File versions in Google Drive

[wisekat]

Recently I decided to abandon Google Backup and Sync in favor of FreeFileSync to make my cloud backups. In contrast to the Google tool, FreeFileSync does not create versions of the same file if it is copied to the same location two or more times. Is there a way to enable this feature in FreeFileSync?

[Plerry]

https://freefilesync.org/manual.php?topic=versioning

[wisekat]

Plerry, this is not what I wanted. The FreeFileSync versioning works by multiplying the number of files or folders stored with timestamps. What I need is the built-in Google Drive file versioning feature when you have 1 file item and can access previous file versions using the Manage versions command from the context menu.

[Plerry]

Well, FFS versioning does creates one or more versions of the same file if it is copied (in between syncs) to the same location.
However, it does not work the same as in Google Drive, but that was not part of your initial question.
So: there is (at least presently) no way to enable this feature in FreeFileSync, such that it works exactly as in Google Drive.

[wisekat]

I've re-read my question. Yes, you are right. I implied the Google Drive file versions functionality, but I should have mentioned this explicitly.

Do you know, is it possible to enable the native Google file versioning in FFS in future updates?

[Plerry]

The FFS method of Versioning works for file-deletions and -updates at either the left- or right- location involved in the sync, and is independent of the file system or OS at either end.
The Google Drive method very likely relies on their local file-server features and likely only works at the their end of the sync, but not at the other end of the sync, e.g. your local disk.
I am not the FFS developer, but I don't expect FFS to support the Google Drive versioning method any time soon (if ever ... ), as it seems to be Google Drive specific and solves only part of what FFS is addressing.

[wisekat]

I think FFS can do that, and cloud-specific features like this would increase the value of the tool. I am a software developer, and my logic is the following.

The Google Drive Backup and Sync tool is a traditional Windows application, and it works with the Google Drive using their API. If The Google app can do that through the API, then any app including FFS can do that - unless special security keys are used inside to make this feature exclusive for the Google app. I have just googled "google drive api file versioning" and the two top result links were these:

https://developers.google.com/drive/api/v2/change-overview
https://developers.google.com/drive/api/v3/manage-revisions

So, it seems, all is possible :)