# readTextFile

Read content of a text file (any text/* MIME type, e.g. text/plain, text/markdown, text/csv). For Google Docs, use readGoogleDoc.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `readTextFile`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/readtextfile

## Facts

- Tool: `readTextFile`
- Server: Google Drive (`@ark7/google-drive-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp.md
- Install: `npx -y @ark7/google-drive-mcp`
- Homepage: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@ark7/google-drive-mcp
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 3 (1 required)
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `fileId` | string | yes | ID of the file to read |
| `account` | string | no | Alias of the Google account to target. Optional — defaults to the session/global default account, or the sole authenticated account. Run manage_accounts list to |
| `maxLength` | number | no | Maximum number of characters (Unicode code points) to return; content beyond this is truncated |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "readTextFile",
    "arguments": {
      "fileId": "<fileId>"
    }
  }
}
```

## Why readTextFile is rated Low

This tool retrieves file content without side effects. It is a pure read operation that queries data from Google Drive text files. No data is created, modified, deleted, or executed. The lowest severity applies since reading files carries minimal risk unless the files themselves contain sensitive information, which is a data sensitivity issue rather than a tool capability issue.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name is 'readTextFile' and description states 'Read content of a text file' with no mention of modification, deletion, or execution capabilities."

## Use case

AI agents call readTextFile to retrieve information from Google Drive without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Google Drive:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "readTextFile": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Google Drive (130)

- `deleteCalendarEvent` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deletecalendarevent.md
- `deleteComment` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deletecomment.md
- `deleteDimensionGroup` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deletedimensiongroup.md
- `deleteGoogleSlide` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deletegoogleslide.md
- `deleteItem` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deleteitem.md
- `deleteRange` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deleterange.md
- `deleteSheet` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deletesheet.md
- `deleteSlideElement` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/deleteslideelement.md
- `removePermission` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/removepermission.md
- `authGetStatus` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/authgetstatus.md
- `authListScopes` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/authlistscopes.md
- `authTestFileAccess` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/authtestfileaccess.md
- `describeGoogleDocRange` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/describegoogledocrange.md
- `downloadFile` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/downloadfile.md
- `exportSlideThumbnail` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/exportslidethumbnail.md
- `getCalendarEvent` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getcalendarevent.md
- `getCalendarEvents` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getcalendarevents.md
- `getComment` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getcomment.md
- `getDocumentInfo` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getdocumentinfo.md
- `getGoogleDocContent` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgoogledoccontent.md
- `getGoogleDocContentPaginated` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgoogledoccontentpaginated.md
- `getGoogleDocImage` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgoogledocimage.md
- `getGoogleDocStyleSummary` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgoogledocstylesummary.md
- `getGoogleSheetCells` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgooglesheetcells.md
- `getGoogleSheetContent` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgooglesheetcontent.md
- `getGoogleSlidesContent` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgoogleslidescontent.md
- `getGoogleSlidesSpeakerNotes` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getgoogleslidesspeakernotes.md
- `getRevisions` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getrevisions.md
- `getSlideElementInfo` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getslideelementinfo.md
- `getSpreadsheetInfo` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp/getspreadsheetinfo.md
- …and 100 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/ark7-google-drive-mcp.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

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Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=ark7-google-drive-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/ark7-google-drive-mcp