Google drive PHP API: unable to insert files or folders into subfolders

Question

I have been struggling for quite a while now; via Google drives PHP API, I am able to create a sub folder or add files to an existing folder, But trying to place another sub folder or a file within a sub folder, seems impossible.

After research, I came across the Children function, but don't understand how to apply it, even after checking the Google documentation on this page: [https://developers.google.com/drive/v2/reference/children/insert][1]

The code I am using to add an image to a folder is:

//Insert a file into client specific folder
$file = new Google_Service_Drive_DriveFile();
$file->setTitle(uniqid().'.jpg');
$file->setDescription('A test document');
$file->setMimeType('image/jpeg');

$data = file_get_contents('a.jpg');

$parent = new Google_Service_Drive_ParentReference(); //previously Google_ParentReference
$parent->setId($folderid); //$folderid = determined folder id 
$file->setParents(array($parent));  
$createdFile = $service->files->insert($file, array(
      'data' => $data,
      'mimeType' => 'image/jpeg',
      'uploadType' => 'multipart'
    ));

How would I proceed to upload this image to a specific subfolder, of which the ID is already determined?

Update: This is my combined code trying to:

1. Create new_sub_folder1 with a parent of existing_folder, and store the returned ID
2. Create new_file1 with a parent of new_sub_folder1, using the ID stored in step 1

$service = new Google_Service_Drive($client);

//create sub folder
$folder = new Google_Service_Drive_DriveFile();
//Setup the folder to create
$folder->setTitle('new_sub_folder1');
$folder->setMimeType('application/vnd.google-apps.folder');
//Create the Folder within existing_folder
$parentid = '0B40CySVsd_Jaa1BzVUQwLUFyODA';
//Set the Parent Folder to existing_folder
$parent = new Google_Service_Drive_ParentReference(); //previously Google_ParentReference
$parent->setId($parentid);
$folder->setParents(array($parent));

//now create the client specific folder  new_sub_folder
try {
        $createdFile = $service->files->insert($folder, array(
            'mimeType' => 'application/vnd.google-apps.folder',
            ));
        // Return the created folder's id
        $subfolderid = $createdFile->id;
        echo $subfolderid;
return $createdFile->id;
} catch (Exception $e) {
        print "An error occurred: " . $e->getMessage();
}

//Insert a file into client specific folder new_sub_folder
$file = new Google_Service_Drive_DriveFile();
$file->setTitle(uniqid().'.jpg');
$file->setDescription('A test document');
$file->setMimeType('image/jpeg');

$data = file_get_contents('a.jpg');


//Set the Parent Folder to new_sub_folder
$parent = new Google_Service_Drive_ParentReference(); //previously Google_ParentReference
$parent->setId($subfolderid);
$file->setParents(array($parent));  
$createdFile = $service->files->insert($file, array(
      'data' => $data,
      'mimeType' => 'image/jpeg',
      'uploadType' => 'multipart'
    ));

print_r($createdFile);

But only new_sub_folder1 is created, and no file is added to this folder.

Update: The image is not added anywhere with this code. If I apply the same method to add .jpg to the existing_folder, by its ID, there are no issues. As soon as I use the sub_folder_1's ID, nothing is created - same method, different ID.

Answer 1

Think of the folders as a train. Where your file (in this case a folder) has to be attached to 2 other train carts in order to work. The previous one is the parent and the next one is the child. If you specify a parent, but not a child for a folder then the train is incomplete. Sometimes it doesn't matter that the train is not complete, but if you want to use at least 2 levels of files then you must use parent and children references.

Your base folder may have root as its parent, then this folder could be the father of another sub-folder but it needs to be specified that it has children if you plan to use several level hierarchy for it to have a complete reference. So check this code:

$foldID=$id;    
$folder4=new Google_Service_Drive_DriveFile();
        $folder4->setTitle($folderName);
        $folder4->setMimeType('application/vnd.google-apps.folder');
        $parent4=new Google_Service_Drive_ParentReference();
        $parent4->setId($foldID);
        $folder4->setParents(array($parent4));
        try {
            $createdFile4 = $service->files->insert($folder4, array(
                'mimeType' => 'application/vnd.google-apps.folder',
            ));                 
        } 
        catch (Exception $e) {
                    print "An error occurred: " . $e->getMessage();
        }
        $foldId4=$createdFile4->id;
        $newChild4=new Google_Service_Drive_ChildReference();
        $newChild4->setId($createdFile4->id);
        try{
            $service->children->insert($foldID,$newChild4); 
        }
        catch (Exception $e) {
            print "An error occurred: " . $e->getMessage();
        } 

A few things about the code: foldID is my kind of master or root folder. I create a new DriveFile, assign the folder specifications, assign a parent reference of my master folder, try to insert it, then specify a child reference with the children->insert(ID OF MY MASTER FOLDER, ID OF THE CREATED FOLDER). The reference now is complete, and the subfolder should be treated as such. For another sub-sub-folder, just rinse and repeat with the right parameters. I have a directory structure of approximately 6 or 7 level of folders and files, so it is possible so it's just to index the files correctly.

Answer 2

My guess is that you've misunderstood how folders work in Drive. In Drive it's important to think of folders as being more like labels.

You say "I am not able to: existing_folder -> new_sub_folder1->new_file1, new_file2,"

In Drive, this is simply:-

1. Create new_sub_folder1 with a parent of existing_folder, and store the returned ID
2. Create new_file1 with a parent of new_sub_folder1, using the ID stored in step 1