App Layering Recipe for Dropbox

App Layering Recipe for Dropbox

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Article ID: CTX221966

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Unidesk recommends including the OS Type and OS bit level in the name if you are using multiple OS layers, for Example Dropbox Win7x32.  For versions remember that when choosing a layer you can see the version name but not the version description.  Use naming that will allow you to differentiate versions appropriately.  For example while still in development/testing “2.0.22 QA ONLY”, but when ready for production “2.0.22”. 

Installation
Run the Dropbox installer normally but at the end do not configure a connection to Dropbox.  The Dropbox installer by default installs into the user profile and does not give you a choice as to where to install the files too. 

  1. Once the install is complete, you must copy the Dropbox files from the user profile that you used to install to the Program Files directory.  For example, the dropbox files are installed to c:\users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox on a Windows 7 computer.  Cut the Dropbox folder and paste it into “c:\program files\”. 

  2. In Windows Explorer, browse to c:\users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs and cut the Dropbox folder that is there.  Then browse to c:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs and paste the Dropbox folder there. 

  3. Open the Dropbox folder that was just pasted and right click on Dropbox and select Properties.  Once the properties of the Dropbox shortcut is open, change the Target to “c:\program files\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe” /home.  Then change the Start in to “c:\program files\Dropbox\bin”.

Do not put a shortcut to the Dropbox on the desktop.  If the user runs from the desktop shortcut, a second icon is created on the desktop which may lead to confusion to the end user.  If they are to use Dropbox, have them run the shortcut from the Start Menu.

Updates
Updates to Dropbox must be done manually in the layer.  Simply repeat the steps under Installation Steps.  When the new version is applied to the desktop, Dropbox will have been upgraded successfully.

Non-persistent Desktops
Dropbox is not really supported on a Non-Persistent desktop without tools such as a roaming profile.  This is because each time a user logs in, they would have to reconfigure Dropbox and connect to their account.