Google Drive API v3 C# Permissions.Update exception “The resource body includes fields which are not directly writable”

Question

My code below using Google Drive API v3 to transfer ownership from one user to another in the same domain is throwing this exception. I am using Service Account with domain-wide permissions for authorization piece.

string FileID = "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx";
var getRequest1 = OwnerDrive.Files.Get(FileID);
getRequest1.Fields = "owners,name,parents,mimeType,permissions";
var afile = getRequest1.Execute();

foreach (var perm in afile.Permissions)
            {
                Console.WriteLine(perm.EmailAddress + " : " + 
                 perm.DisplayName + " : " + perm.Role + " : " + perm.Id);
            }

// I manually note down the permissionID of the current owner as 
"14016095883385444520"

//Set New owner
Permission p = new Permission();
            p.Role = "owner";
            p.Type = "user";
            p.EmailAddress = "newowner@xyz.com";

            var updateRequest = OwnerDrive.Permissions.Update(p, FileID, 
            "14016095883385444520");
            updateRequest.TransferOwnership = true;
            updateRequest.Execute();

The error\exception throw is this:

"Message[The resource body includes fields which are not directly writable.] Location[ - ] Reason[fieldNotWritable] Domain[global]".

The new drive v3 API says to use Permissions.Update and pass it permissionID which I am doing (although manually). What am I missing here ? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Although it looks like “Permissions.Create(p, FileID)” works for ownership transfers in V3. Not sure what would be the use case for “Permissions.Update(p, FileID, pemrissionID)” then. — Nemo

DaImTo DaImTo · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-21T12:14:52

I think you have hit bug.

I have been testing this with the Google Apis explorer

PATCH https://www.googleapis.com/drive/v3/files/1f3eFRpZM-NAID42B9DPwUOKr6nvXuIxnfVvlQ8H1pNc/permissions/06030588225573437243?transferOwnership=true&key={YOUR_API_KEY}

{
 "emailAddress": "xxx@gmail.com"
}

Response:

{
 "error": {
  "errors": [
   {
    "domain": "global",
    "reason": "required",
    "message": "The permission role field is required.",
    "locationType": "other",
    "location": "permission.role"
   }
  ],
  "code": 400,
  "message": "The permission role field is required."
 }
}

Request attempt two

PATCH https://www.googleapis.com/drive/v3/files/1f3eFRpZM-NAID42B9DPwUOKr6nvXuIxnfVvlQ8H1pNc/permissions/06030588225573437243?transferOwnership=true&key={YOUR_API_KEY}

{
 "emailAddress": "xxx@gmail.com",
 "role": "owner"
}

Response

{
 "error": {
  "errors": [
   {
    "domain": "global",
    "reason": "fieldNotWritable",
    "message": "The resource body includes fields which are not directly writable."
   }
  ],
  "code": 403,
  "message": "The resource body includes fields which are not directly writable."
 }
}

Bug report made here issue 73634062

Google Drive API v3 C# Permissions.Update exception “The resource body includes fields which are not directly writable”

1 Answers