Google Drive Image Import add-on for CS-Cart

Add product and category images straight from a Google Drive link

Google Drive Image Import lets you add product and category images straight from a Google Drive share link — no downloading files to your computer and re-uploading them to CS-Cart. Paste a Drive URL into the image field and the addon quietly fetches the image, saves it on your store, and attaches it to the product or category just like any other uploaded picture.

It is a big time-saver for stores and vendors who already keep their product photography in Google Drive: photographers, suppliers, and team members drop new pictures into a shared Drive folder and send you the link — no FTP, no zipped folders, no fiddling with downloads. It also works with the standard CS-Cart CSV product import: list Google Drive URLs in your import file and the images are pulled in automatically. There is nothing new to learn — you use the same “From URL” option CS-Cart already has, and the addon handles the Drive part on its own. Works on CS-Cart Store Builder and Multi-Vendor, single or multiple storefronts.

Key Features

• Import by Drive Link — add images by simply pasting a Google Drive URL, no manual download/upload
• Products & Categories — works for the main product image, additional gallery images, and category images
• Works in Bulk Imports — put Drive URLs in the image columns of your CSV and they are pulled in during import
• Every Drive Link Format — recognises “view” links, “open?id=”, “uc?id=” download links, thumbnail links, and docs.google.com links
• Saved Locally — images are stored on your server so they load fast and survive even if the Drive file is later removed or unshared
• Wide Format Support — JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, BMP, and SVG, with the correct file type and extension detected automatically
• Skips Re-Downloads — images already saved are not fetched again, so re-saving a product stays fast
• Admin Thumbnail Preview — a Drive thumbnail shows in the product editor so you can confirm the right link before saving
• Custom Storage Folder — choose where imported images are kept, separate from the rest of your media library
• Vendor Friendly — vendors editing their own products can paste Drive links exactly as admins do
• No Google Sign-In — works with public “Anyone with the link” files; no developer setup, no tokens to expire

How It Works

1. Install the addon and, if you like, set the local folder where downloaded images are kept
2. Open a product or category and choose to add an image From URL instead of uploading a file
3. Paste a Google Drive share link — a full “view” URL, an “open?id=” URL, a “uc?id=” download URL, or any common Drive format
4. While the page is open, a small Drive thumbnail preview confirms you pasted the right link
5. When you save, the addon spots the Drive link, extracts the file ID, and downloads the image in the background
6. The image is saved into your media folder under your chosen storage folder, and the record is updated to point at the local file
7. The image appears in the product gallery, on category pages, and on the storefront like any other picture
8. If you edit the same product later, the addon sees the file is already on disk and skips the download

Requirements

• CS-Cart Store Builder or Multi-Vendor (single or multiple storefronts) 4.6.3 or higher
• PHP 7.4 or higher with cURL available (tested up to PHP 8.3)
• Google Drive files shared as “Anyone with the link can view”
• Write permission on the image storage folder inside your store

Installation

1. Go to Add-ons > Manage add-ons, click Manual installation, and upload the addon zip file
2. Activate the addon and enter the license key
3. Open the addon settings and check the storage folder (the default suits most stores), make sure your Drive files are shared as “Anyone with the link can view”, then edit any product and paste a Drive link to confirm it works

Configuration Options

Setup is deliberately light — there is one setting and no Google sign-in to configure.

To use it, edit a product or category as normal: in the Images block choose From URL, paste your Google Drive share link, and click Save. The same works for additional product images, category images, and Drive URLs placed in the image columns of a CSV import.

Limitations

• Works only with public “Anyone with the link can view” files — no private/restricted Drive files and no Google sign-in
• Expects individual file share URLs — no folder-level imports

Support

For questions, issues, or feature requests, contact us at www.cartmodules.com.