searching value in spreadsheet columns with Google Ads Scripts - google-apps-script

Question

I am using Google ads script to check if a certain text is already exist in my spreadsheet file.
If not, I want the function to return -1, if exist return the row it was found in.
I am using a loop to run on all the cells in the column and check each one.
In order to test it, I took of the cell's data and run the test, but it didn't find them equal...
here is the log for row #5:
row # 5 contains : mobileapp::2-com.rustybrick.shabbat but we look for : mobileapp::2-com.rustybrick.shabbat
enclose the script I use:
function findInColumn(column, data)
{
var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
var SHEET_NAME = 'גליון 1';
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.openByUrl(SPREDSHEET_FILE);
var sheet = ss.getSheetByName(SHEET_NAME);
var column = sheet.getRange(column + ":" + column);
var lastRow = sheet.getLastRow() + 1;
var data1 = data;
var values = column.getValues();
var row = 0;
while ( values[row] !== data1 && row < lastRow )
{
row++;
if(values[row] === data1)
{
return row;
}
else
{
Logger.log("row # " + row + " contains : " + values[row] + " but we look for : " + data1);
}
}
return -1;
}
So, my two questions are:
Why the script didn't recognize it's a match?
Is there a better or quicker way to do this search? now there are only 1K rows in the file, but it will become much higher soon

Answer 1

Findings
After replicating your script, here's what I have found:
The var values = column.getValues() will only contain the the value on row 1 of the column because column = sheet.getRange(column + ":" + column); will only get value of range Row 1, Column 1 (e.g. the column paramter is set as 1). Thus, there's no match found.
Solution
If I understand it correctly, here are your goals:
Check & find a match on each cells of a column
Return the row # of the matched cell OR return -1 if there's no match found
Find a better or quicker way to do the search
You may try this simpler script:
A switch statement was used on the sample script instead of an if statement as it is more efficient, given you will have more than 1k of total rows. See
function findInColumn(column, data)
{
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.openByUrl(SPREDSHEET_FILE_URL).getSheetByName('גליון 1');
var total_rows = ss.getDataRange().getValues().length;
var result = -1;
Logger.log("==================\nCHECKING COLUMN #"+column + "\n==================\nDATA TO FIND:\n"+data+"\n==================");
for(row=1; row<=total_rows; row++){
var currentRowValue = ss.getRange(row,column).getValue();
switch(currentRowValue) {
case currentRowValue = data:
Logger.log("Found a match on row #"+row);
result = row;
break;
}
}
return result;
}
Test Results
1. Sample גליון 1 Sheet with test values on Column 1:
2. Ran the findInColumn(column, data) with 1 &
"mobileapp::2-com.rustybrick.shabbat" as parameter values on a testing function and the result returned row 3.0 :
3. If there will be no match found, the returned result will be -1.0: