Linux Desktop Gui Unofficial Packages For Bittorrent Sync

[tuxpoldo]

Ladies and Gentlemen! Today we reached a milestone in democratic development. Through the Topic Poll you convinced me, that there are situations in which it may be useful to access the local BitTorrent Sync agent also from other computers. Also if this may have some security implications, the next version of btsync-gui will give you the freedom to override the Web UI address binding and to specify known credentials. See Issue #83

 

Et voilà:

 

usage: btsync-gui [-h] [--log {CRITICAL,ERROR,WARNING,INFO,DEBUG}]                  [--host HOST] [--port PORT] [--username USERNAME]                  [--password PASSWORD] [--bindui BINDUI] [--savedefaults]                  [--cleardefaults]optional arguments:  -h, --help            show this help message and exit  --log {CRITICAL,ERROR,WARNING,INFO,DEBUG}                        Sets the logging level. By default the logging level                        is WARNING  --host HOST           Hostname for the connection to BitTorrent Sync. If not                        specified, a local BitTorrent Sync agent will be                        launched.  --port PORT           Optional port number for the connection to BitTorrent                        Sync. If not specified, port 8888 is taken for a                        connection to a remote BitTorrent Sync agent or (8999                        + uid) is taken when creating a locally lauched agent.  --username USERNAME   Optional user name for connecting to a remote                        BitTorrent Sync agent or username to use when creating                        a locally launched agent.  --password PASSWORD   Optional password for connecting to a remote                        BitTorrent Sync agent or username to use when creating                        a locally launched agent.  --bindui BINDUI       Optional bind address for the Web UI of a locally                        created BitTorrent Sync agent. By default the agent                        binds to 127.0.0.1. If you want the Web UI of the                        agent to be reachable by other computers, specify one                        of the available IP addresses of this computer or                        "all" to bind to all available adapters.  --savedefaults        If specified, the optionally supplied credentials,                        bind address and port will be stored as default in the                        application preferences and used when launching a                        local BitTorrent Sync agent.  --cleardefaults       If specified, all internally stored credentials, bind                        address and port information will be cleared from the                        application preferences.

[tuxpoldo]

Don't forget: you can follow the work progress here.

 

Only three open issues to the next milestone and for the time being we are feature complete. Maybe tomorrow?

Edited March 6, 2014 by tuxpoldo

[tuxpoldo]

anyone tried that on KDE?

 

Yes! Now we know that it works:

 

Figure 7: btsync-gui on KDE with Debian Jessie

[sjau]

The weekend is close... I guess I'll give it a test spin then

[pi3tr0]

installed from the experimental repo, no problem after 2 reboot

i am on 14.04, cinnamon from nightly repo

[aslamK]

I voted No (would like to keep btsync-users). If btsync-gui incorporated the UI/features of btsyn-users, I would of course be happy with a replacement. This is what I like about btsync-users:

 

1. - List of all shares at first down-click, and share specific action upon click-release via submenu.
2. - Easy access to the BitTorrent Sync web console (Linux).
3. - Easy access to sync pause/resume/quit and debug log toggle.

 

The config UI in btsync-gui is great, particularly because one can glance at all available options (preferably with both current and default values visible) without having to look at the manual, and the list of options can be up to-date with any changes in BTSync. Incidentally, a Help menu with links to the manual, forum, etc. would be nice to have.

 

Do you see any reason to use the web UI when the application itself offers all possibilities of the web UI?

 

 

I'd prefer to keep the option to get to the web UI via the gui. The web UI shows the dynamic status of the syncs and the devices connected to each share. Since the web UI can also be reached with a browser/desktop bookmark/shortcut, it is not absolutely necessary for it to be in the gui.

[tuxpoldo]

I voted No (would like to keep btsync-users). If btsync-gui incorporated the UI/features of btsyn-users, I would of course be happy with a replacement. This is what I like about btsync-users:

...

Hi Aslam!

Thank you very very much for your valuable input! I appreciate a lot that you explained in detail what are the reasons for your vote. This is really helpful. The next version of btsync-gui, that I will release probably tomorrow, will provide a lot of enhancements that address many of the remarks you made. Today I reached code completeness for the beta stage (feature completeness) but you convinced me to add also the feature to invoke the web ui from the menu (See Issue #89).

 

Incidentally, a Help menu with links to the manual, forum, etc. would be nice to have.

Good points. See Issue #90 and Issue #91

Thanks a lot!

[tuxpoldo]

...

It also makes the computer run hot and pushes the CPU to 100% while running. Both run Debian stable with Openbox. I understand it's in alpha but I figured it wouldn't hurt to put that information out there.

I suppose that the refresh rate was to high for your configuration. While testing the GUI on remote systems, I had the same problem. Fixed (i hope): Issue #88

 

The web UI doesn't accept my credentials either. I'll look at the other thread because I remember some folks had credentials trouble recently. Sorry, took a look at the first page and fixed that.

All of these are now solved by Issue #83 and Issue #89

 

Question: is it still possible to run btsync in headless mode after installing btsync-gui?

Yes. You can install the btsync server package and then use btsync-gui only as client - see Issue #79

[tuxpoldo]

Done! We are feature complete! Tomorrow you will get a great new release! It was a huge todo list...

[sjau]

lots of work

[tuxpoldo]

Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen!
 
As promised yesterday, here comes the brand new release of btsync-gui. The changelog is impressive and I hope you will love it
 

btsync-gui (0.7-1) unstable; urgency=low  * Added support for suspend and resume (Closes #82)  * Implemented shutdown handlers and provided more consistent    agent startup behaviour (Closes #78)  * Fixed security issue with agent configuration file (Closes #81)  * Windows size is now persistent (Closes #77)  * Added the possibility to make the web UI of the local agent    accessible and to store default settings (Closes #83)  * Implemented random per session credentials (Closes #67)  * Fixed broken open SyncArchive and Folder when folder name    contains spaces (Closes #85)  * Added specific icons for paused and connecting state  * Cyclic status updates are now dynamically adapted to the    system and conncetion performance avoiding API flooding    (Closes #88)  * Finalized remote support (Closes #79)    - Added connection information to status and window    - Disabled browse button on remote connections    - Disabled local file system checks on remote connections    - Disabled folder open functions on remote connections  * Added Web UI menu entry for advanced users (Closes #89)  * Added forum link menu entry (Closes #90)  * Added documentation menu entry (Closes #91)  * Implemented management of predefined hosts (Closes #74) -- Leo Moll <leo.moll@yeasoft.com>  Tue, 11 Mar 2014 13:48:01 +0100 

Basically we are now ready to go in beta. As soon as I have updated the initial posting with a full documentation like for the legacy Desktop Packages and Server Packages, I will also deploy the GUI to Launchpad and the regular repository.

 

p.s.: OK - the initial posting has been updated with a full documentation. The packages can now be downloaded also via the regular repository.

 

p.s.s.: There was a missing package in the debian.yeasoft.net repository. It has now been fixed.

Edited March 12, 2014 by tuxpoldo

[aslamK]

btsync-gui v. 0.7-5

 

A couple of things I noticed, not sure if they are related:

 

1. - This is the command associated w/ the btsync process: /usr/lib/btsync-common/btsync-core --config /home/myname/.config/btsync/btsync-agent.conf ...but there isn't a btsync-agent.conf in that location -- what is this file supposed to contain and where does that info come from when the file doesn't exist?
2. - My credentials for the web UI, which work w/ btsync-user, don't work when I'm running btsync-gui.

[tuxpoldo]

Wow! After only two days from the release, a Chinese blogger wrote a review about the GUI: http://www.tuicool.com/articles/U3ua6j

A couple of things I noticed, not sure if they are related:

• This is the command associated w/ the btsync process: /usr/lib/btsync-common/btsync-core --config /home/myname/.config/btsync/btsync-agent.conf ...but there isn't a btsync-agent.conf in that location -- what is this file supposed to contain and where does that info come from when the file doesn't exist?
• My credentials for the web UI, which work w/ btsync-user, don't work when I'm running btsync-gui.

 

There is a reason you can not find the configuration file: it exists only for the fraction of a second needed for the btsync-core process to be created. This increases the security, since...

By default there is no way to access the Web UI provided by the BitTorrent Sync agent, since the agent itself defines at each start random credentials to protect the system.

 

The initial posting explains this and all the implications very in detail.

 

I do not know, how you have been able to keep also btsync-user on your system (since the packages are mutually exclusive). In any case there is a way to configure btsync-gui to use credentials you know (like the ones you had specified for btsync-user):

 

btsync-gui --username YourUserNameOfChoice --password YourSecretPassword --savedefaults

 

or 

 

btsync-gui --bindui 0.0.0.0 --username YourUserNameOfChoice --password YourSecretPassword --savedefaults

 

if you want to access the web UI also from other computers. Also this is described in detail in the initial posting.

[aslamK]

Thanks, @tuxpoldo. Just read the initial post. There seems to be enough flexibility in btsync-gui to allow me to do what I want.

 

So far, I'm using btsync only across a LAN and can set up any machine on the LAN to access the web UI of every btsync server on the LAN. Based on what I read, this should be possible with btsync-gui. I'll test this within the next couple of days.

 

 

I do not know, how you have been able to keep also btsync-user on your system (since the packages are mutually exclusive).

I don't have btsync-user & btsync-gui installed at the same time. I went back and forth by unstalling one and installing the other.

[MoonKid]

1.

There should be a message while installing btsync-gui over apt-get that it is alpha. I am in a lot of trouble now because of that. Stepping back to btsync-user doesn't work. The WebUI is still unavailable and I am not able to find a config file for that. Everything changed. But now I am using btsync-gui on one of my btsyc-running systems and try it.

2.

Personaly I prefere the WebUI. I has all I need and save resources of my system. Each KB RAM is important on an old netbook. But there should be a GUI, too. It is because of the windows-like users to make the use and access to such a great piece of software easier. There should be bouth packages supported!

3.

Since I installed btsync-user (Kubuntu 13.10) I have a message for one of my shares.

".mozilla/firefox/rk1algw0.default/_firefox_wuala_sync" can not be opend. How can I fix that? Where is the config-file for that share, so that I can but a "/home/user/" in front of the path. I can not modify the path with WebUI and with GUI.

[tuxpoldo]

There seems to be enough flexibility in btsync-gui to allow me to do what I want.

...

Based on what I read, this should be possible with btsync-gui. I'll test this within the next couple of days.

When you are finished with your tests and satisfied, do not forget to revise your vote

 

1. There should be a message while installing btsync-gui over apt-get that it is alpha.

It is not alpha any more... It's beta now. But you are right. We need a short How-To about how to roll back to btsync-user. I will write this here below....

 

2. Personaly I prefere the WebUI. I has all I need and save resources of my system. Each KB RAM is important on an old netbook.

You are free to do so. In this case do not use btsync-gui. Perhaps you may also consider to use the server package instead. This saves additionally a few MB of disk space and RAM and you can still use the Web UI and you will gain additional reliability since btsync runs as a daemon also nobody logs in...

 

3. Since I installed btsync-user (Kubuntu 13.10) I have a message for one of my shares.

".mozilla/firefox/rk1algw0.default/_firefox_wuala_sync" can not be opend. How can I fix that? Where is the config-file for that share, so that I can but a "/home/user/" in front of the path. I can not modify the path with WebUI and with GUI.

There is no config file for that share unless you have defined .mozilla/firefox/rk1algw0.default/_firefox_wuala_sync as one of your shared directories - in that case the information is recorded into the internal database of BitTorrent Sync. Nothing the deployment package deals with. Does the directory exists? Does the file exists? Is the file locked? Do the access rights permit BitTorrent Sync to access it? There can be many reasons for that, but none of them deals with the deployment package. Anyway there is only one configuration file for the entire BitTorrent Sync running on your system.

And here the log awaited...

HOW TO REVERT FROM BTSYNC GUI TO BTSYNC USER

 

In order to revert from btsync-gui to btsync-user, the internal credentials of BitTorrent Sync must be set to something known. By default, btsync-gui creates new random credentials at each start, making it impossible to log in via the web UI (this is a security feature).

 

Step 1: Stop btsync-gui from the menu. 

 

Step 2: Launch a terminal console and enter the following command:

 

 

btsync-gui --webui --bindui 0.0.0.0 --username MyName --password MySecretPassword --savedefaults

 

Obviously you should replace MyName and MySecretPassword with something you like

 

Step 3: From your launcher start "BitTorrent Sync" again. Everything should now work as before, with one exception: in the indicator menu there should be a new menu entry "Open Web UI". If you select it, a browser will open on the web ui and you will not have to enter any credentials, since the indicator has already done it...

 

If everything works as described, quit BitTorrent Sync from the indicator menu.

 

Step 4: Now it's time to uninstall btsync-gui and install btsync-user

 

From a terminal window, execute the following commands...

 

sudo apt-get --yes remove btsync-guisudo apt-get --yes install btsync-userbtsync start

 

The applet should now start, but show an icon with an exclamation point since it is not able to connect due to the fact, that there are still credentials saved into the internal database of BitTorrent Sync.

 

Not launch the web UI from the shortcut in you desktop launcher. The web ui should open and ask you for a username and a password.

 

Now enter the username and the password that you have specified in Step 2.

 

Step 5: When you are logged in, select "Preferences" and in the preferences window select the tab "Authorization". Leave the password in the "Password"-field empty, and confirm your choice by specifying the password from Step 2 in the "Current Password"-field.

 

The credentials are now cleared and the btsyncindicator should now connect automatically and everything should be as before.

[MoonKid]

user@pc-kubuntu:~$ btsync-gui --webui --bindui 0.0.0.0 --username user --password test --savedefaults

CRITICAL:root:Unexpected exception caught: 'BtSyncAgent' object has no attribute 'set'

[tuxpoldo]

user@pc-kubuntu:~$ btsync-gui --webui --bindui 0.0.0.0 --username user --password test --savedefaults

CRITICAL:root:Unexpected exception caught: 'BtSyncAgent' object has no attribute 'set'

 

Thank you for the information! I will fix this in the next version (today). Tracked as Issue #97. But you can proceed by not specifying --savedefaults - the only difference, is that you do not need to invoke btsync-gui again after.

[tuxpoldo]

And here it is! Some small fixes...

 

btsync-gui (0.7.1-1) unstable; urgency=low  * Fixed broken build on Launchpad (Closes #93)  * Fixed crash on --savedefaults (Closes #97)  * Setting --webui is not also deleted on --cleardefaults -- Leo Moll <leo.moll@yeasoft.com>  Fri, 14 Mar 2014 00:11:18 +0100

[tuxpoldo]

Good news for Arch Linux users:

 

Martin Wimpress has released packages for the btsync-gui also in AUR:

 

https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/btsync-gui/

[pi3tr0]

after few days, in ubuntu 14.04 with cinnamon nightly, mate e openbox, no problem with btsync-gui-gtk

there is only one little problem (not really a problem), in cinnamon the icon is too big

can you resize like in btsync-user?

[tuxpoldo]

after few days, in ubuntu 14.04 with cinnamon nightly, mate e openbox, no problem with btsync-gui-gtk

there is only one little problem (not really a problem), in cinnamon the icon is too big

can you resize like in btsync-user?

 

Hi pi3tr0,

 

the package installs icons in two sizes: 22x22 and 36x36 - Generally it's the desktop who decides which one to use. For some strange reason, Cinnamon seems to take the 36x36 in your case. Can you please send me a screenshot? Perhaps it's a good idea to remove the 36x36 version in the next version...

[tuxpoldo]

And again a new version:

 

btsync-gui (0.7.2-1) unstable; urgency=low  * Added iconic display of peer connection status  * Updated documentation and man pages  * Probably fixed icon scaling issue on high definition displays  -- Leo Moll <leo.moll@yeasoft.com>  Fri, 14 Mar 2014 17:36:20 +0100

pi3tr0: please let me know if this helps with your icon size issue on Cinnamon.

[Piece_Maker]

Hi, I'm keen to use this, however I can't seem to make anything besides the indicator appear. I'm trying to use it with a running btsync daemon, though I get the problem if I shut off the daemon and run it in standalone mode too. I can only assume I'm doing something wrong in my setup, but I can't see what...

 

Running Gnome on Arch Linux (using the AUR package), I use the command:

btsync-gui --host "localhost" --username "myusername" --password "mypassword" --port "8888"

I've tried with and without the "", and also tried my actual IP in place of localhost. Obviously myusername/mypassword are replaced. In my terminal, it endlessly spits out:

WARNING:root:BtSync API HTTP error: 400

I'm currently running btsync with the --nodaemon flag to see if anything pops up running that, but nothing that looks helpful.

 

The indicator's options are all greyed-out (The Status, Pause Syncing, Open WebUI, and Open Bittorrent Sync... Options).

 

Have I broken something? Thanks!

[tuxpoldo]

Hi, I'm keen to use this, however I can't seem to make anything besides the indicator appear. I'm trying to use it with a running btsync daemon, though I get the problem if I shut off the daemon and run it in standalone mode too. I can only assume I'm doing something wrong in my setup, but I can't see what...

 

Running Gnome on Arch Linux (using the AUR package), I use the command:

btsync-gui --host "localhost" --username "myusername" --password "mypassword" --port "8888"

I've tried with and without the "", and also tried my actual IP in place of localhost. Obviously myusername/mypassword are replaced. In my terminal, it endlessly spits out:

WARNING:root:BtSync API HTTP error: 400

I'm currently running btsync with the --nodaemon flag to see if anything pops up running that, but nothing that looks helpful.

 

The indicator's options are all greyed-out (The Status, Pause Syncing, Open WebUI, and Open Bittorrent Sync... Options).

 

Have I broken something? Thanks!

 

 

Hi Piece_Maker,

 

don't panic! You have not broken anything. As written in the initial posting:

 

In client mode, the GUI can be used to access a remotely running BitTorrent Sync agent. The only prerequisites are that the remote BitTorrent Sync agent is reachable from your computer, you know the credentials and the API access is enabled on the remote agent.

 

This means: if you want to connect to a remote agent, you need to enable the API by providing an API key in the configuration file of that agent. The internal agent is started with an API key that is owned by me, but if you have a more complex scenario with many servers that you want to access remotely with the GUI, you have to request an API key from BitTorrent Inc. You can do this here.

 

If you do not have such an API key, you can only use the btsync-gui in Standalone Mode with the agent automatically launched by the GUI.

 

 

You mentioned that you have also a problem launching the GUI in standalone mode, but you forgot to describe that problem. Can you please tell me more?

Edited March 14, 2014 by tuxpoldo