Service account created folders do not apear in google drive web application

Question

Not able to view folders created using google api in google drive. I am using service account json to connect to google drive. I can see the files getting created using api but cannot view the folders created using api."

Connecting to google drive using service account

             GoogleCredential cr = GoogleCredential
            .fromStream(new FileInputStream(CREDENTIALS_FILE_PATH))
            .createScoped(SCOPES);
             GoogleCredential builder = new GoogleCredential.Builder()
            .setTransport(HTTP_TRANSPORT)
            .setJsonFactory(JSON_FACTORY)
            .setServiceAccountScopes(SCOPES)
            .setServiceAccountId(cr.getServiceAccountId())
            `enter code here` 

            .setServiceAccountPrivateKey
            (cr.getServiceAccountPrivateKey())

            .setServiceAccountPrivateKeyId
             (cr.getServiceAccountPrivateKeyId())
            .setTokenServerEncodedUrl(cr.getTokenServerEncodedUrl())
            .setServiceAccountUser(cr.getServiceAccountUser()).build();

======================================================================

Creating a folder using below API

                File fileMetadata = new File();
                fileMetadata.setName("TestFolder");
                fileMetadata.setMimeType("application/vnd.google- 
                apps.folder");

                File file1 =
                service.files().create(fileMetadata).setFields("id, 
                name").execute();

I can see the folder ID getting created but when i login to google drive , there are no folders in the google drive

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

1

What you need to remember is that a Service account is not you. A service account is a dummy user. It has its own google drive account. when you upload the files to the service accounts drive account they are only accessible by that account as it is the owner of it.

Share a drive

You could create a drive on your google drive account share that directory with the service accounts email address. Then the service account can upload to that drive (parent) id. The files will then apear in that drive make sure that you have the service account grant your google account permissions on the file.

Share the file

If you want to leave the file on the Service account drive account then you can simply have the service account share the file with you then it will popup as a shared file in your google drive account.

sharing

Open the Google drive website right click the directory or file you want to share and click share. Take the service accounts email address and share it with that. It will then have access to that directory.

edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

Community

1
1

answered May 21 '19 at 06:13

Linda Lawton - DaImTo

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Thanks for your reply ! How do we share a drive or folder created in google drive with service account ? – S_G May 21 '19 at 09:39
Check the update its the same as you would share it with any other user – Linda Lawton - DaImTo May 21 '19 at 09:53
1

Thanks for your reply! I have added the service account email id in the Share option as per the above image but still cannot view the folder – S_G May 22 '19 at 02:19
@S_G did you ever resolve this? I am unable to view files added by the service account as well. – phenderbender Jun 22 '22 at 13:58
From your code do a file.list the files are being uploaded to the service accounts drive account – Linda Lawton - DaImTo Jun 23 '22 at 05:55
1

@phenderbender, yes. It solved all my issues. Thanks to DalmTo – S_G Jun 27 '22 at 00:55

Service account created folders do not apear in google drive web application

1 Answers1

Share a drive

Share the file

sharing