From 4006cd93f12f87bbaf2431ccc24b6b6f0ad7a466 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: mudabbir-ahmad <mudabbira.uk@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:45:12 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] docs: update README with notes on ServerFiles and Google
 Photos Picker API setup

---
 README.md | 72 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------
 1 file changed, 57 insertions(+), 15 deletions(-)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9b218e3..31c8727 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -3,6 +3,63 @@ This is my final-year mobile app project.
 
 It is an Expo/React Native app that pulls media from multiple sources (device storage, Google Photos picker flow, and NAS) and shows everything in one timeline-style view.
 
+### Notes:
+
+note for `ServerFiles`, this can be ran on its own
+it doesn't need the rest of the project's code to run.
+`/ServerFiles/` is its own subproject, it is only 
+included in this repo as this is the public version of 
+the repo with certain keys abstracted due to privacy 
+reasons. Keys such as my google photos API key and NAS 
+credentials are not included in this public repo, but 
+the server file is included as it is a crucial part of 
+the project and can be run on its own with the 
+appropriate keys added in.
+
+This is also why there are no commits, it is a necessary abstraction for security reasons. I cannot put my keys in the repo.
+To run the app, consult the `.env.example.txt` file. Use that file to create the `.env` file and add your keys.
+
+The method of obtaining the Google photos picker's api key is via:
+
+- Go to the [Google Cloud console Website](https://console.cloud.google.com)
+- Sign up with a Google account
+- Create a new project
+- Enable the `Google Photos Picker API` (By searching for Google Photo Picker API)
+- Enable the API
+- Go to the `OAuth consent screen` tab
+- In the overview tab of the OAuth consent screen, click get started
+- Name the app 
+- Add a support email (select the one you used to sign up for the google account)
+- In audience select: External
+- contact information = your email yet again (click enter after typing it in)
+- agree to the user data policy
+- click create
+- Go to the `Clients` tab
+- Application type = ANDROID
+- package name = com.bobthebob.massphotoapp
+- get fingerprint for app via the command it displays
+- under the advanced tab, enable custom URI scheme
+- click create
+- Copy the `Client ID` key and paste it into the `.env` file
+- Under `Audience` Tab, go to add users under the Test users section
+- Add your email address and any users you want to test the `Google photos picker` api with
+- click save
+
+## Running the Project
+Useful scripts:
+```bash
+expo run:android 
+```
+
+
+### NAS backend
+
+```bash
+cd ./ServerFiles
+npm i
+npm start
+```
+
 ## What This Project Does
 
 - Local user accounts (register/login)
@@ -80,18 +137,3 @@ Media-Aggregation-and-Sorting-System/
 │   └── package.json
 └── TEST/
 ```
-
-## Running the Project
-Useful scripts:
-```bash
-expo run:android 
-```
-
-
-### NAS backend
-
-```bash
-cd ./ServerFiles
-npm i
-npm start
-```