Google Drive Automation

# Google Drive Automation via Rube MCP

Automate Google Drive workflows including file upload/download, search, folder management, sharing/permissions, and organization through Composio's Google Drive toolkit.

Prerequisites

- Rube MCP must be connected (RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS available)

- Active Google Drive connection via `RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS` with toolkit `googledrive`

- Always call `RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS` first to get current tool schemas

Setup

**Get Rube MCP**: Add `https://rube.app/mcp` as an MCP server in your client configuration. No API keys needed — just add the endpoint and it works.

1. Verify Rube MCP is available by confirming `RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS` responds

2. Call `RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONS` with toolkit `googledrive`

3. If connection is not ACTIVE, follow the returned auth link to complete Google OAuth

4. Confirm connection status shows ACTIVE before running any workflows

Core Workflows

1. Upload and Download Files

**When to use**: User wants to upload files to or download files from Google Drive

**Tool sequence**:

1. `GOOGLEDRIVE_FIND_FILE` - Locate target folder for upload [Prerequisite]

2. `GOOGLEDRIVE_UPLOAD_FILE` - Upload a file (max 5MB) [Required]

3. `GOOGLEDRIVE_RESUMABLE_UPLOAD` - Upload large files [Fallback]

4. `GOOGLEDRIVE_DOWNLOAD_FILE` - Download a file by ID [Required]

5. `GOOGLEDRIVE_DOWNLOAD_FILE_OPERATION` - Track long-running downloads [Fallback]

6. `GOOGLEDRIVE_GET_FILE_METADATA` - Verify file after upload/download [Optional]

**Key parameters**:

- `file_to_upload`: Object with `name`, `mimetype`, and `s3key` (file must be in internal storage)

- `folder_to_upload_to`: Target folder ID (optional; uploads to root if omitted)

- `file_id`: ID of file to download

- `mime_type`: Export format for Google Workspace files only (omit for native files)

**Pitfalls**:

- `GOOGLEDRIVE_UPLOAD_FILE` requires `file_to_upload.s3key`; files must already be in internal storage

- For non-Google formats (Excel, PDF), do NOT set `mime_type`; it causes errors for native files

- Download responses provide a temporary URL at `data.downloaded_file_content.s3url`, not inline bytes

- Use `GOOGLEDRIVE_RESUMABLE_UPLOAD` for files >5MB or when basic uploads fail

2. Search and List Files

**When to use**: User wants to find specific files or browse Drive contents

**Tool sequence**:

1. `GOOGLEDRIVE_FIND_FILE` - Search by name, content, type, date, or folder [Required]

2. `GOOGLEDRIVE_LIST_FILES` - Browse files with folder scoping [Alternative]

3. `GOOGLEDRIVE_LIST_SHARED_DRIVES` - Enumerate shared drives [Optional]

4. `GOOGLEDRIVE_GET_FILE_METADATA` - Get detailed file info [Optional]

5. `GOOGLEDRIVE_GET_ABOUT` - Check storage quota and supported formats [Optional]

**Key parameters**:

- `q`: Drive query string (e.g., "name contains 'report'", "mimeType = 'application/pdf'")

- `corpora`: Search scope ('user', 'domain', 'drive', 'allDrives')

- `fields`: Response fields to include (e.g., 'files(id,name,mimeType)')

- `orderBy`: Sort key ('modifiedTime desc', 'name', 'quotaBytesUsed desc')

- `pageSize`: Results per page (max 1000)

- `pageToken`: Pagination cursor from `nextPageToken`

- `folder_id`: Scope search to a specific folder

**Pitfalls**:

- 403 PERMISSION_DENIED if OAuth scopes insufficient for shared drives

- Pagination required; files are in `response.data.files`; follow `nextPageToken` until exhausted

- `corpora="domain"` may trigger 400; try `"allDrives"` with `includeItemsFromAllDrives=true`

- Query complexity limits: >5-10 OR clauses may error "The query is too complex"

- Wildcards (*) NOT supported in `name`; use `contains` for partial matching

- 'My Drive' is NOT searchable by name; use `folder_id='root'` for root folder

- User email searches: use `'user@example.com' in owners` (NOT `owner:user@example.com`)

3. Share Files and Manage Permissions

**When to use**: User wants to share files or manage access permissions

**Tool sequence**:

1. `GOOGLEDRIVE_FIND_FILE` - Locate the file to share