How to insert content into a Google Doc using API?

Other Questions Google docs
1

I’ve managed to create an empty Google Doc on Google Drive using the API, but I’m stuck on how to add text to it. Here’s what I’ve got so far:

file_info = {
    'title': 'My Document',
    'parent_folder': [folder_id],
    'type': 'application/vnd.google-apps.document'
}

try:
    new_doc = drive_api.files().create(body=file_info).execute()
    doc_id = new_doc.get('id')
except Exception as e:
    print(f'Oops! Something went wrong: {e}')

This code creates a blank document, but I can’t figure out how to put any content in it. Is there a way to add text when creating the doc or update it afterward? Any help would be great!

2

I’ve actually worked with the Google Docs API quite a bit, and I can share what I’ve learned. To add content to your newly created doc, you’ll need to use the Google Docs API separately from the Drive API. Here’s a basic approach:

First, authenticate with the Docs API. Use the documents().get() method to fetch the existing document and then use documents().batchUpdate() to insert content.

Here’s a rough example of how you might do this:

from googleapiclient.discovery import build

docs_service = build('docs', 'v1', credentials=creds)

document = docs_service.documents().get(documentId=doc_id).execute()

requests = [
    {
        'insertText': {
            'location': {
                'index': 1
            },
            'text': 'Hello, this is some inserted text!'
        }
    }
]

docs_service.documents().batchUpdate(documentId=doc_id, body={'requests': requests}).execute()

This should insert the text at the beginning of your document. You can adjust the index and text values as needed. Hope this helps!

3

hey, u can use docs api’s batchUpdate to add text after doc creation. try:

requests = [{'insertText': {'location': {'index': 1}, 'text': 'your text'}}]
docs_service.documents().batchUpdate(documentId=doc_id, body={'requests': requests}).execute()

hope that helps!

4

I’ve encountered this issue before. While the Drive API is great for creating documents, you’ll need to use the Docs API to actually insert content. Here’s a straightforward approach:

Set up the Docs API service.
Use the documents().batchUpdate() method to insert text.

Here’s a code snippet to get you started:

docs_service = build('docs', 'v1', credentials=creds)

requests = [
    {
        'insertText': {
            'location': {'index': 1},
            'text': 'Your content goes here.'
        }
    }
]

docs_service.documents().batchUpdate(documentId=doc_id, body={'requests': requests}).execute()

This will insert the text at the beginning of your document. You can adjust the ‘index’ and ‘text’ values as needed. Remember to handle any potential exceptions for a robust implementation.