Google Drive - Sync contents of shortcuts that are inside another shortcut

[vtriv]

Not sure if this is possible. Still, here's my situation.

I receive data (in a folder) in "shared with me" on google drive. We can only add a shortcut of that folder to "My Drive". On the desktop, the same structure of directories get downloaded using the Drive software.

FreeFileSync won't copy the contents of a shortcut (to folder) which has files in it to another local directory.

I may be doing something wrong or may be unaware of a feature that helps with this. Please help me.

[Zenju]

Google Drive shortcuts are treated like "Symbolic links". How these are handled can be set up in the comparison settings dialog (F6). They're excluded by default.

[vtriv]

I tried both the available options but to no avail. Always get symlinks copied to local directory and clicking them takes me back to google drive.

[Zenju]

I'm not able to reproduce this. Following a shortcut to a folder inside "Shared with me" works in my tests using "Follow" symlink handling.

[vtriv]

my purpose is not to have symlinks copied to my local directory but instead the files in each of the symlinks. is that even possible?

[busca]

Same issue, I tried both with Google Drive Streaming (mapped to a drive) and Google Drive Mirroring ( mapped to a folder), but in any case FFS cannot follow the symlinks (note: they are symlinks pointing to folders inside "Shared with me").

@vtriv Have you found any solution?

[vtriv]

Same issue, I tried both with Google Drive Streaming (mapped to a drive) and Google Drive Mirroring ( mapped to a folder), but in any case FFS cannot follow the symlinks (note: they are symlinks pointing to folders inside "Shared with me").



@vtriv Have you found any solution?

I didn't. And then gave up on using it.

[Zenju]

Just try FFS's own Google Drive integration instead of Google's "Drive for Desktop" software. Whatever Google is emulating in their mapped drives, it's certainly not a "regular" NTFS symlink.

[busca]

I tried to work directly with cloud as source (gdrive:\xxx@gmail.com), but I got this error for every Google file: "Only files with binary content can be downloaded. Use Export with Docs Editors files."

So in any case (direct cloud integration, Google Drive streaming, Google Drive mirroring) I didn't find a complete management:
- direct cloud integration: symlinks work but I have the problem above on Google files
- synchronization of Google Drive streaming: symlinks don't work + an other problem on Google files
- synchronization of Google Drive mirroring: symlinks don't work, no problem with Google files

[Zenju]

"Only files with binary content can be downloaded. Use Export with Docs Editors files."

What happens if you access these files with Google Drive for Desktop? I can't imagine this working.

However copying these files from and to other Google Drives works fine, and is supported by FreeFileSync. It's just that the files have no local binary representation (as decreed by Google).

[busca]

What happens if you access these files with Google Drive for Desktop? I can't imagine this working.

It works, opening the file from file system, it opens the browser with the Google file in editing/viewing. Yes I know this is not an offiline representation of the file, but is is enough for my needs.

However copying these files from and to other Google Drives works fine, and is supported by FreeFileSync. It's just that the files have no local binary representation (as decreed by Google).

Unfortunately, I need to synch Drive contents to external hard drive.
I understand there is not a full management: working with cloud I have to exclude Google files, working with mirroring I have to give up following symlinks.

[Zenju]

Unfortunately, I need to synch Drive contents to external hard drive.

That's not possible for Google Doc files.

[Zenju]

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