Podcasts are a great way to stay informed about technology, science, and the world around us. They’re also a great source of entertainment for commutes or whenever you want to take a break from work. One way to make sure you don’t miss out on any new episodes is by setting up an auto-download feature in Google Sheets. It’s easy to do with just a few quick steps!
Prepping Your Drive for Podcasts
To get started, you’ll need to create a new Google Drive folder and document.
- First, click on the folder icon in the upper-left corner of your screen. Then click “Create New” and select “Folder” from the dropdown menu. Name your folder whatever you’d like–I chose “Podcasts.”
- Next for this step is creating a new spreadsheet document within that same Google Drive folder we just made. Click on “File,” then select “New,” then choose “Spreadsheet” from under Docs (it should be at the bottom). Give it any name you want; I named mine “Podcasts List.”
Create a Google Sheet
- Create a Google Sheet
- Set up your columns
- Add the “Auto-Download Podcasts” function to the sheet and make sure you have the right permissions for the sheet (i.e., who can edit it).
Get Your Media RSS Feeds
To get your media RSS feeds, you’ll need to know the website of your podcast and how to find its RSS feed.
- To find the website for a podcast: Type “podcast name” into Google and click on its first result (usually hosted by Libsyn).
- To find an RSS feed on a specific website: Click on More Options in Chrome’s address bar (it looks like three dots), then select View Source from the dropdown menu that appears. This will open up your browser’s code editor so you can see all of its underlying HTML elements and data–including any links or scripts they contain! Scroll down until you see something called ; this is where all of the podcast episodes’ links are stored as part of their metadata information that tells Google how they should be displayed when someone searches for them through Google Search or other services like Android Auto Drive Mode or Apple CarPlay
Create a Custom List for Your Podcasts to Be Downloaded To
To create a custom list of your favorite podcasts, follow these steps:
- Open Google Drive and create a new spreadsheet. Name it something like “Podcasts.”
- In cell A1, type the name of your podcast in quotation marks (“My Favorite Podcast”). This will be used as an identifier in your script later on.
- Go back to https://podnews.net/rss and find the link for your media RSS feed (the one ending in .xml). Copy that URL into cell B1 of your new spreadsheet along with its title (again, put this in quotes). For example: “http://feeds2.feedburner.com/PodnewsRSS” becomes “http://feeds2.feedburner.com/PodnewsRSS”.
Set Up the Auto-Downloading Function in Google Sheets
The first step is to set up the Auto-Downloading function in Google Sheets.
To do this, go to the “Tools” menu at the top of your screen and select “Script Editor.” Then, click on File > New Project (or hit Ctrl+N). This will open a new window where you can create a new project for your script.
In this window, type “AutoPodcast” as the name of your project and click Create . You should now see an empty script editor with some basic code auto-generated by Google Scripts:
var SPREADSHEET_ID = ‘YOUR_SPREADSHEET_ID’;
You’ve got the hang of it now! You know how to set up a Google Sheet and use it as an automation tool. So what’s next?
You can use this same technique for any other type of file that you want to automatically download from Drive into a folder on your computer. Just add the new columns in step 4 above, change the link from “https://drive.google.com” to whatever link points at your desired file (like “https://docs.googleusercontent….”) and adjust column B with any other information needed for files in different formats (like “.xlsx” or “.csv”).
For example: If you have an Excel spreadsheet that needs updating regularly with new data from Google Sheets, create another column titled “Excel” where A contains all dates since last update; B lists all current versions available on Google Drive; C shows which version(s) should be downloaded by adding their names separated by commas between brackets “[ ]”; D contains only those rows where A is greater than today’s date – this ensures we only pull down files once per day without duplicates or gaps!
I hope you found this post helpful. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment below!
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to auto-download podcasts to Google Drive using Google Sheets:
Step 1: Set up Google Sheets and Google Drive
- Ensure you have a Google account and access to Google Sheets and Google Drive.
Step 2: Create a new Google Sheet
- Open Google Sheets and create a new spreadsheet by clicking on “Blank” or selecting a template that suits your needs.
Step 3: Add podcast information to the sheet
- In the first column of the sheet, add the podcast names or URLs you want to download. You can create separate columns for podcast names, URLs, or additional information.
Step 4: Install the “Automate Podmax” add-on
- Click on “Add-ons” in the Google Sheets menu bar and select “Get add-ons.” Search for “Automate Podmax” and click on “Install.” Grant any required permissions.
Step 5: Configure the Automate Podmax add-on
- Once installed, click on “Add-ons” again, select “Automate Podmax,” and choose “Configure.” Follow the prompts to authorize access to your Google Drive. Specify the folder location where you want the podcasts to be downloaded.
Step 6: Set up automatic downloads
- In the Automate Podmax sidebar, select the sheet you created, choose the podcast column, specify the download format (e.g., MP3), and set the update frequency (e.g., daily or weekly).
Step 7: Start the automation
- Click on the “Start” button in the Automate Podmax sidebar to initiate the automation process. The add-on will check for new podcasts based on your specified frequency and automatically download them to the specified Google Drive folder.
Step 8: Access your downloaded podcasts on Google Drive
- Open Google Drive and navigate to the folder you specified in the Automate Podmax add-on. You will find the downloaded podcasts stored there.
That’s it! This step-by-step guide provides an overview of how to auto-download podcasts to Google Drive using Google Sheets and the Automate Podmax add-on. Make sure to regularly check your Google Sheets and Google Drive to ensure the automation is working correctly and downloading the desired podcasts.
FAQ
- How can I auto-download podcasts to Google Drive using Google Sheets?
- To auto-download podcasts to Google Drive using Google Sheets, you can use a tool or add-on like “Automate Podmax” for Google Sheets. Install the add-on, configure it to specify the podcasts you want to download, and set the desired download format and frequency.
- What is the benefit of auto-downloading podcasts to Google Drive?
- Auto-downloading podcasts to Google Drive offers several benefits, such as automatic organization, easy accessibility across devices, backup and storage, and the ability to create customized playlists or collections.
- Do I need any programming or coding knowledge to auto-download podcasts to Google Drive using Google Sheets?
- No, you do not require any programming or coding knowledge. Using tools like “Automate Podmax” allows you to automate the podcast download process without the need for advanced technical skills.
- Can I specify specific podcast episodes to auto-download?
- Yes, with the “Automate Podmax” add-on or similar tools, you can specify the podcasts or specific podcast episodes you want to auto-download. Simply provide the relevant information in the Google Sheets where you configure the automation.
- How often can I schedule auto-downloads?
- The frequency of auto-downloads depends on the tool or add-on you are using. Generally, you can set up daily, weekly, or custom intervals according to your preferences.
- Can I download podcasts from different sources or platforms using this method?
- Yes, you can download podcasts from various sources or platforms as long as they are compatible with the Google Sheets add-on or tool you are utilizing. It is essential to check the supported sources or platforms before configuring the automation.
- Can I auto-download podcasts in a specific file format?
- Yes, you can usually specify the desired file format for downloading podcasts. Most tools or add-ons offer options to select formats like MP3, FLAC, or others based on your preferences.
- How much storage space does Google Drive provide for auto-downloaded podcasts?
- Google Drive provides 15 GB of free storage per Google account. If you require additional storage, you can upgrade to a paid plan.
- Can I access auto-downloaded podcasts offline?
- Yes, once the podcasts are downloaded to Google Drive, you can access them offline using the Google Drive mobile app or the desktop sync feature.
- Is it possible to automate the deletion of old or played podcasts from Google Drive?
- While the auto-deletion of old or played podcasts from Google Drive is not directly supported by Google Sheets or the add-ons, you can use additional scripts or tools to manage and delete files based on specific criteria or conditions.
