Uploading to Google drive using VBA? - vba

Question

I have an MS Access database which now requires me to 'attach' documents to it. My intention is to store the documents on Google Drive and have a link on the database for users to retrieve the documents.
As there are many users spread through different cities, it is not practical to require them to have synced Google Drive folders. All the users will need the ability to upload to the database/GD so my intention is to have a separate Google account for the database - with its own login details.
example:
User clicks button to upload file
Save as dialog box appears and user selects file
Database logs into its Google Drive and uploads selected file
Lots of problems with this though, the main one being that Google Drive does not support VBA.
If the user is logged into their own Gmail account, that will probably be another issue.
I came across this code for vb.net on another site.
Imports System
Imports System.Diagnostics
Imports DotNetOpenAuth.OAuth2
Imports Google.Apis.Authentication.OAuth2
Imports Google.Apis.Authentication.OAuth2.DotNetOpenAuth
Imports Google.Apis.Drive.v2
Imports Google.Apis.Drive.v2.Data
Imports Google.Apis.Util
Imports Google.Apis.Services
Namespace GoogleDriveSamples
Class DriveCommandLineSample
Shared Sub Main(ByVal args As String)
Dim CLIENT_ID As [String] = "YOUR_CLIENT_ID"
Dim CLIENT_SECRET As [String] = "YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET"
'' Register the authenticator and create the service
Dim provider = New NativeApplicationClient(GoogleAuthenticationServer.Description, CLIENT_ID, CLIENT_SECRET)
Dim auth = New OAuth2Authenticator(Of NativeApplicationClient)(provider, GetAuthorization)
Dim service = New DriveService(New BaseClientService.Initializer() With { _
.Authenticator = auth _
})
Dim body As New File()
body.Title = "My document"
body.Description = "A test document"
body.MimeType = "text/plain"
Dim byteArray As Byte() = System.IO.File.ReadAllBytes("document.txt")
Dim stream As New System.IO.MemoryStream(byteArray)
Dim request As FilesResource.InsertMediaUpload = service.Files.Insert(body, stream, "text/plain")
request.Upload()
Dim file As File = request.ResponseBody
Console.WriteLine("File id: " + file.Id)
Console.WriteLine("Press Enter to end this process.")
Console.ReadLine()
End Sub
Private Shared Function GetAuthorization(ByVal arg As NativeApplicationClient) As IAuthorizationState
' Get the auth URL:
Dim state As IAuthorizationState = New AuthorizationState( New () {DriveService.Scopes.Drive.GetStringValue()})
state.Callback = New Uri(NativeApplicationClient.OutOfBandCallbackUrl)
Dim authUri As Uri = arg.RequestUserAuthorization(state)
' Request authorization from the user (by opening a browser window):
Process.Start(authUri.ToString())
Console.Write(" Authorization Code: ")
Dim authCode As String = Console.ReadLine()
Console.WriteLine()
' Retrieve the access token by using the authorization code:
Return arg.ProcessUserAuthorization(authCode, state)
End Function
End Class
End Namespace
It was suggested that the IE library could be utilised to log into the Google Drive and the API calls made from the above to upload. I don't know how to do this. Somewhere else it was mentioned that a 'COM wrapper' may be suitable. I don't have experience with any coding other than VBA (self taught) so am struggling to understand what the next step should be.
If anyone has done something similar or can offer any advice, I would be grateful to hear from you.

Answer 1

This thread might be dead now but if you are working with forms in your database and the user needs to be attaching the files to a particular record displayed in a form with a unique identification number then this is definitely possible but you would have to do it in an external application written in .NET I can provide you with the necessary code to get you started, vb.net is very similar to VBA.
What you would need to do is create a windows form project and add references to Microsoft access core dll and download the nugget package for google drive api from nugget.
Imports Google
Imports Google.Apis.Services
Imports Google.Apis.Drive.v2
Imports Google.Apis.Auth.OAuth2
Imports Google.Apis.Drive.v2.Data
Imports System.Threading
Public Class GoogleDriveAuth
Public Shared Function GetAuthentication() As DriveService
Dim ClientIDString As String = "Your Client ID"
Dim ClientSecretString As String = "Your Client Secret"
Dim ApplicationNameString As String = "Your Application Name"
Dim secrets = New ClientSecrets()
secrets.ClientId = ClientIDString
secrets.ClientSecret = ClientSecretString
Dim scope = New List(Of String)
scope.Add(DriveService.Scope.Drive)
Dim credential = GoogleWebAuthorizationBroker.AuthorizeAsync(secrets, scope, "user", CancellationToken.None).Result()
Dim initializer = New BaseClientService.Initializer
initializer.HttpClientInitializer = credential
initializer.ApplicationName = ApplicationNameString
Dim Service = New DriveService(initializer)
Return Service
End Function
End Class
This code will authorise your drive service then you create a Public Shared Service As DriveService under your imports that can be used from any sub or function then call this function on your form load event like
Service = GoogleDriveAuth.GetAuthentication
Add a reference to your project to Microsoft Access 12.0 Object Library or whatever version you have
Then this piece of code will look at the form you want to get the value of the record no from and upload a file to your choice of folder
Private Sub UploadAttachments()
Dim NumberExtracted As String
Dim oAccess As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access.Application = Nothing
Dim connectedToAccess As Boolean = False
Dim SelectedFolderIdent As String = "Your Upload Folder ID"
Dim CreatedFolderIdent As String
Dim tryToConnect As Boolean = True
Dim oForm As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access.Form
Dim oCtls As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access.Controls
Dim oCtl As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access.Control
Dim sForm As String 'name of form to show
sForm = "Your Form Name"
Try
While tryToConnect
Try
' See if can connect to a running Access instance
oAccess = CType(Marshal.GetActiveObject("Access.Application"), Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access.Application)
connectedToAccess = True
Catch ex As Exception
Try
' If couldn't connect to running instance of Access try to start a running Access instance And get an updated version of the database
oAccess = CType(CreateObject("Access.Application"), Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access.Application)
oAccess.Visible = True
oAccess.OpenCurrentDatabase("Your Database Path", False)
connectedToAccess = True
Catch ex2 As Exception
Dim res As DialogResult = MessageBox.Show("COULD NOT CONNECT TO OR START THE DATABASE" & vbNewLine & ex2.Message, "Warning", MessageBoxButtons.AbortRetryIgnore, MessageBoxIcon.Warning)
If res = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Abort Then
Exit Sub
End If
If res = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Ignore Then
tryToConnect = False
End If
End Try
End Try
' We have connected successfully; stop trying
tryToConnect = False
End While
' Start a new instance of Access for Automation:
' Make sure Access is visible:
If Not oAccess.Visible Then oAccess.Visible = True
' For Each oForm In oAccess.Forms
' oAccess.DoCmd.Close(ObjectType:=Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access.AcObjectType.acForm, ObjectName:=oForm.Name, Save:=Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access.AcCloseSave.acSaveNo)
' Next
' If Not oForm Is Nothing Then
' System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(oForm)
' End If
' oForm = Nothing
' Select the form name in the database window and give focus
' to the database window:
' oAccess.DoCmd.SelectObject(ObjectType:=Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access.AcObjectType.acForm, ObjectName:=sForm, InDatabaseWindow:=True)
' Show the form:
' oAccess.DoCmd.OpenForm(FormName:=sForm, View:=Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access.AcFormView.acNormal)
' Use Controls collection to edit the form:
oForm = oAccess.Forms(sForm)
oCtls = oForm.Controls
oCtl = oCtls.Item("The Name Of The Control Where The Id Number Is On The Form")
oCtl.Enabled = True
' oCtl.SetFocus()
NumberExtracted = oCtl.Value
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(oCtl)
oCtl = Nothing
' Hide the Database Window:
' oAccess.DoCmd.SelectObject(ObjectType:=Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access.AcObjectType.acForm, ObjectName:=sForm, InDatabaseWindow:=True)
' oAccess.RunCommand(Command:=Microsoft.Office.Interop.Access.AcCommand.acCmdWindowHide)
' Set focus back to the form:
' oForm.SetFocus()
' Release Controls and Form objects:
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(oCtls)
oCtls = Nothing
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(oForm)
oForm = Nothing
' Release Application object and allow Access to be closed by user:
If Not oAccess.UserControl Then oAccess.UserControl = True
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(oAccess)
oAccess = Nothing
If NumberExtracted = Nothing Then
MsgBox("The Number Could Not Be Obtained From The Form" & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & "Please Ensure You Have The Form Open Before Trying To Upload")
Exit Sub
End If
If CheckForDuplicateFolder(SelectedFolderIdent, NumberExtracted + " - ATC") = True Then
CreatedFolderIdent = GetCreatedFolderID(NumberExtracted + " - ATC", SelectedFolderIdent)
DriveFilePickerUploader(CreatedFolderIdent)
Else
CreateNewDriveFolder(NumberExtracted + " - ATC", SelectedFolderIdent)
CreatedFolderIdent = GetCreatedFolderID(NumberExtracted + " - ATC", SelectedFolderIdent)
DriveFilePickerUploader(CreatedFolderIdent)
End If
Catch EX As Exception
MsgBox("The Number Could Not Be Obtained From The Form" & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & "Please Ensure You Have The Form Open Before Trying To Upload" & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & EX.Message)
Exit Sub
Finally
If Not oCtls Is Nothing Then
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(oCtls)
oCtls = Nothing
End If
If Not oForm Is Nothing Then
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(oForm)
oForm = Nothing
End If
If Not oAccess Is Nothing Then
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(oAccess)
oAccess = Nothing
End If
End Try
End
End Sub
Check For Duplicate Folders In The Destination Upload Folder
Public Function CheckForDuplicateFolder(ByVal FolderID As String, ByVal NewFolderNameToCheck As String) As Boolean
Dim ResultToReturn As Boolean = False
Try
Dim request = Service.Files.List()
Dim requeststring As String = ("'" & FolderID & "' in parents And mimeType='application/vnd.google-apps.folder' And trashed=false")
request.Q = requeststring
Dim FileList = request.Execute()
For Each File In FileList.Items
If File.Title = NewFolderNameToCheck Then
ResultToReturn = True
End If
Next
Catch EX As Exception
MsgBox("THERE HAS BEEN AN ERROR" & EX.Message)
End Try
Return ResultToReturn
End Function
Create New Drive Folder
Public Sub CreateNewDriveFolder(ByVal DirectoryName As String, ByVal ParentFolder As String)
Try
Dim body1 = New Google.Apis.Drive.v2.Data.File
body1.Title = DirectoryName
body1.Description = "Created By Automation"
body1.MimeType = "application/vnd.google-apps.folder"
body1.Parents = New List(Of ParentReference)() From {New ParentReference() With {.Id = ParentFolder}}
Dim file1 As Google.Apis.Drive.v2.Data.File = Service.Files.Insert(body1).Execute()
Catch EX As Exception
MsgBox("THERE HAS BEEN AN ERROR" & EX.Message)
End Try
End Sub
Get The Created Folder ID
Public Function GetCreatedFolderID(ByVal FolderName As String, ByVal FolderID As String) As String
Dim ParentFolder As String
Try
Dim request = Service.Files.List()
Dim requeststring As String = ("'" & FolderID & "' in parents And mimeType='application/vnd.google-apps.folder' And title='" & FolderName & "' And trashed=false")
request.Q = requeststring
Dim Parent = request.Execute()
ParentFolder = (Parent.Items(0).Id)
Catch EX As Exception
MsgBox("THERE HAS BEEN AN ERROR" & EX.Message)
End Try
Return ParentFolder
End Function
Drive File Picker Uploader To Upload Files Selected From A File Dialog Box To The Newly Created Folder
Public Sub DriveFilePickerUploader(ByVal ParentFolderID As String)
Try
ProgressBar1.Value = 0
Dim MimeTypeToUse As String
Dim dr As DialogResult = Me.OpenFileDialog1.ShowDialog()
If (dr = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK) Then
Dim file As String
Else : Exit Sub
End If
Dim i As Integer = 0
For Each file In OpenFileDialog1.FileNames
MimeTypeToUse = GetMimeType(file)
Dim filetitle As String = (OpenFileDialog1.SafeFileNames(i))
Dim body2 = New Google.Apis.Drive.v2.Data.File
body2.Title = filetitle
body2.Description = "J-T Auto File Uploader"
body2.MimeType = MimeTypeToUse
body2.Parents = New List(Of ParentReference)() From {New ParentReference() With {.Id = ParentFolderID}}
Dim byteArray = System.IO.File.ReadAllBytes(file)
Dim stream = New System.IO.MemoryStream(byteArray)
Dim request2 = Service.Files.Insert(body2, stream, MimeTypeToUse)
request2.Upload()
Next
Catch EX As Exception
MsgBox("THERE HAS BEEN AN ERROR" & EX.Message)
End Try
End Sub
Get The Mime Type Of The Files Being Uploaded
Public Shared Function GetMimeType(ByVal file As String) As String
Dim mime As String = Nothing
Dim MaxContent As Integer = CInt(New FileInfo(file).Length)
If MaxContent > 4096 Then
MaxContent = 4096
End If
Dim fs As New FileStream(file, FileMode.Open)
Dim buf(MaxContent) As Byte
fs.Read(buf, 0, MaxContent)
fs.Close()
Dim result As Integer = FindMimeFromData(IntPtr.Zero, file, buf, MaxContent, Nothing, 0, mime, 0)
Return mime
End Function
<DllImport("urlmon.dll", CharSet:=CharSet.Auto)> _
Private Shared Function FindMimeFromData( _
ByVal pBC As IntPtr, _
<MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)> _
ByVal pwzUrl As String, _
<MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPArray, ArraySubType:=UnmanagedType.I1, SizeParamIndex:=3)> ByVal _
pBuffer As Byte(), _
ByVal cbSize As Integer, _
<MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)> _
ByVal pwzMimeProposed As String, _
ByVal dwMimeFlags As Integer, _
<MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)> _
ByRef ppwzMimeOut As String, _
ByVal dwReserved As Integer) As Integer
End Function
Hopefully this helps you make a start I am 100% convinced this is achievable as I have already done this for my manager.

Answer 2

This reply might be late but just wanna share one of the approach!
I have done this successfully with VBA and the demo link is here
http://www.sfdp.net/thuthuataccess/demo/democAuth.rar?attredirects=0&d=1
With this, you can upload, download or delete a file with your GoogleDrive in Access..
Just Wininet + WinHTTP enough
Dang Dinh ngoc
Vietnam