Google Drive Sync (GDS) Script README

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Setup
   • Prerequisites
   • Configuration
3. Script Overview
   • Dependencies
   • Database Setup
   • Google Drive API
   • Functions
   • Main Loop
4. Usage
5. Monitoring and Automation
6. File Log Database
7. Error Handling

1. Introduction

The Google Drive Sync (GDS) script facilitates seamless synchronization between a designated Google Drive folder and a local directory. It harnesses the power of the Google Drive API to detect changes in the Drive, automatically fetching new files, and efficiently managing local deletions.

2. Setup

Prerequisites

• Python: Ensure Python is installed on your machine.
• Google API Credentials: Obtain API credentials and an API key.
• SQLite Database: Set up an SQLite database for tracking file information.

Configuration

Edit the .secret file to provide the API key, credentials path, folder ID, and download path.

3. Script Overview

Dependencies

• os: Operating system interactions.
• googleapiclient: Google API client library.
• time: Time-related functions.
• io: File stream operations.
• sqlite3: SQLite database connectivity.
• datetime: Timestamp generation.

Database Setup

The script establishes a connection to an SQLite database (file_log.db) to log detailed information about downloaded files. It creates a file_log table if it doesn't exist, containing columns for file ID, name, download timestamp, and size.

Google Drive API

GDS leverages the Google Drive API to interact seamlessly with the specified Drive folder. It performs operations such as listing files, downloading files, and retrieving file information.

Functions

• list_files(service, folder_id): Lists files in the specified Google Drive folder.
• download_file(service, file_id, file_name, download_path): Downloads a file from Google Drive and logs detailed information in the database.
• remove_file(file_name, download_path): Removes a file from the local directory and the database.

Main Loop

The script operates within an infinite loop, checking for changes in the Google Drive folder at 15-second intervals. It efficiently downloads new files, removes deleted files, and dynamically updates the file list.

4. Usage

• Execute the script to commence the synchronization process.
• Monitor the console for real-time download and deletion notifications.

5. Monitoring and Automation

GDS seamlessly integrates into background processes, making it ideal for automated execution. Consider configuring system tools (e.g., cron jobs on Unix-based systems) for scheduled runs.

6. File Log Database

The file_log.db database maintains an exhaustive record of downloaded files, encompassing their names, download timestamps, and sizes.

7. Error Handling

While the script lacks explicit error-handling mechanisms, users are encouraged to enhance this aspect based on their specific use cases and potential issues.