Java DrEdit example on GAE returning 401 error for Google Drive operations

Other Questions Google drive
1

I’m struggling with the Java DrEdit sample on Google App Engine. I followed the setup guide closely. The app lets me create a new ‘dredit’ doc and authorize it. But when I try to do anything with Google Drive, I get a 401 error in the GAE logs.

Here’s what the error looks like:

FetchException: 401 Unauthorized
{
  "error": {
    "code": 401,
    "message": "Authentication required",
    "status": "UNAUTHENTICATED"
  }
}

I did add extra libraries to fix compile errors. Could this be causing the problem? Any ideas on how to fix this authentication issue? I’m really stuck and could use some help.

2

I encountered a similar 401 error when working with the DrEdit sample. One often overlooked aspect is the service account setup. Ensure you’ve created a service account in the Google Cloud Console and downloaded the JSON key file. Then, set the GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS environment variable to point to this file in your development environment.

Also, check if you’re using the correct scopes for the Drive API. The required scopes might have changed since the sample was last updated. You can find the current required scopes in the Google Drive API documentation.

Lastly, verify that your GAE instance has the necessary permissions to access the Drive API. Sometimes, the issue lies in the IAM settings rather than in the code itself. It’s a common pitfall that’s easy to miss.

3

have u checked ur OAuth2 credentials? make sure theyre set up correctly in GAE and ur using the right client ID/secret. also, double-check that the necessary scopes for Drive API are included in ur auth request. sometimes small config issues can cause these 401 errors. good luck!

4

I ran into a similar issue with the DrEdit sample a while back. The 401 error usually points to an authentication problem, but in my case, it wasn’t just about the OAuth2 setup.

One thing that helped was ensuring the Drive API was properly enabled in the Google Cloud Console for my project. Even with correct credentials, if the API isn’t activated, you’ll hit these errors.

Also, check your GAE app’s app.yaml file. Make sure it includes the correct handlers for OAuth2 callback URLs. I had to tweak mine to get everything working smoothly.

Lastly, if you added extra libraries, verify they’re compatible versions. Mismatched dependencies can sometimes cause unexpected auth issues. It might be worth reverting to the original libraries and gradually adding what you need, testing at each step.

Hope this helps point you in the right direction. Authentication setups can be tricky, but once you get it right, it’s smooth sailing from there.