Open Any Document in Google Docs Via a Url
We are looking at ways to integrate the new Teachers Without Borders site with Google docs.
Turns out that you can open:
documents - .pdf, .doc, .txt, .html, .rtf and .odt
spreadsheets - .xls, .csv, .ods
presentations - .ppt
By feeding the file url to this google url:
http://docs.google.com/?DocAction=updoc&formsubmitted=true&uploadURL=DOCUMENT_URL
Here's an example if you needed to view a W4 form from the IRS url:
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf
http://docs.google.com/?DocAction=updoc&formsubmitted=true&uploadURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irs.gov%2Fpub%2Firs-pdf%2Ffw4.pdf
http://docs.google.com/?DocAction=updoc&formsubmitted=true&uploadURL=http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw4.pdf
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Justin Ball is a software consultant and entrepreneur with a passion for Ruby. He evolved from a C++ and .Net monkey into a python programmer and finally found Ruby. In the rare moments when he isn't writing code, talking about code or measuring his code productivity in profanity per hour, you can find him on his bike in the mountains or on the roads surrounding Cache Valley. 
You’re the one to do it, Justin!
I am looking for a way to open a “google document” via a URL on a web page (or other allowed locations for such a link) – and I think you are saying you figured out how to do that but the link you provided was truncated. Could you reply to my email tom@gafyd.net and tell me if you know how to achieve what I’m seeking to do….. Thanks Much TOM
I’ve been experimenting with this a bit and it would appear that Google has recently added some security that prevents you from opening a document directly via the url. Not sure why they would do this but personally I have started to find that Google doesn’t really like mashups or useful integrations. They provide APIs but I tend to find them far more complicated than they need to be (why should everything need to be a large atom based document you submit via a post) and far less useful than most. The url hack was an awesome way to make it easy for a user to add a link that let other users import a document into Google docs. Big failure here Google.
Hi, I just tried this and it didn’t work – just sent me right to my docs homepage. Perhaps they’ve changed the google url? Any other suggestions?
Google shut down this hack so now you have to use their apis which sucks because instead of five minutes to create a link you have to spend two days integrating their api calls and the user experience stinks (they have to login to Google and are required to follow several more steps).
It was nice when it worked. Wish Google would be more open.
ita very good facility
hey this doesn't work anymore, it is my educated guess that google has changed the HTTP request for this function from GET to POST so url parameters won't work…
just to let you know
Ya, Google changed their api. This was a cool hack while it lasted. I think there is still a way to do it but you have to write quite a bit more code and work with their api.
Very useful. Thank you!
I developed a nice little app that helps you use Google docs just like you'd use a regular office suite.
If you're interested, have a look at http://www.gdocsopen.com
Hope this helps someone!
I developed a nice little app that helps you use Google docs just like you'd use a regular office suite.
If you're interested, have a look at http://www.gdocsopen.com
Hope this helps someone!
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