Scan to Cloud very fussy about Google Drive contents - anyone know the rules?

[DaveTwoWheels]

My MFP 4101fdw is set up through admin.hpsmart.com to scan to google drive. Of the 3 google drive destinations I tried to set up (3 different google drives, that is), only one "just worked". the other two give this error:

when trying to list the available folders. I tried renaming folders with special characters,  I tried reducing the number of files, and eventually after putting all the "loose" files into folders instead of the root, it listed folders and worked,

Unfortunately, one of the google drives I want to scan to is a work drive, and I cannot easily restructure the entire root directory just to make the printer happy.

Does anyone know the rules as far as:

a) total number of allowed root level files and folders combined

b) total number of allowed root level folders

c) total number of allowed root level files

d) file and folder name restrictions (unsupported characters, length, etc.?

The implementation is definitely defective - I shouldn't need to restructure my google drive to pick a folder in it. But for now, just looking for the "rules of the road" so I can make minimal changes to have it work.

[Sneha_01]

Hi @DaveTwoWheels,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It appears that the issue with your HP MFP 4101fdw and Google Drive integration is related to the way the printer's software interacts with the contents of the Google Drive, particularly with respect to how many files and folders are present and their naming conventions. Here's some guidance to help you understand the possible constraints and rules that might be affecting your setup:

General Constraints and Rules for Google Drive Integration

1. Total Number of Files and Folders

There might be limitations on the number of files and folders that the HP scanning software can handle in the root directory.

• Total Number of Items: While Google Drive itself can handle a large number of files and folders, the HP Smart integration might have limitations on how many items it can process in the root directory. If you encounter issues, try to keep the number of items (both files and folders) in the root directory to a minimum.
• Workaround: Group files into folders to reduce the total number of items in the root directory.

2. Folder Structure and Depth

Complex folder structures might cause issues for the scanning software.

• Folder Depth: Avoid deeply nested folders. The software might struggle to navigate through a complex hierarchy.
• Workaround: Keep your folder structure as flat as possible, especially for directories you intend to use for scanning.

3. File and Folder Naming Restrictions

Certain characters and naming conventions can cause issues with the integration.

• Unsupported Characters: Avoid using special characters that might be unsupported. This includes characters like !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, (, ), {, }, [, ], ~, \, /, |, <, >, ?, :.
• Name Length: Keep file and folder names reasonably short. While Google Drive allows long names, the HP Smart integration might have shorter limits.
• Workaround: Rename files and folders to use only alphanumeric characters and avoid excessive length.

4. Permissions and Account Restrictions

• Account Type: Ensure that the Google Drive account has the necessary permissions and is not restricted by organizational policies.
• Workaround: If possible, verify with your IT department that the account permissions are correctly set for external applications like HP Smart to access and modify the contents.

Steps to Troubleshoot and Resolve the Issue

• Move files from the root directory into folders to reduce clutter.
• Try to keep the number of items (files and folders combined) in the root directory to a minimum, ideally less than 100.
• Rename folders and files to remove special characters.
• Keep names short and simple, using only alphanumeric characters.
• Ensure the Google Drive account has the correct permissions for the folders you are trying to scan to.
• Verify with your IT department if there are any restrictions or policies affecting the account.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

Rachel571

HP Support