FunOS

Dropbox is a popular cloud storage service that allows you to sync files between your computer and the cloud. On FunOS, Dropbox can be installed using the official .deb package provided by Dropbox for Ubuntu-based systems.

Because FunOS uses the JWM window manager with a lightweight system tray, Dropbox does not fully integrate out of the box. However, with the help of snixembed, tray icon support can be enabled so that Dropbox runs normally and its icon appears correctly in the JWM tray.

This article explains the installation process step by step, including the additional components required for tray compatibility, so you can clearly understand what each command does.

What Is Dropbox?

Dropbox is a cloud storage and file synchronization service developed by Dropbox, Inc. It allows you to:

• Store files securely in the cloud
• Automatically sync files across multiple devices
• Share files and folders with other users
• Access your data from Linux, Windows, macOS, and mobile devices

On Linux, Dropbox is distributed as a precompiled .deb package for Ubuntu and Ubuntu-based distributions such as FunOS.

How to Install Dropbox on FunOS

Work on: 22.04.5 ✅ | 24.04.3 ✅ | 25.04 ✅ | 25.10 ✅ | 26.04 ✅

Step 1: Download the Dropbox .deb File

First, you need to download the official Dropbox installer package for Linux.

1. Open your web browser.
2. Visit the Dropbox download page for Linux:
   https://www.dropbox.com/install-linux
3. Choose the .deb package that matches your FunOS version:
   • For FunOS 22.04: select “Ubuntu 18.04 – 22.04 (.deb)”
   • For FunOS 24.04, 25.04, 25.10, and 26.04: select “Ubuntu 22.10 or higher (.deb)”
4. Save the downloaded file in your Downloads directory.

Step 2: Open a Terminal

You will perform the installation using the Terminal. There are several ways to open it on FunOS:

• Click Menu in the lower-left corner, then click Terminal
• Click the Terminal icon in the Tray
• Press Ctrl + Alt + T on your keyboard

Step 3: Update the Package List

Before installing new software, it is recommended to update the local package list so FunOS knows about the latest available packages.

Run the following command:

sudo apt update

Step 4: Install the Required Python Dependency

Dropbox uses Python components internally. On FunOS, the following package is required for proper installation.

Install it with:

sudo apt install python3-gpg

Step 5: Install libappindicator3-1

Dropbox uses AppIndicator technology to provide its system tray icon. On FunOS, the required AppIndicator library is not installed by default, so it must be added manually.

Installing libappindicator3-1 ensures that Dropbox can communicate properly with tray-embedding tools such as snixembed, allowing the Dropbox icon to appear and function correctly in the JWM tray.

Run the following command:

sudo apt install libappindicator3-1

Once the installation is complete, continue to the next step to install and configure snixembed for tray integration.

Step 6: Install snixembed

Dropbox uses modern AppIndicator technology, which is not natively supported by the default JWM tray.

snixembed is a small helper tool that embeds modern AppIndicator-based tray icons into a traditional XEmbed system tray. When properly installed and started with JWM, snixembed allows Dropbox to run normally and display its tray icon on FunOS.

After installing and enabling snixembed, Dropbox works smoothly on FunOS, including background operation and tray icon visibility.

1. Install Build Dependencies

To compile snixembed from source, you first need to install the required build tools and libraries:

sudo apt install build-essential valac git libdbusmenu-gtk3-dev

2. Download the snixembed Source Code

Change to the temporary directory and clone the source repository:

cd /tmp
git clone https://git.sr.ht/~steef/snixembed

3. Enter the snixembed Directory

cd snixembed

4. Compile snixembed

Compile the source code using make:

make

5. Install snixembed

Install the compiled binary into the system:

sudo make install

6. Remove Build Dependencies (Optional)

After installation, the build dependencies are no longer required. You can remove them to keep the system clean:

cd
sudo apt remove --purge build-essential valac git libdbusmenu-gtk3-dev
sudo apt autoremove --purge

Step 7: Configure snixembed to Run at Startup

To ensure snixembed starts automatically every time you log in, you need to add it to the JWM startup configuration.

1. Open the JWM startup configuration file:

mousepad $HOME/.config/jwm/start

2. Add the following line before the closing </JWM> tag:

<StartupCommand>snixembed --fork</StartupCommand>

Example startup section:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<JWM>
    <!-- Startup for program. -->
    <StartupCommand>nitrogen --restore</StartupCommand>
    <StartupCommand>cbatticon</StartupCommand>
    <StartupCommand>volumeicon</StartupCommand>
    <StartupCommand>nm-tray</StartupCommand>
    <StartupCommand>lxpolkit</StartupCommand>
    <StartupCommand>xscreensaver --no-splash</StartupCommand>
    <StartupCommand>xdg-user-dirs-update</StartupCommand>
    <StartupCommand>snixembed --fork</StartupCommand>
</JWM>

3. Save the file and close Mousepad.

Step 8: Navigate to the Downloads Directory

Next, move to the directory where the Dropbox .deb file was downloaded:

cd ~/Downloads

Step 9: Install Dropbox

Install the Dropbox package using apt:

sudo apt install ./dropbox_*.deb

This command will also install any additional dependencies required by Dropbox.

Step 10: Remove the Downloaded .deb File

After installation is complete, you can remove the installer file:

rm -f dropbox_*.deb

Step 11: Reload the Menu

To ensure new menu entries appear correctly:

1. Click Menu in the lower-left corner.
2. Click Reload menu.

Step 12: Log Out and Log Back In

Finally, log out and log back in so all changes take effect:

1. Click Menu > Log Out
2. Click Logout
3. Log back in to FunOS

Launching Dropbox

After completing the installation and logging back in, you can try launching Dropbox from the FunOS menu.

1. Click the Menu button in the lower-left corner of the screen.
2. Look in the Internet category.
3. Click Dropbox.

How to Uninstall Dropbox on FunOS

If you no longer need Dropbox, or if you want to remove it from your system, you can safely uninstall Dropbox and all related components by following the steps below.

Step 1: Open a Terminal

You can open the Terminal using one of the following methods:

• Click Menu in the lower-left corner, then click Terminal
• Click the Terminal icon in the Tray
• Press Ctrl + Alt + T

Step 2: Remove Dropbox

Remove the Dropbox package from the system:

sudo apt remove --purge dropbox

This command removes Dropbox along with its system-wide configuration files.

Step 3: Remove Any Unused Dependencies

After removing Dropbox, clean up unused packages:

sudo apt autoremove --purge

Step 4: Remove the Repository and Key (Optional)

Dropbox adds its own repository and signing key. You can remove them manually if they are still present.

sudo rm -f /etc/apt/sources.list.d/dropbox.list
sudo rm -f /etc/apt/keyrings/dropbox.asc

Step 5: Update the Package List

Refresh the package list after removing the repository:

sudo apt update

Step 6: Remove User Data (Optional)

If you also want to remove all Dropbox user data and local sync folders, run the following commands:

rm -rf $HOME/.dropbox
rm -rf $HOME/.dropbox-dist
rm -rf $HOME/Dropbox
rm -f $HOME/.config/autostart/dropbox.desktop

Warning:
This step permanently deletes your local Dropbox data. Make sure your files are safely backed up before proceeding.

Step 7: Remove snixembed

If you installed snixembed from source, remove its installed files manually.

sudo rm -f /usr/bin/snixembed
sudo rm -f /usr/share/man/man1/snixembed.1

Step 8: Remove snixembed from Startup

To prevent snixembed from starting automatically, remove it from the JWM startup configuration.

1. Open the startup configuration file

mousepad $HOME/.config/jwm/start

2. Remove the following line:

<StartupCommand>snixembed --fork</StartupCommand>

Resulting startup section:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<JWM>
    <!-- Startup for program. -->
    <StartupCommand>nitrogen --restore</StartupCommand>
    <StartupCommand>cbatticon</StartupCommand>
    <StartupCommand>volumeicon</StartupCommand>
    <StartupCommand>nm-tray</StartupCommand>
    <StartupCommand>lxpolkit</StartupCommand>
    <StartupCommand>xscreensaver --no-splash</StartupCommand>
    <StartupCommand>xdg-user-dirs-update</StartupCommand>
</JWM>

3. Save the file and close Mousepad.

Step 9: Reload the Menu

Finally, reload the FunOS menu to apply the changes:

1. Click Menu in the lower-left corner.
2. Click Reload menu.

Conclusion

This article has shown how to install Dropbox on FunOS using the official Dropbox package and how to enable proper tray integration on the JWM desktop using snixembed. With this configuration, Dropbox runs smoothly and the tray icon appears correctly in the default FunOS tray.

It has also explained how to completely remove Dropbox and related components if needed. This approach allows FunOS users to continue using the lightweight JWM environment while still enjoying full Dropbox functionality, without switching to a heavier desktop or panel.