Drive Upload — 3-Route Fallback

When to use

• Uploading any file (image, PDF, video, transcript, script output) to Drive
• Saving content from scripts or GitHub Actions artifacts

When NOT to use

• Creating empty folders → use mcp__claude_ai_Google_Drive__create_file (mimeType: folder) directly
• Writing content to an existing Google Doc → use GOOGLEDOCS_UPDATE_DOCUMENT_MARKDOWN
• Drive MCP create_file with content=... ALWAYS fails silently — do not use for file content

Destination routing (MANDATORY check first)

• Higashi / Hig Negócios / mom's site / Alexandra → 0AN7aea2IZzE0Uk9PVA (Higashi shared drive) → Claude Flow → Website folder 1CKWTojSg2uQmXjNnKlAaSBCTfxtSQBvH
• OPC / Oak Park / McFolling / content / marketing → 0AIPzwsJD_qqzUk9PVA (Marketing shared drive) → Claude Code Workspace
• NEVER upload to My Drive
• NEVER mix Higashi and Marketing

3 Routes

Route A — OAuth resumable upload (preferred for any file > 5MB)

POST https://www.googleapis.com/upload/drive/v3/files?uploadType=resumable&supportsAllDrives=true
Authorization: Bearer <SHEETS_TOKEN access token>
Content-Type: application/json
Body: {"name": "<filename>", "parents": ["<SHARED_DRIVE_FOLDER_ID>"]}

• MUST include supportsAllDrives=true or shared drives return 404
• Get upload URL from Location header, then PUT the bytes
• Working implementation: ~/ClaudeWorkspace/_Scripts/build_carousel_v2.py lines 15-100
• Also used in: ~/ClaudeWorkspace/_Scripts/daily_content_processor.py

Route B — Simple OAuth multipart (files < 5MB)

POST https://www.googleapis.com/upload/drive/v3/files?uploadType=multipart&supportsAllDrives=true

Same auth, metadata + media in a multipart body.

Route C — MCP create_file (FOLDERS ONLY, never for content)

mcp__claude_ai_Google_Drive__create_file works perfectly for folders and empty Docs. Never attach content — it silently creates empty file.

Verification (mandatory — do not skip)

After upload, confirm file lands in the correct shared drive path:

• Call mcp__claude_ai_Google_Drive__search_files with the filename
• Verify parents matches target folder ID
• Only then report "uploaded" with the Drive link

Reference

• Full routing rules: reference_active_connections.md
• Working upload code: ~/ClaudeWorkspace/_Scripts/build_carousel_v2.py
• 4AM agent uploads: priihigashi/oak-park-ai-hub → scripts/4am_agent/ (GitHub)