Script to cause an ImportRange function to run on demand - google-apps-script

Question

first, let me say, i am not a programmer, but i understand and can build spreadsheet ok. I'm newer to doing so in Google Sheets. I am using an Importrange function to copy date from one spreadsheet tab to another spreadsheet. I'm finding that there is a delay in the updating. I checked my Settings for recalculations and Google Sheets is set to refresh when data is changed. However, its not doing so. So, i wanted to create a button the user can hit and force the ImportRange refresh.
I found some code that appears to accomplish this, but I can't get it to work:
function myFunction() {
SpreadsheetApp.getActive().getRange('A1').setValue('IMPORTRANGE('https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/abcd123abcd123', 'sheet1!A:B')')
}
Here is my import range which is in CELL C4 of a sheet named CALCS:
=importrange("https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1B5PEI5f4-TAhS77-poCYTiWI6w2t2BEzfiP5kXVq9lk/edit#gid=1661941505","PO TRACKING!A4:T1000")

Answer 1

Welcome to the wonderful world of scripts! There is so much you can do with your projects when using Google Apps Script.
Your question is a good one but I took a different approach. Rather than using an import range that needs to be recalculated, I just wrote a script that would do a similar thing. If you need to collect a specific range of data instead of the entire sheet, then just make one small change to the script provided.
//CHANGE
var poData = poTab.getDataRange().getValues();
//TO
var poData = poTab.getRange('INSERT A1 NOTATION HERE').getValues();
That should allow you to select a specifc range if needed.
//TRANSFER DATA FROM ONE TAB TO ANOTHER
function transferFromSameSpreadsheet() {
//GETS ACTIVE SPREADSHEET
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
//GETS SPECIFIC SHEET BY NAME WHERE DATA IS STORED
var poTab = ss.getSheetByName('Po Tracking');
//STORES ALL DATA FROM SHEET
var poData = poTab.getDataRange().getValues();
//GETS SPECIFIC SHEET BY NAME WHERE DATA IS SENT
var transferTo = ss.getSheetByName('insert sheet name here');
//CLEARS OLD DATA
transferTo.clearContents();
//UPDATES SHEET WITH NEW DATA
transferTo.getRange(1,1,poData.length,poData[0].length).setValues(poData);
}
//TRANSFER DATA FROM A MASTER SHEET TO ANOTHER WORKBOOK. RUN SCRIPT IN ACTIVE WORKBOOK, NOT MASTER.
function transferFromDifferentSpreadsheet() {
//OPENS SPREADSHEET BY ID
var ms = SpreadsheetApp.openById('insert spreadsheet id here');
//GETS ACTIVE SPREADSHEET
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
//GETS SPECIFIC SHEET BY NAME WHERE DATA IS STORED
var poTab = ms.getSheetByName('Po Tracking');
//STORES ALL DATA FROM SHEET
var poData = poTab.getDataRange().getValues();
//GETS SPECIFIC SHEET BY NAME WHERE DATA IS SENT
var transferTo = ss.getSheetByName('insert sheet name here');
//CLEARS OLD DATA
transferTo.clearContents();
//UPDATES SHEET WITH NEW DATA
transferTo.getRange(1,1,poData.length,poData[0].length).setValues(poData);
}
Good luck!
Get range A1 notation documentation: https://developers.google.com/apps-script/reference/spreadsheet/sheet#getrangea1notation

Answer 2

What your code is doing is just setting the cell value as the string you input in the setValue()
If you want to input formula you can either include "=" when using setValue() or use setFormula() method
Sample:
function myFunction() {
SpreadsheetApp.getActive().getRange('A1').setFormula('IMPORTRANGE("https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/xxxxx", "sheet1!A:B")');
SpreadsheetApp.getActive().getRange('D1').setValue('=IMPORTRANGE("https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/xxxxx", "sheet1!A:B")');
}
Note:
I also fixed the string format in your code so that it will provide a string input to the setValue() and setFormula()
References:
Range.setValue()
Range.setFormula()