How to list files in shortcut folder in GDrive v3

Question

I am trying to use the GDrive API v3 to list all files and folders in a shortcut folder.

When using the API I am able to list all files using the following request:

curl \
  'https://www.googleapis.com/drive/v3/files?q=%27root%27%20in%20parents&supportsAllDrives=true&supportsTeamDrives=true&key=[YOUR_API_KEY]' \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer [YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN]' \
  --header 'Accept: application/json' \
  --compressed

Which returns something like:

{
    "kind": "drive#file",
    "id": "xxxxxxxxxxxxxx",
    "name": "Name of file here",
    "mimeType": "application/vnd.google-apps.shortcut"
}

When I take that id, and use it in the same request above, which works for "mimeType": "application/vnd.google-apps.folder". I get an empty payload:

{
 "kind": "drive#fileList",
 "incompleteSearch": false,
 "files": []
}

Am I using the wrong endpoint? Is there something else I need to add to the API request?

Answer 1

The shortcut item in your Drive has an attribute with the id of the actual folder.

If for example, you have only one shortcut to a folder in your Drive when you make the request you will get two results when listing all files in root.

1. one with mime type "shortcut" - which is the shortcut.
2. one with mime type "folder" - seems that the API lists this anyway.

If for any reason you only get the shortcut, you can get the details of the shortcut:

Request

curl \
  'https://www.googleapis.com/drive/v3/files/[YOUR_SHORTCUT_ID]?fields=*&key=[YOUR_API_KEY]' \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer [YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN]' \
  --header 'Accept: application/json' \
  --compressed

Response

(I have removed most of the fields from the response)

{
 "kind": "drive#file",
 "id": "[YOUR_SHORTCUT_ID]",
 "name": "[YOUR_SHORTCUT_NAME]",
 "mimeType": "application/vnd.google-apps.shortcut",
 "starred": false,
 "trashed": false,
 "shortcutDetails": {
  "targetId": "[THE_ACTUAL_FOLDER_ID]",
  "targetMimeType": "application/vnd.google-apps.folder"
 }
}

Within shortcutDetails is the targetId.

After which, you can write your original request with the proper "ID" in parents.

Reference

• Create a shortcut with Drive API

Answer 2

The shortcut is not synonymous with the directory it points to. You will need to make two requests, one to get the target ID ("targetId") from the shortcut and then a second call to find files with targetId in parents.