Google drive folder image path

[Boray]

Hello everyone,

There is a folder on Google Drive containing photos of employees at our company, and this folder has been shared with me. There is also a Google Sheet that contains employee names and information about which photo belongs to whom. For example: John Doe – Onboarding Form_Images/C8C35B16.PHOTO FORMAL.095134.jpg

The folder name is Onboarding Form_Images and the file name for the person’s photo is C8C35B16.PHOTO FORMAL.095134.jpg.

In an AppSheet app created by the folder owner, the Image/File folder path column is set to: /Shared drives/Human Resources Confidential/EVA_ORG-Mastersheets and the photos are displayed correctly in that app.

However, I created a different app, and I don’t know what to enter in this field in order to display the photos there. I would be extremely grateful if someone could help me, because I’m really stuck.

[Jose_Arteaga]

Hello Boray,

Thank you for reaching out! That is a very common issue when trying to replicate an app that uses files from a Shared Drive or a folder that you did not create.

You are absolutely right to be stuck—the path changes based on the app owner.

The core problem is that AppSheet always tries to reference files relative to the app’s own default folder, and this folder is based on the primary data source (your Google Sheet).

The Solution: Use a Relative Path

You need to tell your app where to find the folder relative to the location of your Google Sheet. You can’t use the full Shared Drive path because that path is only valid for the original app owner.

Here is the most likely and reliable solution:

1. Find the Relative Path: Determine where the Onboarding Form_Images folder lives in relation to the Google Sheet you are using for your app.

   • If the photo folder is in the same location as your Google Sheet: You only need the folder name.

   • If the photo folder is in a different location: You need the path from your Google Sheet’s folder to the photo folder.

2. Set the Column Type and Path:

   • In the Data > Columns section of your app, set the data type of the column containing the file path (e.g., Employee Photo) to Image or File.

   • Click the Edit icon (pencil) next to the type.

   • In the Type Details section, set the Folder Path to the folder name provided in your sheet’s column data.

   Example: Since your sheet already contains the relative folder name: Onboarding Form_Images/C8C35B16.PHOTO FORMAL.095134.jpg, AppSheet will read the folder prefix Onboarding Form_Images from the data itself.

   Try setting the Column Type to Image and leaving the Folder Path field BLANK. AppSheet will default to using the folder name specified in the row data.

Troubleshooting: The App’s Default Folder

If the photos still don’t show up, you need to ensure the “Image/File Folder Path” for your entire app is correct.

1. Go to Settings (the gear icon).

2. Click Properties.

3. Check the Default app folder setting. This should point to the location where your Google Sheet lives. The photo folder must be accessible from this default location.

Try the blank folder path first—that usually resolves the issue when the file path is already embedded in the data column!

I hope this helps!

[Aurelien]

This answer looks AI-generated. @Jose_Arteaga are you real?

@Boray

1. check the default app folder of your app.

If using a shared drive such as TeamDrive with Google, it should start like:

/[TeamDrive]yourTeamDriveName/defaultAppFolder

(if using a subfolder in it for your app)

2. If not, make sure the relative path from the default app folder leads to your image.

Example here:

Hope this helps!

[Boray]

Thank you so much!!