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Google Drive API Source Code with WinForm & MS-Access Database Example

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9 May 2020CPOL5 min read 14.7K   10  
How to implement Google.Apis.Drive.v3 in a WinForms Project using VB 2015 and .NET 4.5
The article describes how to implement Google.Apis.Drive.v3 in WinForm Project, which uses Microsoft Access Database 2007. The project simply manipulates user data from / within the database with simple actions, uses TreeView control to display Data from Database on the Form, and backs up the database locally and to Google Drive.

Image 1

Requirements

  • Visual Basic 2012 [recommended VS 2015] or above (Visual Studio 2019) from here
  • Visual Basic previous example from here
  • Google Account from here
  • .NET Framework 4.5+ or above. "Async Programming"
  • Google Drive Api [Google.Apis.Drive.v3] from NuGet here

Open VB 2015 Project in VB 2019

Can I open / migrate Visual Basic 2015 Project Source Code with Visual Basic 2019?

The answer is Yes, if you want to more details about VB 2015 to VB 2019 migration, please read this article.

VB.NET Google Drive Api v3 Post Key Points

Project Description

I will use the VB.NET example from the previous post [Backup Database to Google Drive] to add another functionality to it. I will add Backup Database to Google Drive [ToolStripMenuItem].

Image 2

VB.NET Google Drive Api Source Code Example

When a user press [ToolStripMenuItem -> Backup to Google Drive]: The VB.NET application does the following:

  • Checks for Internet Connection Status
  • Connects to Google Drive project created in Google developer section [App Console]
  • Uploads the Microsoft Access 2007 (*.accdb) database file from the previous post to remote folder [/Backups] created manually by me in my Google Drive account.
  • Returns a string [File uploaded to Google Drive] to verify [UploadFile] method.

Installing Google Drive Api (Google.Apis.Drive.v3) from Visual Studio 2015

To install latest Google.Apis.Drive.v3 from Visual Basic 2015

  • Navigate to (https://www.nuget.org/packages/Google.Apis.Drive.v3/1.41.1.1708) to obtain the latest Google Drive Api version 3.
  • Copy the PM code (PM> Install-Package Google.Apis.Drive.v3 -Version 1.41.1.1708)
  • Open Visual Basic 2015 as Administration
  • Choose NuGet package manager -> Package manage console

    Image 3

    VB .NET Google Drive API installation using NuGet in VS2015
  • In the console manager in Visual Studio, paste the PM Code and press <Enter>.

    Image 4

    VB .NET Google.Apis.Drive.v3 installation using NuGet in VS2015
  • Wait for Google.Apis.Drive.v3 download to 100% complete and restart Visual Studio 2015, to ensure that you successfully installed 'Google.Apis.Drive.v3' to [HierarchicalTreeView] project.
  • Now, in your Visual Basic 2015 Solution Explorer panel [References] would looks something like this:

    Image 5

    VB.NET Google.Apis.Drive.v3 installation using NuGet in VS2015 Reference

Create Google Console Project for .NET to Use Google Drive API

VB .NET Google Api Console Create new project

Google API Console Create new project

Image 7

Google Drive API Project Overview

In the above picture, make sure your Google Drive API is present at the bottom of the page.

What Do We Need From Google Console API?

VB.NET Google Console Api - Drive Api

VB.NET Google Console API - Drive API
  • In order to start coding your application, you need some data from Google Console API to use in your VB.NET project:

    You need to create OAuth 2.0 client IDs from Credentials section. For installed applications (like desktop applications), you will not need to specify any information in the OAuth consent screen only the application name and your Google email address.

    Image 9

    Your Google Console API Credentials Section
    1. Application Name (Backup-DB-Desktop) at the top of the page
    2. Client ID (something.apps.googleusercontent.com)
    3. Client Secret (Found when you click on OAuth Name)

VB.NET Google Drive API Desktop Project Code

  • We create a Service using those credentials above.
  • We upload the file.
  • Check your Google Drive account associated with your original Google Account Email.
  • I used a small file to upload.
  • I will also include "Google Drive Resumable Upload" ChunkedUpload() method in my source code example for my 13MB Access database file.

VB.NET Google Drive API Desktop Project Run

When you run the application for the first time, you will go through some security issues like:

  • Google will prompt you to verify access from another application.
  • Refresh AccessToken is done via your browser, so you will notice that your browser will open for refreshing accesstoken.
  • Those would occur only once.

Try the QuickStart example first, this example is designed only for testing.

Image 10

VB.NET Google drive API v3 OAuth 2.0 Quick Start Example Permission

Image 11

VB.NET Google drive API v3 OAuth 2.0 allow access

VB.NET Google drive API v3 OAuth 2.0 received verification code received

VB.NET Google drive API v3 OAuth 2.0 received verification code received

VB.NET Google Drive Api v3 OAuth2 vs Service Account

Authentication is necessary if you want to access Google Drive API. There are 2 types of Authentications:

  1. OAuth2 : Will allow you to access another users data, 
  2. Service Account : Can be set up to access your own data.

VB.NET Google Drive API v3 QuickStart .NET Example Source Code

VB
Imports Google.Apis.Auth.OAuth2
Imports Google.Apis.Drive.v3
Imports Google.Apis.Drive.v3.Data
Imports Google.Apis.Services
Imports Google.Apis.Util.Store
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Threading

'Save "credentials.json" in your project directory (i.e D:\Google-Drive-example\)
'Refresh 'Solution explorer', show all files, include "credentials.json" into your project
'From "Properties panel" change "Copy to Output Directory" to "Copy Always".

Module Module1
    'If modifying these scopes, delete your previously saved credentials
    'at ~/.credentials/drive-dotnet-quickstart.json
    Dim Scopes() As String = {DriveService.Scope.DriveReadonly}
    Dim ApplicationName As String = "Quickstart"
    Private Service As DriveService = New DriveService

    Public Sub Main()
        Dim credential As UserCredential
        Using Stream = New FileStream("credentials.json", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read)
            'The file token.json stores the user's access and refresh tokens, and is created
            'automatically when the authorization flow completes for the first time.
            Dim credPath As String = "token.json"
            credential = GoogleWebAuthorizationBroker.AuthorizeAsync(
                    GoogleClientSecrets.Load(Stream).Secrets,
                    Scopes,
                    "user",
                    CancellationToken.None,
                    New FileDataStore(credPath, True)).Result
            Console.WriteLine("Credential file saved to: " + credPath)
        End Using
        
        'Create Drive API service.
        Dim Service = New DriveService(New BaseClientService.Initializer() With
            {
                .HttpClientInitializer = credential,
                .ApplicationName = ApplicationName
            })
            
        ' Define parameters of request.
        Dim listRequest As FilesResource.ListRequest = Service.Files.List()
        listRequest.PageSize = 10
        listRequest.Fields = "nextPageToken, files(id, name)"
        
        'List files.
        Dim files As IList(Of Data.File) = listRequest.Execute().Files
        Console.WriteLine("Files:")
        If (files IsNot Nothing And files.Count > 0) Then
            For Each file In files
                Console.WriteLine("{0} ({1})", file.Name, file.Id)
            Next
        Else
            Console.WriteLine("No files found.")
        End If
        
        Console.Read()
    End Sub
End Module

VB.NET Google Drive API TroubleShooting

Error

VB.NET Google Drive API Error (At least one client secrets (Installed or Web) should be set)

Diagnostic

You are getting this error because you are trying to use UserCredential instead of GoogleCredential. In the Quick Start Example for Google Drive API Dotnet:

Solution

VB.NET
Dim Credential As UserCredential
C#
UserCredential credential;

Change the above code to:

VB.NET
Dim Credential as GoogleCredential
C#
GoogleCredential Credential;

Update

  • I have found and converted to VB.NET, the C# Resumable Upload for large files uploading.
  • I've uploaded an example VB.NET source code on uploading large files to Google Drive using the v3 API.

Source Code Password

C#
projectzone.co

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)


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Egypt Egypt
Learning everyday.

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