[CS:GO] Working in Google Drive with Instances

Hey guys,

It is known that it's currently not possible to work with instances if they are saved on Google Drive, as Hammer Editor requires the files to be in the "sdk_content\maps" folder. This can be pretty frustrating when you need to have your files synchronized with Google Drive at all times, if you're working on a project with a team for example. But behold, there is a solution to this problem.

The solution lies in creating a "junction". You basically create a special link in your default "sdk_content\maps" directory which redirects to the directory with the project on Google Drive.

This can be accomplished with these two simple steps:

Open the Command Prompt as an administrator

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Enter the following command and the magic is done

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Quote

mklink /j "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\sdk_content\maps\<PROJECTNAME>" "<PATH TO PROJECT IN GOOGLE DRIVE>"

You can look up the syntax and parameters of "mklink" by either typing "mklink /?" in the Command Prompt or by visiting the TechNet article (I did not have success with the /d parameter for some reason).

The symbolic link should appear as a normal link in the "sdk_content\maps" folder now, but you'll notice that once you open the folder, the path does not change to your Google Drive folder, since it's not actually just a simple link but one which simulates a fully functional local folder that secretly redirects local users and applications to the Google Drive folder.

Note: Junctions only work locally, try creating a symbolic link instead (mkdir /d [link] [destination]) if you want to access Google Drive from another system.

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With this small command you're finally able to work with your partners without having to refrain from using instances or manually copying the newest version of your content and instances to Google Drive.

Furthermore, you should also be able to use junctions for other folders like "csgo/materials\<project>" or "csgo\models\<project>" to automatically synchronize all of your content.

I hope this is of help to some of you.

PS: There should be no reason why this procedure wouldn't also work with Dropbox, OneDrive, or similar cloud products.

PPS: Thanks to Will2k for proofreading this tiny guide.