Dropbox context menu missing in Win8/8.1, but ok in Explorer

[mastabog]

Using Win 8 Pro x64 (upgraded from WIn 7 x64). I've tried both TC 32 and 64 bit (v8.01), and also both normal and elevated (Run as admin) and the Dropbox context menu of files or folders inside the Dropbox folder is not showing on right click. I also tried running Dropbox as both normal and elevated ... same thing.

It shows fine in Explorer though, so the DB shell extension appears properly registered and working. Tried both Dropbox v2.2.9 (latest stable) and v2.3.19 (latest beta).

Any clues on how to debug this?

Cheers

[ghisler(Author)]

Are you running TC elevated? At least here on Windows 7 x64, the Dropbox context menu items do not show up in elevated TC, only when run as normal user.

[mastabog]

I tried both elevated and non-elevated ... doesn't show in either.

I also tried running Dropbox as both elevated and non-elevated (by default Dropbox runs as non-elevated). Curiously, the context menu shows fine in Explorer, regardless of how Dropbox is run.

I never had such issues in Win 7 x64 (which was upgraded to Win . Any ideas?

[ghisler(Author)]

Sounds like Dropbox doesn't fully support Windows 8 yet.

[mastabog]

Really? But it works just fine in Explorer ... not in TC.

[mastabog]

I did a clean install of Win 8 Pro x64 ... same problem. Upgraded to Win 8.1 Pro Preview ... same problem. I tried TC 32 and 64 bit, also normal and elevated. I also tried running Dropbox as normal and elevated.

No combination shows the Dropbox context menu in TC. It shows just fine in Explorer though so I tend to think this is a TC issue.

Am I the only one with this issue? Is anyone else using TC + Win 8 x64 + Dropbox than can confirm?

@Christian: have you tested TC on Win8 with Dropbox yourself or not yet?

The registry entries for the shell context menu seem fine to me (and Explorer displays them too):

Code: Select all

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{FB314ED9-A251-47B7-93E1-CDD82E34AF8B}]
@="DropboxExt"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{FB314ED9-A251-47B7-93E1-CDD82E34AF8B}\InProcServer32]
@="C:\\Users\\Bogdan\\AppData\\Roaming\\Dropbox\\bin\\DropboxExt64.19.dll"
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\DropboxExt]
@="{FB314ED9-A251-47B7-93E1-CDD82E34AF8B}"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\DropboxExt]
@="{FB314ED9-A251-47B7-93E1-CDD82E34AF8B}"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Directory\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\DropboxExt]
@="{FB314ED9-A251-47B7-93E1-CDD82E34AF8B}"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Approved]
"{FB314ED9-A251-47B7-93E1-CDD82E34AF8B}"="DropboxExt"

The above is only for the context menu (I didn't include the overlay icon reg entries). Somehow TC does not display it.

[ghisler(Author)]

No, I haven't tested Dropbox on Win8 yet, only on Win7. There it works fine both in TC and Explorer for files in the dedicated Dropbox folder. That's why I thought that Dropbox isn't fully supporting Windows 8 yet.

The Dropbox context menu items are indeed missing when running Total Commander "As Administrator". But they appear just fine when running TC normally.

[mastabog]

No, I haven't tested Dropbox on Win8 yet, only on Win7. There it works fine both in TC and Explorer for files in the dedicated Dropbox folder. That's why I thought that Dropbox isn't fully supporting Windows 8 yet.

The Dropbox context menu items are indeed missing when running Total Commander "As Administrator". But they appear just fine when running TC normally.

I'm a bit confused. Are you talking about Win7 in your last phrase, or Win8? In my Win8 and Win 8.1 the context menu does not appear regardless of how TC or Dropbox are run.

Dropbox must be supporting Win 8 as it works just fine with Explorer.

[ghisler(Author)]

Yes, I'm talking about Windows 7.

[mastabog]

I think it is indeed a problem with the Dropbox DLL. The same happens with other file managers like XYplorer or Speed Commander. WinRAR context menu for instance shows fine everywhere (Explorer and other file managers).

It may be thet the Dropbox DLL checks the calling application and only displays it for certain window classes in Windows 8.

[leonbloy]

I'm TC-64 in Win-7 running as admin, and I'm missing the Dropbox context menu. It seems, from this thread, that this is known behaviour. Is this the expected behaviour, or a "difficult to fix/won't fix issue"?

[mastabog]

Yeah, I really miss being able to use the Dropbox context menus in TC ... I've been putting up with it not working for a long time.

@Christian: do you think you'll have any time to take a look at it to at least confirm whether it's TC's fault or not? I provided some details above and I'm willing to help further.

[ghisler(Author)]

Maybe it's the same problem as with Norton - it only shows its menus in Explorer. So try renaming totalcmd.exe to Explorer.exe (with uppercase E at the beginning).

[Hacker]

Win 7 x64, TC 8.51 RC1 32-bit & 64-bit, running everything as admin (UAC disabled).
I see these Dropbox context menu items for files in the Dropbox folder:
- Copy public link
- View on Dropbox.com
- View previous versions

These items are directly in the context menu, not the X64 nor any other submenu.
Dropbox must be running (icon in the system tray).

HTH
Roman

[leonbloy]

Win 7 x64, TC 8.51 RC1 32-bit & 64-bit, running everything as admin (UAC disabled).
I see these Dropbox context menu items for files in the Dropbox folder:
- Copy public link
- View on Dropbox.com
- View previous versions

These items are directly in the context menu, not the X64 nor any other submenu.
Dropbox must be running (icon in the system tray).

Yes, I got the same result after I disabled UAC. I have no idea why.