Documents deleted using Google Docs API still visible in Google Drive

Question

I've built an integration using the Google Docs API (using GData) allowing users to create/edit documents from another application. Originally, when documents were deleted we would have them permanently deleted. They were no longer visible in Google Docs or Google Drive. Now when they are deleted using the Google Docs API, they are still present in the list of Documents in Google Drive. When you attempt to follow the link to the document you arrive at the "Sorry, the page (or document) you have requested does not exist." page.

Does Google Drive not honor the actions taken via the Google Docs API? Do I need to delete these documents using both the Google Docs API and the Google Drive API? What if the user has not migrated to Google Drive? Is there a way to tell if the have migrated? Or do I force them to migrate so I can use the Google Drive API to keep their Google Drive clean of these dead documents?

Answer 1

The Drive API and the Docs List API both operate on the same resources so you only have to use one of them (and we recommend the former).

With the Drive API you can trash or delete files. When you trash a file, it will still be listed in Google Drive with a label to mark it as in trash, so that you can still untrash it.

If you want to remove a file completely, you have to use the delete method.

Answer 2

I was having the same problem and I believe this is some kind of caching on the drive UI.

The file does appear to be deleted correctly and is not visible to the drive API.

The orphaned stubs eventually get deleted as the cache is cleared every so often.

I found that by removing the file from the parent and then deleting it meant that it was easier to see what was going on when using the drive UI whilst testing my app.

service.children().delete(folderId=parent_id, childId=file_id).execute()
service.files().delete(fileId=file_id).execute()

Answer 3

I was facing the same problem while using Google Drive APIs. I think when the Delete api deletes the document, their is still some linking with parent folder remains, so the browser renders the document. when I tired to delete the document with below piece of code, it properly works for me.

DriveService.Childern.Delete(parentResId, fileId).Fetch(); // fileId=>ResourceId of document to be deleted

Answer 4

This is a caching issue, the file has actually been removed. If you try to open the file in the Drive UI you should see something along the lines of "Sorry, the file you have requested does not exist."

It will clear itself soon.