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How to stop syncing using a script?

I have seen the original question on this. The answer is not practical. While my need is different, I do also need this very basic feature - switch off and then later switch on syncing via a command line script

I am a javascript develioper using the package - "grunt". It uploads stuff to a repository and using "npm" which downloads stuff from a repository for me to work on

I keep my working area in dropbox so that I can get to undo errors etc and also hop between machines.

dropbox synch crashes npm and dropbox sync raises fatal errors via grunt - this does not happen when synching is switcched off manually then switched back on manually later. This is because the dropbox processes lock the files whilst synching

I need to either abandon dropbox completely or find a way to allow grunt to switch off and back on dropbox synching.

Please do not suggest again per the other ticket to killtask the dropbox as your previous comments note correctly that it can corrupt files

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Greg-DB

Unfortunately, Dropbox does not offer an API or way to programmatically manage the official Dropbox desktop client, such as to pause or resume syncing, but I'll pass this along as a feature request. I can't promise if or when that might be implemented though.

One exception is that the Dropbox desktop client on Linux only does support some command line commands.

Martin Baker

Greg

Thanks for the reply

I really need the facility and it is a show stopper. With drop box active it crashes large installs.

I need to compare the damage dropbox of crashing my basic day to day work 100% of the time and me issuing a killtask on dropbox and then restarting it

What is the recommended way progamatically to force dropbox to close down completely - it obviously must be possible otherwise dropbox could not handle system restarts. Then what is the recommended way to restart it and get it to check itself as being OK - again progamatically.

If need be I can sety up a task to run as system administrator

Greg-DB

Thanks for the feedback. I'm afraid I can't be of much help though, as Dropbox doesn't offer an official interface for programmatically interacting with the desktop client like this.

While I don't have any API information to share on this, you may want to contact support directly for any help with the client that they may be able to offer.

Martin Baker

OK Greg thanks - I have done as you suggest

I will copy the result back here if it helps