Setting up a Drive instance in Android for Google Drive API requests

Other Questions Google drive
1

Hey folks, I’m stuck trying to set up Google Drive integration in my Android app. I got the auth token using AccountManager.getAuthToken(), but I’m hitting a wall with the Drive object initialization. Here’s what I’ve tried:

AuthToken myToken = getAuthTokenSomehow();
DriveSetup driveBuilder = new DriveSetup(myToken);
DriveInstance myDrive = driveBuilder.createDriveInstance("MyApp");

When I try to upload a file, the app just freezes. No errors, just… nothing. Am I missing something obvious? The Google docs aren’t super clear on this.

For file uploads, I’m doing something like this:

LocalFile myFile = new LocalFile("example.txt");
RemoteFile gDriveFile = new RemoteFile(myFile.getName(), "A text file", "text/plain");
FileUploader uploader = new FileUploader(myDrive);
UploadResult result = uploader.uploadFile(gDriveFile, myFile);

Any tips on what might be causing the hang-up? Or a better way to approach this? Thanks!

2

I’ve been through this exact headache with Google Drive integration, and I feel your pain. The issue you’re facing might be related to threading. Google Drive operations should be performed on a background thread to avoid freezing the UI.

Here’s what worked for me:

  1. Use AsyncTask or Kotlin coroutines for background operations.
  2. Make sure you’re not accidentally calling execute() on the main thread.
  3. Double-check your internet permissions in the manifest.

Also, I found that using the GoogleSignIn API instead of AccountManager made things smoother. It handles a lot of the token refresh stuff automatically.

For file uploads, consider using the Drive REST API with Retrofit instead of the Java client library. It gives you more control and better performance in my experience.

Lastly, enable verbose logging for the Drive API. It helped me catch a bunch of silent failures that were causing similar freeze-ups. Good luck!

3

hey liam, i’ve dealt with similar issues. make sure ur using asynctask or coroutines for background ops. also, check ur internet permissions in the manifest. GoogleSignIn API might be easier than AccountManager. it handles token refresh better. for uploads, try the Drive REST API with Retrofit. it’s more flexible. enable verbose logging too. helps catch those sneaky silent failures. good luck!

4

Having worked extensively with the Google Drive API in Android, I can say that your approach is on the right track, but there are a few potential pitfalls to watch out for.

First, ensure you’re performing these operations on a background thread. The main UI thread can easily freeze if you’re doing network operations there. Consider using an AsyncTask or, better yet, Kotlin coroutines if you’re using Kotlin.

Another common issue is token expiration. Make sure you’re handling token refresh properly. The GoogleSignInClient can help with this, as it manages token refresh automatically.

For file uploads, I’ve found that using the Drive REST API with Retrofit provides more control and better performance than the Java client library. It also makes it easier to debug issues like the one you’re experiencing.

Lastly, don’t forget to implement proper error handling and logging. Silent failures are common with the Drive API, and good logging can save you hours of debugging.