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  1. Google Drive Android API

  2. Google-Api-Java-Client

Requirement:

  1. Single Unique folder which can be accessed(read/write/edit/sync) by multiple applications(Android/ios/web)

  2. Get Images and their thumbnails from a folder to show in a ListView with Pagination.

Because I was told that the Android API doesn't support most of the functionality, from here

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user1537779
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2 Answers2

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I'll try to answer by pointing out the missing functions in GDAA compared to REST(ful). REST has full functionality and will do everything you require. But you have to manage the synchronization yourself (polling, messaging ...). GDAA is supposed to handle the synchronization and off-line status by means of notifications, but there are significant delays governed by GDAA internal logic (SO 23073474). Other parts that are missing are:

  • delete/ trash
  • thumbnails
  • fulltext search ...

and full bunch of quirks that make it's use challenging. Just look at my question history. The biggest shortcoming for your intended implementation is the fact, that status of files modified by other apps/devices in Drive is reported with a significant delay, detection of trashed/deleted files by other apps is totally unreliable. Also, you can't get the 's220' thumbnails from GDAA, you would have to get full size files and shrink it yourself, making GDAA useless for preview list of thumbnails. My implementation of a basic Create, Retrieve, Update, Delete (CRUD) app ended up as a messy combination of RESTful Api tangled with GDAA.

Also, I have to point out that the GDAA support team listed here is totally silent with the only exception of Cheryl Simon (who is not officially the team member). So there is no support or accountability. Sorry for the rant.

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seanpj
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  • So GDAA doesn't provide me with thumbnails. Which I might take care by shrinking the actual image. But is there a way to access files/folders created by other apps? – user1537779 May 07 '14 at 05:23
  • See FILE scope. And be careful with that thumbnail shrinkage idea, there is a BIG difference in the size of standard size image and 's220' thumbnail (that you can download with RESTful). – seanpj May 08 '14 at 08:16
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If the (1) doesn't meet your needs, use (2).

2) is the "master" API, that exposes all of the Drive metadata. It is a REST API so you need to be online to use it.

1) is a local API to allow you to read and write files in the Drive-sync area of your Android device. This can be used when you are offline, and changes will subsequently sync to Drive automagically.

So they are for slightly different purposes. Choose whichever one best suits your requirements.

pinoyyid
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  • I know that we must avoid using REST API, because its old, generic, needs lot of libraries and hence increasing the app size etc.. So, I wanted to know if my requirements can be achieved using the Android Drive API. – user1537779 May 06 '14 at 10:52
  • nonsense! The age of an API is irrelevant. When gdaa syncs, it is using the same REST API. It only needs the libraries that you actually use once you've run it through ProGuard, and if you don't like libraries, just code the http REST requests yourself. It's not hard. – pinoyyid May 06 '14 at 11:13