400 Error when fetching Google Docs list using API

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1

I’m having trouble getting a list of documents from Google Docs API. After authenticating, I’m trying to make a simple GET request, but I keep getting a 400 Bad Request error. Here’s what I’ve tried:

private void fetchDocumentList() {
    HttpRequest req = transportHandler.createGetRequest();
    req.setUrl(DocsApiEndpoint.getPrivateFullFeed());
    log.info("Endpoint: " + req.getUrl());
    
    try {
        HttpResponse resp = req.send();
        log.info("Data received: " + resp.getBodyAsString());
    } catch (IOException ex) {
        ex.printStackTrace();
    }
}

The log shows the correct URL:

Endpoint: https://docs.google.com/feeds/default/private/full

But when I run this, I get a stack trace with a 400 error. I’ve double-checked my authentication, and it seems fine. What could be causing this? I’ve been stuck on this for a while now and would really appreciate any help!

2

Have you considered using the Google Docs API v1 instead of the older feeds-based API? The newer REST API is generally more reliable and easier to work with. You’d need to update your endpoint to something like ‘https://docs.googleapis.com/v1/documents’ and use the appropriate client library for Java.

Also, make sure you’re sending the correct ‘Authorization’ header with your access token. It should look like ‘Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN’. If you’re using a service account, ensure it has the necessary permissions to access the documents you’re trying to fetch.

Lastly, check if you’re hitting any quota limits. Sometimes, what looks like a 400 error can actually be due to exceeding API usage limits. You can monitor your quota usage in the Google Cloud Console under the API & Services section.

3

I’ve encountered similar issues with the Google Docs API before, and it can be frustrating. In my experience, the 400 error often stems from issues with the request headers or OAuth scopes.

First, ensure you’re using the latest version of the API. Sometimes older versions are deprecated, leading to unexpected errors. Double-check that you’re including all required headers in your request, like the ‘Authorization’ header with your OAuth token, as well as ‘Accept’ and ‘Content-Type’ headers set to ‘application/json’.

Another area to verify is your OAuth scopes. Make sure your application has the necessary permissions, such as the ‘https://www.googleapis.com/auth/documents.readonly’ scope. Using Google’s official client libraries might also streamline your process, as they manage many low-level details and can avoid common pitfalls.

If issues persist, enabling debug logging for API calls could provide more insight into the problem.

4

hey laura, had similar issue. try using v3 of the API instead. it’s way easier. make sure ur auth token is valid and not expired. also, check if ur using the right scopes. sometimes that causes 400 errors. good luck!