Events missing from GDrive Folder Watch for New File (Instant)

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1

Hi,

I’d like some help understanding the PipeDream Trigger: “Google Drive New File (Instant)” because I can’t fully rely on it and it’s a constant worry. Link to github

Here are some of the behaviors I witnessed and do not fully understand:

  1. Moving Files from one folder inside my drive to the target folder (the one I watch for new files) does not trigger a new file event
  2. Copying a bunch of files simultaneously (±50-60 files) results in erratic triggers, only 15% of files will generate an event
  3. the workaround I found was to write a bash commando to copy files over 1 by 1 with a 5 seconds delay between each: for file in /path/to/source_folder/*; do cp "$file" /path/to/destination_folder/ && sleep 5; done

I suppose the PipeDream Trigger module is looking at file properties? Hence when an “old” file is moved from one folder to another using the google UI, it’s not being recognized as a new file? This would explain why making a fresh copy would trigger the event, I suppose something like the “created by” datetime is being used?

2

Hi @diegoketels,

I understand your concerns with the “Google Drive — New Files (Instant)” trigger. Based on the behaviors you’ve mentioned, it seems like there might be some limitations with the trigger when handling specific scenarios like moving files or copying a large number of files simultaneously.

To use the “Google Drive — New Files (Instant)” trigger, follow these steps:

  1. Search for the Google Drive app from the trigger menu
  2. Select the New Files (Instant) trigger
  3. Connect your Google Drive account
  4. Select a Drive or pass a string from a previous step.
  5. Follow the instructions on the trigger configuration screen. You may need to generate a test event from Google Drive to get real data to test your workflow.

Optional props you can configure:

  • Watch for changes to file properties or pass a boolean from a previous step. Default value: False.
  • Select one or more Folders or pass an array of strings from a previous step. Default value: [].

Regarding the issues you’re facing, it’s possible that the trigger is not detecting certain events due to the way Google Drive handles file properties or limitations in the API. I recommend reaching out to Pipedream support at https://pipedream.com/support for further assistance and to discuss your specific use case. They might be able to provide more insights or suggest alternative solutions.
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