File Manager - Cloud Storage Links (like Android does)

[I2k4]

I haven't found any file manager that provides a common feature in Android file managers, namely direct links to cloud storage. I currently use X-plore on my devices but any full-featured Android FM will have the same:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... lore&hl=en

In this decade of the new millennium, why doesn't a linux file manager open, view and download to hard drive the contents of any and all of the major cloud services? On Android, right within the file manager, I see and access not only Dropbox, but OneDrive, Google Drive, and newer MEGA storage and several others if wanted. I can easily open the cloud folders, select and transfer files across a dual pane display from the cloud onto device storage and vice versa.

On Mint, running Nemo or Thunar on my systems, I don't see or access anything apart from attached storage or a local network. For cloud storage I have to open and navigate a clumsy browser interface (or install a sync client like Dropbox, not available for most other major services,and not what's wanted most of the time).

[phd21]

Hi "I2k4",

In this decade of the new millennium, why doesn't a linux file manager open, view and download to hard drive the contents of any and all of the major cloud services?

Because cloud providers, and some 3rd party developers, provide software to access their cloud services, not the operating system. And, not all cloud storage providers provide Linux software and or integration options with the various file managers. That is not due to Linux Mint.

But, the superb "paid for" Linux cloud software client "InSync' for Google Drive does provide integration with Linux Mint file managers. There are other Google Drive options and many posts in this forum and on the Internet on this topic. "Dropbox" also has file manager integration too.

And, the excellent "pCLoud" cloud storage provider has a wonderful Linux sync client where you can choose what folders to sync, and all your "pCloud" files show up in your "pCloudDrive" folder, and you can use the "pCloud Sync" folder to sync anything (drag-n-drop, or copy and paste), or setup which folder(s) and or files you want automatically synced, like your "/Documents", "/Music", etc... folder(s).

"Mega.nz" is another superb cloud storage provider with an excellent Linux sync client and browser add-ons with built-in encryption. It also creates its own "MEGAsync" folder and you can choose to automatically sync your entire cloud or select certain folders and files.

In any of these cloud storage providers, any files and or folders, that you have automatically synced will update your cloud storage and locally on your hard drive (if you choose that) whenever new files are added, or changed, etc... without even bringing up your file manager.

Hope this helps ...

[I2k4]

Thanks for the reply. I'll let the first post stand as a feature suggestion.

The services you name are not really substitutes for the convenience of a a file manager that accesses Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive and recently MEGA all in the same GUI with local storage. I've had the Dropbox sync client for years, but the point is to replace local storage with cloud. I'm not much interested in yet more cloud storage services, though have a new account with MEGA and might replace Dropbox if it proves itself reliable.

Since Android is Linux-based, I've assumed there's nothing about the Linux OS itself preventing either Nemo, Thunar or a third-party developer to provide the same web storage interface as many Android file managers can, not only for the services I have but for half a dozen more of them. I don't know if all the major cloud services are blocking this development for some obscure reason, or if the Linux-side just hasn't tried.

[xenopeek]

Nautilus on Gnome Shell can connect to Google Drive. Just add your Google account in Settings > Online Accounts and toggle to use it for Files. I don't think Nemo, Caja, Thunar or Dolphin have such options right now. But as per the forum rules here, if you want to reach the developers of these file managers you had best reach out on their collaboration website as they are unlikely to visit the user support forum of every distro to find feature requests.

Nemo - on Linux Mint's GitHub https://github.com/linuxmint
Caja - on MATE Desktop's GitHub https://github.com/mate-desktop
Thunar - on the Xfce bug tracker https://bugzilla.xfce.org/
Dolphin - on the KDE bug tracker https://bugs.kde.org/

[smurphos]

rclone - https://rclone.org/ is an rsync like command line tool with compatibility with several cloud storage providers (referred to as 'remotes' in rclone tetminology). It has experimental support for mounting 'remotes' so they are accessible via the local file manager - https://rclone.org/commands/rclone_mount/

rclone-browser - https://mmozeiko.github.io/RcloneBrowser/ is a GUI 'file-manager' that uses rclone to manage 'remotes' - it also allows users to use the rclone_mount functionality mentioned above via a GUI interface.

Used both for some time on Mint Cinnamon with Nemo and XFCE with Thunar. Free and OS.