Support for Google Drive Shortcuts

[Alexees]

Hi there,

a few days ago Everything stopped finding files in my Google Drive shared folder. Looks like Google Drive references shared folders as a shortcut, which I can see in the Explorer, but I cannot select as a searchable folder in Everything.

Does anyone know how to deal with that?

[void]

Please ensure Everything is running as a standard user:

• In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
• Click the General tab on the left.
• Check Store settings and data in %APPDATA%\Everything.
• Uncheck Run as administrator.
• Check Everything Service. (Please make sure this is tick-checked and not square-checked)
• Click OK.
• Exit Everything (right click the Everything tray icon and click Exit).
• Restart Everything.

Does the issue persist?

[Alexees]

Everything was configured as requested

But I found a solution

The following folder is invisible to Everything: C:\<Username>\Google Drive\<FolderName>
Instead this one was (Google Drive mapped drive): G:\.shortcut-targets-by-id\<SomeHash>\<FolderName>

The question remains why it stopped working all of a sudden. I know that all of my offline files went "available online only" about 1 or 2 weeks ago. Maybe Google Drive changed how files are accessed.

The solution involves manually adding a hidden folder, so an alternative would be appreciated

[RySearcher]

Yeah, the new Google Shortcuts that they have started rolling out breaks Everything Search because Google seems to create some weird file path characters in the shortcut files. You can search a shortcut folder if you right click on the folder and then choose "Search Everything..." but if the shortcut folder is in an non-shortcut folder, then Everything Search will not find that directory.

We need a solution for this because Google is rolling this new shortcut setup out to all users.

[void]

If you are using Stream Files:



On Windows 11, to add your google drive to your Everything index:

• In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
• Click the Folders tab.
• Click Add....
• Select your G: drive and click OK.
• Click OK.

On Windows 10, please try adding your google drive as "G:\.shortcut-targets-by-id":

• In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
• Click the Folders tab on the left.
• Select G: and click Remove.
• Click Add....
• Type in the following location and press ENTER:
  G:\.shortcut-targets-by-id
• Click OK.

If you are using Mirror Files:

Please try adding your google drive as "C:\Users\<username>\My Drive":

• In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
• Click the Folders tab on the left.
• Select G: and click Remove.
• Click Add....
• Type in the following location and press ENTER:
  %userprofile%\My Drive
• Click OK.

If you are using Shared folders, please add each individual folder under: G:\Shared drives

[RySearcher]

This doesn't work for me because I already have a "G" drive for a network drive I need, so I can't remove the "G" drive and add the shortcut target string.

[void]

Does google use a different drive letter in this case? -if so, replace G: with your Google drive letter.
Are you using Stream Files or Mirror files?

[void]

If you are using Stream Files:

On Windows 11, to add your google drive to your Everything index:

• In Everything, from the Tools menu, click Options.
• Click the Folders tab.
• Click Add....
• Select your G: drive and click OK.
• Click OK.

[RySearcher]

Hi,

This solution you proposed works for me now. For easy reference for others, this is what I did, which worked. I already have a network drive with the letter "G", so Google set my new Drive up with the letter "D", which was previously unused. Therefore, instead of adding the folder "G:\.shortcut-targets-by-id", I added "D:\.shortcut-targets-by-id" which did the trick

Thank you so much!

[void]

Adding note here:

If you are using Shared drives, please add each individual folder under: G:\Shared drives