How to create a shortcut in Google Drive Apps Script instead of multiple parents

Question

I've been trying to read about it here: https://developers.google.com/drive/api/v3/shortcuts

And I understand the basics in shortcuts but I can't figure out how to use it in the code - the syntax.

I need to instead of placing a folder in multiple folders, placing shortcuts in those folders named the same as the original folder.

I have an original folder called Project1 placed in Drafts. Shortcuts for this folder needs to be places in Folder2/Drafts, Folder3/Drafts and Folder4/Drafts.

If I afterwards change the name of the original folder Project1 ex. to "New Building" I need to find the shortcuts in Folder 2,3 and 4 (by Id? - I can put the ID of the shortcuts in a datasheet from where I can iterate through them) - and then rename them as the original folder's new name.

And when I move the Project1 from Drafts to Confirmed. I need to move the shortcuts from Folder2/Drafts to Folder2/Confirmed etc.

This is mainly how the basic code looked like for placing the new folder

        var folder1 = draft.createFolder("DRAFT - "+"Project1");
        var folder1Url = folder1.getUrl();
        var folder1Id = folder1.getId();
        folder2Draft.addFolder(folder1);

When changing the name of the folder the name would (of course) change in the other places. But as I understand this is not the case with shortcuts. I've tested it with manually created shortcuts witch confirmed this.

The renaming part I do like this when confirming the project:

   var folder1 = DriveApp.getFolderById(folder1Id);
   var folder1NameOld = folder1.getName();
   var folder1NameNew = folder1NameOld.replace("DRAFT - ","");
   folder1.setName(folder1NameNew);

And I move the file when confirming the project with the simple:

    confirmed.addFolder(folder1);
    draftsFolder.removeFolder(folder1);

The script is made in a spreadsheet and I already put alle the folderIDs in a data sheet in the file so I can very easy make references to the different folders and if needed also collect the IDs of the shortcuts to be able to rename them.

Update: To make a more clear question: How to do this with shortcuts instead of multi-parenting?

function shortcut() {

  var s = SpreadsheetApp.getActive();
  var sheet = s.getActiveSheet();
  var projectFolderId = sheet.getRange('B1').getValue();
  var folder1DraftId = sheet.getRange('B2').getValue();
  var folder2DraftId = sheet.getRange('B3').getValue();

  var folder1 = DriveApp.getFolderById(projectFolderId);
  DriveApp.getFolderById(folder1DraftId).addFolder(folder1);
  DriveApp.getFolderById(folder2DraftId).addFolder(folder1);
}

Answer 1

I believe your goal is as follows.

• You want to achieve the following script as the shortcut.

  function shortcut() {
  
    var s = SpreadsheetApp.getActive();
    var sheet = s.getActiveSheet();
    var projectFolderId = sheet.getRange('B1').getValue();
    var folder1DraftId = sheet.getRange('B2').getValue();
    var folder2DraftId = sheet.getRange('B3').getValue();
  
    var folder1 = DriveApp.getFolderById(projectFolderId);
    DriveApp.getFolderById(folder1DraftId).addFolder(folder1);
    DriveApp.getFolderById(folder2DraftId).addFolder(folder1);
  }
  

• At above script, folder1 is put in the folders of folder1DraftId and folder2DraftId.

For this, how about this answer?

Modification points:

• In this case, the method of files.create in Drive API is used. But in the current stage, the method of Files: insert in Drive API v2 can also create the shortcut. So in this answer, Drive API v2 of Advanced Google services is used.

Modified script:

When your script is modified, it becomes as follows. Before you run the script, please enable Drive API at Advanced Google services.

From:

var folder1 = DriveApp.getFolderById(projectFolderId);
DriveApp.getFolderById(folder1DraftId).addFolder(folder1);
DriveApp.getFolderById(folder2DraftId).addFolder(folder1);

To:

const folderIDs = [folder1DraftId, folder2DraftId];
folderIDs.forEach(f => {
  Drive.Files.insert({
    shortcutDetails: {targetId: projectFolderId},
    parents: [{id: f}],
    title: DriveApp.getFolderById(projectFolderId).getName(),
    mimeType: "application/vnd.google-apps.shortcut"
  });
});

References:

• Advanced Google services
• Create a shortcut to a Drive file

• Files: insert of Drive API v2

  • The official document says as follows.

    • Note: Apps creating shortcuts with files.insert must specify the MIME type application/vnd.google-apps.drive-sdk.

    • But, when application/vnd.google-apps.drive-sdk is used, the shortcut couldn't be created. I'm not sure whether this is the bug or the current specification. So I used application/vnd.google-apps.shortcut as the mimeType.