15 Hacks Every Dropbox User Should Know
Posted 12/09/09 at 11:00:00 AM by Alex Castle and Norman Chan
When you get right down to it, Dropbox is a pretty simple app. It syncs folders—that’s it. But what makes Dropbox amazing is the sheer number of different ways you can use that functionality, by itself or in conjunction with other programs, to improve your computing experience. We like Dropbox so much that we’ve written about it several times before, and we still haven’t gotten to every cool thing you can do with the program.
That’s why, in this article, we’re going to share with you a whopping 15 things that we think everyone should know about Dropbox, from how to get extra storage for free to how to use Dropbox to control your Bittorrent client.
Run Dropbox as a Windows Service
If you use Dropbox on a server, like a Windows Home Server machine, it’s preferable to run Dropbox as a Windows service, so it starts up before a user logs in. Though Dropbox doesn’t officially support running as a service, you can hack this feature with Microsoft’s Srvany utility.
First, download both instsrv.exe and srvany.exe from the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit. Copy both files to your Dropbox application directory (ie. C:\program files\Dropbox) on your server, after you’ve already installed Dropbox. This may have to be done with a Remote Desktop connection.
Open up a command prompt as an Administrator, and execute the following commands (quotes included):
“C:\Program Files\Dropbox\instsrv.exe” Dropbox “C:\Program Files\Dropbox\srvany.exe”
reg ADD HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dropbox\Parameters /v Application /d “C:\Program Files\Dropbox\Dropbox.exe”
reg ADD HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dropbox\Parameters /v AppDirectory /d “C:\Program Files\Dropbox”
Next, cut and paste all files from C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\DropBox to C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Application Data\Dropbox
Finally, type net start Dropbox in the Command Prompt.
This works on any Desktop machine as well. You’ll also have to remove the Dropbox application shortcut from the Startup folder in your Start Menu.
For more information on the Srvany utility, head here.
Use Symbolic Links to Unlock Dropbox’s Potential
The biggest problem with using Dropbox to sync programs is that it only works for apps that allow you to change where configuration files and databases are stored—a minority of all software. Lots of popular applications like web browsers, email clients, and even Steam are pretty finicky over where they store their data—they give you little or no control over what locations they use. With symbolic links, a feature in Windows Vista and 7, you can take that control back into your own hands.
Mklink is a command line command short for “make link.” It’s used to create symbolic or hard links, which allow you to connect files and folder. It’s sort of like creating shortcuts, except that they’re handled at the operating system level, so they work with any program. You can, for instance, use mklink to fool Steam into thinking that a game on a different hard drive is actually in your Steam games folder. You can link files on a single computer, or across a local network. You cannot, however, link files across the internet.
To find out all about Mklink, and how to use it, check out our Mklink How-To.
The beauty of using Dropbox with symbolic links is that the principle drawback of each goes away. Dropbox can now sync any two programs, because with Mklink you can change the location of the programs data, whether it wants you to or not, and Mklink is no longer confined to your local network, as Dropbox can bridge the game to computers out in the wider internet.
Here's an example of how you can use this combo to cloud-ify your Firefox profile:
1. Find the directory containing your Firefox profile. A default installation places this folder in %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox
2. Copy that Firefox directory into your Dropbox folder.
3. Delete the original Firefox folder.
4. Use Mklink to create a hardlink between the new and original Firefox folders, If your Dropbox folder is in C:/ you can use the following command:
mklink /J %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox C:/dropbox/Firefox
Now any computer that you complete these steps on (and that has access to your dropbox account) will share the same Firefox profile. The same basic steps will work for almost any app.
Add files to Dropbox with E-mail
It’s the fifth-most requested feature in Dropbox—the ability to email a file to yourself that will automatically sync to your Dropbox account. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to do this right now. But if you’re willing mash up a few applications and services, you can make this feature work.
First, you’ll need to create a new Gmail account. This address will be what you use to temporarily store files to sync to your Dropbox. We recommend creating a new account that’s easy to remember, and not using your personal or main Gmail account.
Next, download GMail Drive, a shell namespace extension that links to a Gmail account and syncs attachments and emails onto a newly created system drive. GMail Drive creates a virtual filesystem based on email sent to your Gmail account (with GMAILFS: in the subject line), and lets you browse them as if you they were stored on your hard drive.
Finally, using the mklink command, create a symbolic link between the folders in your GMail Drive and a newly created folder in your Dropbox. This means that any time you email an attachment to your dummy Gmail account with GMAILFS: in the subject line, the files will automatically be moved to your Dropbox. This only works if you have GMail Drive and Dropbox running on an active computer or server.
Word of warning. This works
Submitted by bradblack on Wed, 08/18/2010 - 6:48am
Word of warning. This works pretty well until you're using both simultaneously at which point one of your instances is going to clobber any changes you make in the other. watch the other guys online | watch step up 3d online | watch eat pray love online
Submitted by narutomo on Mon, 08/16/2010 - 6:22am
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Submitted by Luby on Mon, 08/09/2010 - 11:03am
One free way to get more space is to make virtual machines using an Ubuntu iso (Or Windows XP if you have one), VirtualBox and VMWare Player. Then, just make new virtual computers, and invite yourself. It's that easy, but it takes a while. I'm at 10.25 GB of space because of this.
Submitted by mthiel on Sun, 07/18/2010 - 11:30am
Okay, I'll add my Dropbox referral link.
https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTY5MjM4NDk5
Thanks in advance to anyone who uses the link.
Submitted by Roo on Wed, 06/09/2010 - 1:59pm
Love the service. Signup using my referral code to get 250mb:
https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTIyMzgzMDA5
Submitted by Neopotent00 on Thu, 06/03/2010 - 9:57pm
It would be awesome of you...
If your thinking of signing up to dropbox, can you use my referal link,
https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTcwNjE5MDI5
Thanks guys!
Submitted by wingyoo on Tue, 04/27/2010 - 11:53am
Wow that is truly amazing dude.
Lou
www.anon-vpn.se.tc
Excellent articlel Alex and
Submitted by siramic on Thu, 04/08/2010 - 5:24pm
Excellent articlel Alex and Norm, thanks. :-)
Submitted by antony on Sun, 03/28/2010 - 1:22pm
check this out!!
http://cloudusb.net
It integrates Dropbox in a live linux USB drive.You will always have all your data and programs on your pocket automatically syncronized on your Dropbox account!
Submitted by dep on Tue, 02/23/2010 - 9:12am
Word of warning. This works pretty well until you're using both simultaneously at which point one of your instances is going to clobber any changes you make in the other.
Frustrating because I re-organized some bookmarks in my toolbar but they were clobbered by my other running Firefox instance.
Submitted by Kanuck on Mon, 01/04/2010 - 9:04pm
Kanuck I am just agog with all this information!I'm glad I bought your latest mag..thanks much.
Submitted by Bill Nilsen on Sat, 12/26/2009 - 11:47am
Is there a way to access the KeePass database in Dropbox from an iPod Touch? I have the Dropbox app on my iPod Touch but when I try to open the KeePass database I get the "Unable to View File" error.
Submitted by alexgoldreyer on Thu, 12/17/2009 - 5:00am
Title Store All Your Passwords with Keypass == Title Store All Your Passwords with KeEpass?
Submitted by Simounet on Tue, 12/15/2009 - 4:14pm
Hi ! I think you did a mistake with the mklink command. The right expression is mklink /J /folderlinked/ /foldertolink/ so it's:
mklink /J C:\dropbox\Firefox %APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox
Regards.
Submitted by DBsantos77 on Tue, 12/15/2009 - 10:59am
No, you actually have to think a little harder than that. To the left of the stick figure you see USB drives, an FTP and NAS box, the point is that the stick figure is happy with a simple solution (DropBox,) instead of the other solutions. (NAS, USB, FTP.)
-Santos
Teh Rig:
AMD Phenom 720 (Unlocked to Quad, Stable @ 3.6 Ghz 1.47v)
Gigabyte Micro ATX 785gx Motherboard
G.Skill 4GB 1333 DDR3 8-8-8-21 @ 1.6v
HIS ATI Radeon HD4670 (CCC OC'd)
550w Corsai
Submitted by D14BL0 on Thu, 12/10/2009 - 12:31pm
uTorrent doesn't automatically start the download of torrents synced through Dropbox. It'll open up the dialog for the torrent, where you select the files you want downloaded, but won't actually begin any download. Useful if you want to queue up a download, but you still have to wait till you get home to hit "OK" (or you could remote into the machine and hit "OK", but then you might as well have actually loaded the torrent manually, thus defeating the purpose of using Dropbox for torrents).
Submitted by lifebringer on Fri, 12/11/2009 - 10:44pm
Wrong. there's a setting in utorrent that lets files added automatically start downloading in the default download folder. check your settings next time -- i've added torrents from my laptop to start downloading at my desktop many a time.
Submitted by dalord on Thu, 12/10/2009 - 11:27am
Great article. However you might want to change that:
"But wait!" I hear you saying "you can't choose where Firefox saves its data!" Thats true,
You can! It is as easy as modifing one file: C:/Users/name/AppData/Roaming/Mozilla/Firefox/profiles.ini
Submitted by niallsmart on Wed, 12/09/2009 - 10:05pm
Great post and collection of tips guys. But – for iTunes sync, check out Echodio (http://www.echodio.com). We've built it especially to solve the problem of keeping your iTunes libraries in sync.
Echodio integrates directly with iTunes to make sure your personal ratings, playcounts and all that other important metadata gets synced as well as the music files, and you don't have to rebuild or move your library. Check it out and let us know what you think! We're still in beta and offering a free 5GB to our beta users.
Cheers,
Niall
Submitted by Dagmar on Wed, 12/09/2009 - 4:35pm
Use this link for your free 250mb after sign up: https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTMwNTE4NzI5
Submitted by vvtempo on Wed, 12/09/2009 - 11:21am
Dude you hit that nail right on the head! Wow.
RT
http://www.web-anonymity.se.tc
Submitted by galactica2001 on Wed, 12/09/2009 - 7:49am
I am running Windows XP SP2 at work. I have Dropbox installed under my personal user account. I had a little trouble with the registry entries. I had to go through regedit and manually make the entries. Also, I had to go to the properties of the service itself and set it to log in using my account. I have a feeling this is because when I installed the Dropbox software I was only allowing it to run as myself. Just wanted to share my setup with you guys.
Submitted by ArrecBarrwin on Wed, 12/09/2009 - 5:44am
I love that picture.
Submitted by DBsantos77 on Wed, 12/09/2009 - 9:13am
Wow, that's awesome. I love how MPC gets the greatest pics for their articles.
-Santos
Teh Rig:
AMD Phenom 720 (Unlocked to Quad, Stable @ 3.4 Ghz 1.4v)
Gigabyte Micro ATX 785gx Motherboard
G.Skill 4GB 1333 DDR3 8-8-8-21 @ 1.6v
HIS ATI Radeon HD4670 (CCC OC'd)
550w Corsair
A stick figure with a box?
Submitted by lunchbox73 on Wed, 12/09/2009 - 12:33pm
A stick figure with a box? What's so great about it?
Submitted by jon_y on Wed, 12/09/2009 - 1:23pm
my thoughts exactly
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