How to access files from Google Drive shared links in Colab notebooks

[sophialee92]

I’m trying to figure out how to load dataset files from Google Drive links that were shared with me. I’m pretty new to using Colab so I’m not sure what the best approach is.

I have four different files I need to download:

• training_features (file ID: 1cUaIEd9-MLJHFGjLz5QziNvfBtYygplX)
• training_labels (file ID: 1hv24Ufiio9rBeSqgnNoM3dr5sVGwOmBy)
• test_features (file ID: 1AH9lKHT5P2oQLz8SGMRPWs_M9wIM2ZRH)
• test_labels (file ID: 1i4_azocSDuU3TcDf3OSHO1vF0D5-xMU6)

What’s the easiest way to download these files directly into my Colab environment? I’ve seen some methods using gdown but I’m not sure if that’s the right approach. Any help would be great!

[Alex_Brave]

for sure, gdown is super easy! just do !pip install gdown first, and then run gdown.download('https://drive.google.com/uc?id=YOUR_FILE_ID', 'filename.csv') to get your files. way better than trying to mount drive!

[SwiftCoder42]

You can do this directly in Colab without needing to install any additional packages. For months, I’ve been downloading files from shared Drive links using wget and the correct URL format. Simply run !wget --no-check-certificate 'https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=YOUR_FILE_ID' -O filename.csv for each file. Ensure to replace YOUR_FILE_ID with the actual ID and use -O to specify the output filename. This method is effective for shared files, avoiding the hassle of extra packages or authentication steps. I’ve successfully retrieved larger datasets without any issues. Utilize the --no-check-certificate flag to address Google’s security protocols automatically. For the four files you mentioned, you would run this command four times with their respective IDs and desired names, taking only about 30 seconds in total.

[coffeeAndCode]

The Problem: You need to download multiple files from Google Drive into your Colab environment using only their file IDs, and you’re looking for an efficient and automated method to avoid manually downloading each file one by one.

Understanding the “Why” (The Root Cause):

Manually downloading multiple files from Google Drive can be time-consuming and error-prone. The provided file IDs represent a unique identifier for each file on Google Drive, and using these IDs directly in a script allows for efficient and automated downloading, eliminating the need for manual intervention for each file. Furthermore, automating this process with a simple script allows for easy reuse and scalability for future projects involving multiple files.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Create a Python Script: The most efficient approach involves creating a Python script that leverages the gdown library. This allows you to download multiple files based on their file IDs in a single automated process. First, install gdown:

!pip install gdown

2. Write the Download Script: Create a Python script (e.g., download_files.py) with the following code. Replace the placeholder file IDs and filenames with your actual values. This script iterates through a dictionary containing file IDs and desired local filenames, downloading each file using gdown.download().

import gdown

file_ids = {
    "1cUaIEd9-MLJHFGjLz5QziNvfBtYygplX": "training_features.csv",
    "1hv24Ufiio9rBeSqgnNoM3dr5sVGwOmBy": "training_labels.csv",
    "1AH9lKHT5P2oQLz8SGMRPWs_M9wIM2ZRH": "test_features.csv",
    "1i4_azocSDuU3TcDf3OSHO1vF0D5-xMU6": "test_labels.csv"
}

for file_id, filename in file_ids.items():
    try:
        gdown.download(f"https://drive.google.com/uc?id={file_id}", filename, quiet=False)
        print(f"Downloaded: {filename}")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error downloading {filename}: {e}")

3. Run the Script in Colab: Execute the script within your Colab notebook using:

!python download_files.py

Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:

• Internet Connectivity: Ensure a stable internet connection. Intermittent connectivity can interrupt downloads.
• File ID Accuracy: Double-check that all file IDs are correctly copied from Google Drive. A single incorrect character will cause a download failure.
• File Permissions: Verify that you have permission to access the files on Google Drive. If the files are not publicly accessible, you may need to adjust sharing settings.
• Error Handling: The provided script includes basic error handling. For more robust error management in a production environment, consider adding more sophisticated exception handling and retry mechanisms.

Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!