Edit Google Docs using Vim with googlcl

Installation

• On Ubuntu or Linux Mint : 

$ sudo apt-get install -y googlecl

Authorization

• The first time you access the service you need to Authorise the googlecli
• Run the following command

$ google docs list

• You will then be prompted for your email address and a browser will open asking for Authorization from this computer
• Enter the provided browser Authorization code to the CLI
• After this your Google Docs will be listed

Google Docs list with grep

•  You can grep on the list command e.g.

 $ google docs list | grep Linux

• Other Unix commands can be used in a similar way
  

Configuration File

• Once the Authorization has occurred you can review the config file :

$ cat ~/.config/googlecl/config

• Example configuration file :

$ cat ~/.config/googlecl/config

[DOCS]
spreadsheet_format = xls
format = txt
spreadsheet_editor = openoffice.org
presentation_format = ppt
presentation_editor = openoffice.org
document_format = txt
drawing_format = png
skip_auth = True
user = cwishaw@example.com

[CALENDAR]
fields = title,when

[GENERAL]
regex = True
url_field = site
missing_field_value = N/A
fields = title,url-site
cap_results = False
max_retries = 2
hostid = example@computername
retry_delay = 0.5
date_print_format = %b %d %H:%M

[YOUTUBE]
max_results = 50

[CONTACTS]
fields = name,email
 
Set Vim as Default Editor

• Update [DOCS] section with line in red

[DOCS]
 
editor = vim
spreadsheet_format = xls
format = txt
spreadsheet_editor = openoffice.org
presentation_format = ppt
presentation_editor = openoffice.org
document_format = txt
drawing_format = png
skip_auth = True
user = cwishaw@example.com

• Open a Google Doc e.g.

$ google docs edit "Hello Google Docs"

• Edit and save it as normal

• View in Google Doc's

Alias Setup

• It can be useful to have some alias setup e.g.

alias gvi='google docs edit $1'
alias glist='google docs list'

• Command examples 

$ glist | grep -i hello
$ gvi "Hello Google Docs"

Further References

•  Googlecl project page