Google Drive API: Intermittent timeout issues during file uploads

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1

I’m facing a frustrating problem with my Python Flask app that uses the Google Drive API. When uploading pictures to a Drive folder, setting permissions, and creating a spreadsheet with image info, I keep getting random read operation timeouts. It’s weird because all the images do end up in Drive, but the one that caused the timeout doesn’t get listed in the spreadsheet.

Here’s a simplified version of what I’m trying to do:

def upload_files(files, folder_id):
    for file in files:
        try:
            upload_file(file, folder_id)
            set_permissions(file.id)
            add_to_spreadsheet(file.id, file.name)
        except TimeoutError:
            print(f'Timeout uploading {file.name}')

    update_spreadsheet()

The timeouts seem to happen most often during the create API call, but they can pop up anywhere. I’ve tried debugging, but can’t figure out why it’s happening or how to fix it. Any ideas on how to make this more reliable?

2

yo, i’ve dealt with this crap before. try breakin up ur uploads into smaller chunks. like, instead of dumpin everything at once, do it in batches. also, maybe add some delay between each upload? that way u don’t overwhelm the api. somethin like:

for chunk in chunks(files, 5):
    for file in chunk:
        upload_file(file, folder_id)
        time.sleep(1)  # chill for a sec
    time.sleep(5)  # take a breather between chunks

hope this helps, mate!

3

I’ve encountered similar issues with the Google Drive API, and it can be quite vexing. One approach that’s worked well for me is implementing exponential backoff and retry logic. This helps handle transient network issues and API rate limits.

Consider wrapping your API calls in a retry decorator. Something like:

@retry(wait=wait_exponential(multiplier=1, max=60), stop=stop_after_attempt(5))
def api_call_with_retry(func, *args, **kwargs):
    return func(*args, **kwargs)

Then use it like:

api_call_with_retry(upload_file, file, folder_id)

This will automatically retry failed operations with increasing delays. Also, ensure you’re not hitting API quotas by monitoring your usage. Implementing proper error handling and logging can help identify patterns in the timeouts. Lastly, consider chunking larger files if you’re not already doing so.

4

I’ve been down this road with the Google Drive API, and it can be a real pain. What worked for me was implementing a combination of retry logic and rate limiting. Here’s what I did:

  1. Used the backoff library for retries. It’s super handy for exponential backoff.

  2. Implemented a simple rate limiter. I used a token bucket algorithm, but you could start with something simpler.

  3. Broke down large uploads into smaller chunks. This helped a lot with timeouts on bigger files.

  4. Added more robust error handling. Sometimes the API returns errors that aren’t timeouts but still need retries.

Also, make sure your network connection is stable. I once spent days debugging only to realize my flaky internet was the culprit.

If all else fails, you might want to consider using Google Drive’s resumable upload feature. It’s a bit more complex to implement but can be a lifesaver for large files or unreliable connections.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you need more details on any of these approaches.