Google is tightening the account security used for drive. After April 2015, passwords will no longer be an option for Google Drive Syncdocs users, as discussed here. Google based permissions will be required.

The most recent Syncdocs update walks you through the process. If you are still using a password, after the update you will see the following popup:

Clicking OK will take you to the Google permissions web page. (you may need to login or select an account first)

You will need to click “Accept” to give Syncdocs access to your Google Drive files. Here’s a detailed discussion of the access Syncdocs needs and what it needs it for.

That’s it. Syncdocs will now go back to work as usual.

Note for Windows Server users

If you running Syncdocs on a Windows Server, the “Requests for Permissions” web page may be blank.

On a Windows Server IE may be locked down by default. You will need to add *.google.com and *.gstatic.com to the trusted sites and lowering the trusted sites security level to low to show the permissions page.

Apps like Syncdocs have two ways getting permission to access your Google Drive account – via your password, or you can give them permission (called OAuth). Syncdocs allows you to use either method.

Since 2013 Syncdocs has been using OAuth permissions as the default. There is more info on it here.

Google is slowly withdrawing the “via a password” method, as part of their drive to improve security.

In 2015 Syncdocs will begin encouraging users still using passwords on Syncdocs to switch to account permissions. After 20 April 2015, passwords may no longer work.

OAuth is better for security, as you can limit what permissions an app has access to. For example, using OAuth with Syncdocs gives it access only to your Google Drive, not to your GMail.

If you have not already done so, securing your Google account with backup emails, security questions and SMS verification is highly recommended.

Switch to giving Syncdocs permission (OAuth)

Do this by clicking on the Syncdocs taskbar menu and then selecting Preferences. Then click on the Account Tab, and check the following option:

Syncdocs will pop up a web page asking for permission to access your Google Drive account. You will need to click on approve to give Syncdocs access to your account.

That’s it. Syncdocs will work without requiring your password.

Read on to learn about why Syncdocs needs what permission, and also how to revoke access if you un-install Syncdocs. Keep your Google account safe by checking our general security tips.

Syncdocs permissions

Syncdocs needs the following permissions in order to run. Here is the detail of what it needs and why:

1. Know who you are on Google, and view your email address.
   Your email address is needed to login to the right Google Drive account, and is also needed when you share files with others, or change their ownership.
2. View and manage files in Google Drive.
   This is the core of what Syncdocs does, reading and writing to Google Drive.
3. Access your Contact List, Tasks and Calendars.
   Syncdocs can back these up these once a day to your local hard drive.
4. View and manage your spreadsheets in Google Drive.
   This is for legacy support. Older Google Spreadsheets (and forms) used to be a separate product from Google Docs, which was the foundation for Google Drive.
5. Manage your photos and videos.
   Google Photos (old Picassa) will probably be merged into Google Drive and away from Google Plus by Google some time in 2015. This permission is to allow the backup of these photos.
6. Manage your goo.gl short URLs.
   Syncdocs uses goo.gl short links when sharing files with others. This makes it easier for them to use, as https://goo.gl/ABC123 is easier than https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hIXivBHKyZPPPMw6mLaVN–gCZODX5zelxWvTTCDSxpgBA/pub

Users have been trusting us with their Google data since 2010, learn more about our security and privacy policy here.

How to revoke Syncdocs permissions

If you’ve uninstalled Syncdocs and want to remove the account permissions you gave the app, here’s how:

A new maintenance version of Syncdocs, version 5.80 has just been released. The main reason for this release is to be compatible with upcoming Google URL changes. The next major release of Syncdocs (version 6) will be out beta in late October. It contains many new features, will be faster and use less memory on 32bit systems.

Stop Syncdocs folder cluttering your Google Drive root

A new feature in this 5.80 release is the ability not to create any of its default folders in the root of your Google Drive.

Syncdocs makes folders for called Originals Backup, Shared, and Direct Uploads. The use and creation of these folders can now be turned off by un-checking the following option in the Folders Tab of the Preferences.

Differences between old and new behaviour

 If you are upgrading from an older version of Syncdocs, there is no change – the folders will still be used, unless you un-check this option. However, new installations will not make these folders by default.

1. Right click Sharing to Google Drive

The old behaviour of sharing was to upload folders and files to the “Public Share” folder if these items were shared publicly.

The new behaviour is to upload shared files and folders to the root by default.

2. Right click Uploading files to Google Drive

Old files went into the “Direct Uploads” folder. New files go to the root.

3. Right click Encrypting and Uploading folders to Google Drive

There is no change. Folders, are created in the root, as a link to the original, if specified.

4. Backing up edited Google Docs and Contact Lists

The Originals Backup folder is no longer stored in local Google Drive root – rather it is saved with the user’s other Syncdocs settings. This folder contains the original files that might be corrupted by editing on Google, as well as the Contacts List backup.

While we are working on a major new version of Syncdocs, we’ve slipped some of the fixes and features into a maintenance update of Syncdocs.

Syncdocs Version 5.67 Fixes and New features

Fixed

– Improved download reliability on large and locked files on slow networks.
– Speed improved on unreliable networks
– Google Forms design download. Form responses are now downloaded as a spreadsheet, but the form design (html) is not, as Google no longer supports this.
– Create New Google presentation from the menu and command line, creates new format Google Presentations.
– File extensions and file-names set to be ignored in appsettings.xml were sometimes not ignored when the file was updated on Google.

New Features

– Minor warnings are no longer shown on the status by default. This can be turned back on in the “Show Warnings” item in the Advanced Preferences menu.
– Google Drive download bandwidth can be limited in the Sync Preferences menu.

How to Update

The upgrade is free and will happen automatically. The old Syncdocs version should ask if you want to update automatically in the next few days.

To update now, right click on the Syncdocs taskbar icon, go to Preferences -> Advanced -> “Check for Updates”

You can also download the new version and just re-install it over the old one.
http://www.syncdocs.com/download-syncdocs

We’ll be releasing updated 64bit and portable USB stick version in the next few days.

We’ve just doubled the amount of free quota to 500 files

When we started Syncdocs 2 years ago, 1G online storage and 250 files seemed a reasonable amount. Not anymore, so we’ve doubled the amount of free starting quota to 500 files.

If you have already invited friends your quota will also be increased by at least 250. You can still get more by inviting friends to Syncdocs.

And get more file sync quota

Invite your friends to use Syncdocs and both of you get a free bonus. You get a +250 bonus per friend.

The person you invited also gets an extra 250 file bonus, so starts with 750 files. They can also invite others, while staying in sync with Google Docs on all their PCs.

Invite as many people as you wish, up to a max of 10,000 files.

Go here to invite by email, or to get a link to share on your blog, webpage, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Enjoy!

-The Syncdocs team

From 1 September Syncdocs is out of beta.

The new features and enhancements we’ve added in the last few months make the latest release a great solution for syncing and accessing the cloud from your desktop.

From today, new users can sync up to 250 files for free. Registering for only $9.95 gives unlimited quota and access to more features. This special price of 9.95 is a 50% off Introductory special.

The quota limit can also be increased to up to 10,000 by inviting friends to try Syncdocs.

Beta users have unlimited quota until 30 September. If they have not registered Syncdocs by then, Syncdocs reverts to the limited free version.

See the licensing FAQ  for full details.

You can easily use Syncdocs to sync your Google Docs to and from your PC. Syncdocs and Google Docs are both secure.

However, if you share a Google account with others, and want to keep your own cloud data private, take a look at Secret Sync. It encrypts all you data locally so that your data is completely private, accessible only to you on your local PC. Syncdocs still syncs all your data to Google Docs, but the chosen Secret Sync folders are encrypted on Google Docs and Apps.

We’ve posted a step-by-step guide to file and folder sharing here.

Syncdocs 0.57 Release notes

We are happy to announce a new release.

New features

• File and folder sharing. You can now right click on any file or folder in Windows and share it on Google Docs.
• Enhanced support for Google Viewer. Most common file-types can now be viewed much better online.
• More extensive command line options for 3^rd party integration.

Bug fixes and improvements

• Fixed list inconsistencies erroneously on duplicate folders
• Syncdocs sometimes did a double syncs on file update, especially during collaboration when merging Word with Google Docs
• Update to empty byte files ignored
• 502 Google server errors html displayed correctly
• Maximum Google limits adhered to for all file types now.
• Support all Google mime types (doc, xls, pptx, dxf, ai psd Apple pages, txt etc) even if unknown on PC.
• Fixed startup folder permissions and creation in wrong place if user lacks certain privileges on upgrade.
• (untested fix) Some users see Google folders not showing on selective sync.
• some other smaller fixes and enhancements

How to upgrade

It normally happens automatically. Your old version should ask if you want to update automatically in the next few days, if you want the fixes now, right click on the Syncdocs taskbar icon, go to Preferences -> Advanced -> “Check for Updates”

You can also download the new version and install it over the old one.
http://www.syncdocs.com/download-syncdocs
The new setup contains more shortcuts to create Google Docs.