Create Contacts with Google API exception - Write Access denied

Question

I am trying to create google contacts using Google API in ASP .NET Core (c#). But, it is raising an exception something like:

write access to gmail denied.

I am using https://www.google.com/m8/feeds/contacts/ to get/post. Can't find where i am missing.

Is it possible to create contacts using normal gmail account. What steps should I follow ?

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

write access to gmail denied.

Means that you do not have permission to write to a users account.

The Contacts Data API provides two types of feed: contacts feed and contact groups feed.

The feeds are private read/write feeds that can be used to view and manage a user's contacts/groups. Since they are private, a programmer can access them only by using an authenticated request. That is, the request must contain an authentication token for the user whose contacts you want to retrieve. For more information about authenticating, see the developer's guide.

You may also want to consider the following. Which may make your life easier rather than using this old api.

1. You should be using the google people api.
2. You should be using the google .net client library.
3. You need to be authenticated to insert data into a users contacts.

Auth sample

   private static UserCredential GetUserCredential(string clientSecretJson, string userName, string[] scopes)
        {
            try
            {
                if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(userName))
                    throw new ArgumentNullException("userName");
                if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(clientSecretJson))
                    throw new ArgumentNullException("clientSecretJson");
                if (!File.Exists(clientSecretJson))
                    throw new Exception("clientSecretJson file does not exist.");

                // These are the scopes of permissions you need. It is best to request only what you need and not all of them               
                using (var stream = new FileStream(clientSecretJson, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read))
                {
                    string credPath = System.Environment.GetFolderPath(System.Environment.SpecialFolder.Personal);
                    credPath = Path.Combine(credPath, ".credentials/", System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetName().Name);

                    // Requesting Authentication or loading previously stored authentication for userName
                    var credential = GoogleWebAuthorizationBroker.AuthorizeAsync(GoogleClientSecrets.Load(stream).Secrets,
                                                                             scopes,
                                                                             userName,
                                                                             CancellationToken.None,
                                                                             new FileDataStore(credPath, true)).Result;

                    credential.GetAccessTokenForRequestAsync();
                    return credential;
                }
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                throw new Exception("Get user credentials failed.", ex);
            }
        }

Oauth2Authentication.cs