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

[kalmeloda]

I'm still having issues with this - I initially just adding my G:\ drive to the Folder section of Everything, but it just wouldn't find anything in my Shortcut folder.

I'm now trying to remove that and only add the shortcut folder. Is that the way to go, even when the files are being Streamed rather than available offline? Or what is currently the recommended way for Everything to properly work on a streamed Google drive shortcut folder?