Get Multiple Account Support on Windows

On Windows, you have a couple different options for getting multiple instances of Dropbox running at once:

• The Dropboxen method: This uses multiple user accounts to run different installations of Dropbox at once. You’ll need to install Dropboxen and then run Dropbox as different users.
• DropboxPortableAHK: As Gluek points out in the discussion below, DropboxPortableAHK allows you to run multiple versions of a portable Dropbox application that can link to other accounts. We haven’t had a chance to test this ourselves, but this guide details everything you need to do to get it working.

Get Multiple Account Support on a Mac

The process is pretty simple on a Mac, and only requires you to cut and paste a single line into an Automator workflow. The end result is two (or more) separate Dropbox apps running and syncing your files, which is great if you have a business and a personal Dropbox account. To start, create a folder on your hard drive labeled “Dropbox-personal” in your home folder. Next, run Automator, select the “Workflow” option, and drag the “Run Shell Script” action into the main window. Then, paste this code in the shell:

 HOME=$HOME/Dropbox-personal /Applications/Dropbox.app/Contents/MacOS/Dropbox &

Click “Run” to test the workflow and it should launch another instance of Dropbox. If it’s working, save the file, and you’re done. Whenever you click on that workflow you open up another instance of Dropbox with a new account linked to it. Head over to Mann’s blog to see how you can run the application at login, and a few more tips on differentiating between the two icons.