I’m having trouble with Google Drive’s file listings. They don’t always show all the files in shared folders. This happens in the API, desktop app, and even the website’s activity feed.
This affects the API, desktop app, and activity lists
It only updates for the specific file I open
I’ve tried:
Using files.list in the API
Searching with q = name contains 'NewFile'
Checking the official API explorer
Looking at activity lists on web and mobile
Increasing pageSize and going through all pageTokens
Nothing seems to work unless I manually open each file on the website. Is there a way to force an update without doing this? It’s frustrating and time-consuming.
Has anyone else run into this? Any ideas on how to fix it programmatically?
I’ve encountered similar issues with Google Drive, and it can be incredibly frustrating. In my experience, the root cause often lies in Google’s caching mechanisms, which can lead to inconsistencies across different interfaces.
One workaround I’ve found somewhat effective is to use the ‘changes’ endpoint in the Google Drive API. By tracking changes since your last sync, you can often catch files that don’t show up in regular listings. It’s not perfect, but it’s helped me in many cases.
Another trick that’s worked for me is to create a small script that simulates ‘touching’ files programmatically. It essentially modifies a file’s metadata without changing its content, which can trigger Google’s systems to update the file listings.
Lastly, I’ve had some success by implementing exponential backoff and retry logic in my API calls. Sometimes, it just takes a bit of persistence to get Google’s systems to properly acknowledge and list all files.
These aren’t ideal solutions, but they’ve helped me mitigate the issue to some extent. Hopefully, Google addresses this inconsistency in future updates.
yeah, i’ve run into this too. super annoying! have u tried using the drive API’s ‘changes’ endpoint? it can catch stuff that doesn’t show up in regular listings. also, maybe try a script that ‘touches’ files programmatically? it can trigger google to update listings. not perfect but might help. good luck!
I’ve dealt with this frustrating issue too. One approach that’s worked for me is utilizing the Google Drive API’s ‘watch’ feature. It allows you to set up notifications for changes in specific folders or files. By implementing this, you can receive real-time updates when new files are added or modified, bypassing the need to constantly poll for changes.
Another technique I’ve found useful is periodically refreshing the OAuth token used for API requests. Sometimes, stale tokens can lead to outdated file listings. Implementing a token refresh mechanism in your code might help ensure you’re always getting the most up-to-date information from the API.
While not a perfect solution, these methods have significantly reduced the file listing inconsistencies in my projects. It’s worth giving them a try to see if they improve your situation as well.