Google Drive REST API : file.getCreatedTime() returns always null

Question

I am working with Android Quickstart for Google Drive Rest APi provided at the below link. Android Quickstart

The sample code works fine as is. However when I try to get other details from files like getCreatedTime() or GetWevViewLink() 'null' is returned. Only getName() and getId() returns values.

Answer 1

Google Drive REST APIs v3 would only return only certain default fields. If you need some field, you have to explicitly request it by setting it with .setFields() method.

Modify your code like this -

private List<String> getDataFromApi() throws IOException {
    // Get a list of up to 10 files.
    List<String> fileInfo = new ArrayList<String>();
    FileList result = mService.files().list()
         .setPageSize(10)

         // see createdTime added to list of requested fields
         .setFields("nextPageToken, files(createdTime,id,name)")                

         .execute();
    List<File> files = result.getFiles();
    if (files != null) {
        for (File file : files) {
            fileInfo.add(String.format("%s (%s)\n",
                    file.getName(), file.getId()));
        }
    }
    return fileInfo;
}

You can read more about this behavior here https://developers.google.com/drive/v3/web/migration Updated link https://developers.google.com/drive/api/v2/migration

Quoting from the above link -

Notable changes

• Full resources are no longer returned by default. Use the fields query parameter to request specific fields to be returned. If left unspecified only a subset of commonly used fields are returned.

Accept the answer if it works for you so that others facing this issue might also get benefited.