FAQ

Why do I have to create my own Google client?

DriveSync uses a client in your own Google Cloud project, so its project-level API quota is not shared with other DriveSync users. Files transfer directly between your computer and Google; ScaleNinja does not operate a transfer server. Creating the client takes about ten minutes. Client ownership and where files travel are separate properties of the design.

Google setup walks through it for both the app and CLI.

Google keeps asking me to sign in again

If sign-in stops working after seven days, check whether your project's audience is External and its publishing status is Testing. Publishing removes that testing-mode lifetime limit; it does not guarantee that tokens last forever. Access can still be revoked or affected by inactivity, token limits or administrator policies. Follow Google setup and reauthorize the folder if needed. See Google's token-expiration documentation for other causes.

Does it sync automatically in the background?

No. DriveSync runs when you tell it to. There is no watcher, no schedule and no daemon. That is a deliberate trade: you never come back to a folder that changed while you were not looking.

Is it two-way?

Not in one pass. Each run goes one direction, push or pull, so there is never a question about which side won. If both sides have changed, run compare, then push and pull in whichever order makes sense for the files involved.

What happens to conflicts?

They are listed and skipped. A conflict means the destination copy is newer, or both sides changed since the last sync. Nothing is overwritten unless you tick Force for that run, and even then names that differ only in capitalisation are left alone.

Will it delete my files?

Only if you tick Trash missing for that run, and then only after the plan has listed every deletion and you have confirmed a second time. Deletions go to the Google Drive trash or the macOS Trash, so they are recoverable. If any transfer in the run fails, the deletions are skipped entirely.

Why are my Google Docs not downloading?

There is no file to download. Docs, Sheets and Slides live inside Google's editors; the Drive API offers exports, not the original. DriveSync lists them in the plan and skips them, with the reason spelled out on the row. They are never deleted or overwritten either.

Can I sync a folder on an external disk or a NAS?

External disks, yes. Network shares, no: dsync needs filesystem behaviour that SMB and AFP do not provide reliably, and the wizard says so under the folder field. If the external disk is unplugged, the folder reports that it is unreachable instead of treating every file as deleted.

Can I use it with a shared drive or a Workspace account?

Google Workspace accounts can sync files under My Drive, subject to your administrator's policies. Your admin may need to allow the client or create the project for you. Shared Drives are not supported by the current folder-pairing workflow; a Workspace account and a Shared Drive are different things.

Where are my tokens stored?

In a .gd folder inside the synced folder, with owner-only file permissions on macOS. The bundled dsync uses them to authenticate with Google; ScaleNinja does not receive them. Deleting .gd removes this folder's local configuration and tokens, but does not revoke Google's authorization or any copies elsewhere. To revoke the grant, use your Google account permissions.

Does ScaleNinja receive my files?

No. Files move directly between your Mac and Google. We run no server, so there is nothing in the middle. See the privacy policy for what is stored locally and what is not.

What is dsync, and do I need it separately?

dsync is the command-line tool that does the actual syncing. It is ours, open source under the MIT licence, and a copy ships inside the app, so you do not need to install anything. If you want it standalone, for a script or for Linux, it is on GitHub and in our Homebrew tap.

Can I try the engine before buying the Mac app?

Yes. The free CLI quickstart lets you test syncing with your own account and files. It uses the same engine as the app. On a Mac, you can then add that initialized folder to DriveSync without repeating its Google setup. The CLI remains free and fully functional; the app adds the native menu-bar interface, visual plans and progress.

The app says a folder needs access

macOS sandboxing: DriveSync can only reach folders you have granted, and that grant can lapse if the folder moved or was restored from a backup. Click Grant Access… and pick the same folder again.

Something failed and I want to report it

Open Settings, find the folder, expand the last run's failures and use Copy Report. It includes the paths and Google's own error text. Send it to support@scaleninja.com.