listening at socket

RegisterApplication(), FAILED TO establish the default connection to the WindowServer, _CGSDefaultConnection() is NULL.

But everything appears to work.

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The Dropbox app runs as the logged-in user, and uses user-specific preferences to determine which Dropbox it's associated with and where the local Dropbox folder is located, so I'd assume that means that it only works for the logged-in user. There's only one way to find out for sure though - try it and see! :)

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  • I've tried it and it doesn't work, but I thought it is supposed to support this setup.
    – user588
    Commented Jan 12, 2011 at 21:39

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