Ubuntu – Alternative for Google+ auto backup of image… how would I automate resize and transfer

google-picasaimage processingsync

I get by with Linux but I'm by no means a guru, so please be nice 🙂

On my other devices (Android, Windows) I use Picasa and its Auto Backup feature to automatically resize and upload to my Google drive. Honestly, I don't really know how it works, it just works. I back up my photos full size to my Ubuntu server locally and from there to Crash Plan so this isn't about data security, it is specifically for Google+ sharing and the "neat" features they have. Because they allow unlimited photos for anything < 2048*2048 I want to resize.

So how can I:

  1. resize
  2. upload
  3. stay synced

Preferably from the command line, as it is a headless server.

Oh, I should probably say this: I did just add my network folder containing all those folders into my Windows machine's Picasa… and that's working – sort of. Problem #1 is that it says its going to take 42 days to complete. The bigger problem, however, is that it is really trashing my Internet connection. I'm not sure why. I did a test with local photos and it doesn't affect my connection at all, but my VOIP was dying periodically and I narrowed it down to it being whenever the server was being accessed by Picasa for a photo. Anyway, for long term success I think I'd like to do the above rather than using Picasa for this task.

Best Answer

There is a way to install Google photos auto backup on Ubuntu (taken from here on Reddit, worked for me...)

  1. Install google photos auto backup on Windows machine (may be a virtual PC or an ordinary PC)
  2. Start > Run > regedit
  3. go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Picasa\Picasa2\Preferences

  4. Then on Menu > registry > export registry file. It should look something like this: 

    Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Picasa\Picasa2\Preferences]
"GoogleOAuth"=hex:xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,\      xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx,xx
"GoogleOAuthEmail"="youremail@gmail.com"
"GoogleOAuthServices"="mail,lh2,cp,cp.manager,mailrelay,plus.stream.write,    plus.circles.read,plus.profiles.read,plus.me,plus.media.upload,plus.media.    readonly,plus.settings,youtube,"
"GoogleOAuthVersion"=dword:00000005

  5. Install playOnLinux. Go to configure, create a new 32-bit Windows virtual drive, call it GooglePhotosBackup. Select the new virtual drive. In wine tab > task manager > new task, select the gpautobackup_setup.exe file you've downloaded from google and install google auto backup.

  6. Select the new virtual drive again > registry editor , then on menu > registry > import registry file > import the registry file you created earlier.
  7. General tab > make a new shortcut from this virtual drive button and select google photos backup.exe.

Finally, run the application and you should be logged in!

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