Can you create spreadsheet in gas & get ID & getActive? - google-apps-script

Question

Multiple versions of the spreadsheet with the subset of data exist on my drive and I have a way to get the most recent but I thought that if I could capture the ID when I created it I would not have to run that extra code. If I just create a spreadsheet the return is a 'spreadsheet' which I can .getActiveSheet().getRange(. . . ).setValues(. . .)
If I create and immediately getId then get use DriveApp.getFileById the return is a 'file'. It has a mime type of spreadsheet but cannot be used with .getActiveSheet() etc. Why? Is there a way to get the ID when creating a spreadsheet and still work with that new sheet?
function createSubset(fileName) {
//
// var mimeType = 'application/vnd.google-apps.spreadsheet';
baseSs = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet(); // "StudentRosterForPractice"
baseSheet = baseSs.getSheetByName("Roster");
// there are formulas save below actual data but no in column B
var totDataRows = cntDataRows (baseSheet.getRange('B1:B').getValues()) - 1;
dataSubset = baseSheet.getRange(3, 2, totDataRows, 2).getValues();
// ---- this does NOT work ----
// tempSsId = SpreadsheetApp.create(fileName).getId();
// tempSs = DriveApp.getFileById(tempSsId); // returns file
// Logger.log("tempSs.getMimeType(): " + tempSs.getMimeType() );
//// tempSs.getMimeType(): application/vnd.google-apps.spreadsheet
// tempSs.getActiveSheet().getRange(1, 1, totDataRows, 2).setValues(dataSubset);
//// gets TypeError: tempSs.getActiveSheet is not a function
// return tempSsId;
// ---- this does work ----
tempSs = SpreadsheetApp.create(fileName); // return spreadhsheet
tempSs.getActiveSheet().getRange(1, 1, totDataRows, 2).setValues(dataSubset);
return null;
}
/**
* Number rows with actual data. There is a row of forumulas.
*/
function cntDataRows (colB) {
var count = 0 ;
colB.forEach(
function(item) {
if ( item != "" ) { // no formula in last name column
count = count + 1;
}
}
) ;
Logger.log("totDataRows: " + count);
return count
}
function testCreateSubset() {
var ssName = 'tempSs'; //subset name
tempSsId = createSubset(ssName);
}
Thank you Marios.
My subset spreadsheet only has one sheet so that was not a problem. I am surprised that I can getActiveSheet on the subset even though the script is bound to the base spreadsheet.
There is still a problem however. When I create my subset, return the ID and create the PDF I get these messages
totDataRows: 41
Nov 8, 2020, 8:54:51 AM Info spreadsheet ID: 1t16QOEqT2OP8vVmdTueT2hqQjTGdlMQLAc7XnJNWScM
Nov 8, 2020, 8:54:51 AM Info In makeBlobPdf spreadsheet ID: 1t16QOEqT2OP8vVmdTueT2hqQjTGdlMQLAc7XnJNWScM
Nov 8, 2020, 8:54:51 AM Info URL to be fetched: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1t16QOEqT2OP8vVmdTueT2hqQjTGdlMQLAc7XnJNWScM/export?exportFormat=pdf&format=pdf&size=A4&portrait=false&fitw=true&sheetnames=false&printtitle=false&printnotes=false&pagenumbers=false&pagenum=CENTER&gridlines=false&fzr=true&top_margin=0.15&left_margin=0.15&right_margin=0.15&bottom_margin=0.15
but the PDF is empty. If I open the subset and get the ID, hardcode it in the script and create the PDF the messages are:
In makeBlobPdf spreadsheet ID: 1t16QOEqT2OP8vVmdTueT2hqQjTGdlMQLAc7XnJNWScM
Nov 8, 2020, 8:57:28 AM Info URL to be fetched: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1t16QOEqT2OP8vVmdTueT2hqQjTGdlMQLAc7XnJNWScM/export?exportFormat=pdf&format=pdf&size=A4&portrait=false&fitw=true&sheetnames=false&printtitle=false&printnotes=false&pagenumbers=false&pagenum=CENTER&gridlines=false&fzr=true&top_margin=0.15&left_margin=0.15&right_margin=0.15&bottom_margin=0.15
The ID received in the make PDF code is the same and the URL generated is the same but the PDF where the ID was hardcoded has data and the PDF where it was passed from the create subset is empty. The create PDF code is unchanged.
Works:
var ssName = 'tempSs'; //subset name
// var spreadsheetId = createSubset(ssName);
// Logger.log("spreadsheet ID: " + spreadsheetId );
var spreadsheetId = "1t16QOEqT2OP8vVmdTueT2hqQjTGdlMQLAc7XnJNWScM";
var blobPdf = makeBlobPdf(spreadsheetId, ssName);
Returns empty PDF:
var ssName = 'tempSs'; //subset name
var spreadsheetId = createSubset(ssName);
Logger.log("spreadsheet ID: " + spreadsheetId );
// var spreadsheetId = "1t16QOEqT2OP8vVmdTueT2hqQjTGdlMQLAc7XnJNWScM";
var blobPdf = makeBlobPdf(spreadsheetId, ssName);
Corrected createSubset
function createSubset(fileName) {;
baseSs = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet(); // "StudentRosterForPractice"
baseSheet = baseSs.getSheetByName("Sheet1");
// there are formulas saved below actual data but no in column B
var totDataRows = cntDataRows (baseSheet.getRange('B1:B').getValues()) - 1;
dataSubset = baseSheet.getRange(3, 2, totDataRows, 2).getValues();
tempSsId = SpreadsheetApp.create(fileName).getId();
tempSs = SpreadsheetApp.openById(tempSsId);
tempSs.getActiveSheet().getRange(1, 1, totDataRows, 2).setValues(dataSubset);
return tempSsId;
}
Code that calls createSubset and makeBlobPdf
function createAndMailPdf () {
var ssName = 'tempSs'; //subset name
var spreadsheetId = createSubset(ssName);
Logger.log("spreadsheet ID: " + spreadsheetId );
// var spreadsheetId = "1t16QOEqT2OP8vVmdTueT2hqQjTGdlMQLAc7XnJNWScM";
var blobPdf = makeBlobPdf(spreadsheetId, ssName);
if (MailApp.getRemainingDailyQuota() > 0) {
var emailAddress = "blah blah # blah";
var subject = "With useless PDF file";
var htmlBody = HtmlService.createHtmlOutputFromFile('letterBody').getContent();
var templ = HtmlService.createTemplateFromFile('letterBody');
var message = templ.evaluate().getContent();
MailApp.sendEmail(
{ to: emailAddress,
subject: subject,
htmlBody: message,
attachments: blobPdf}
);
} else {
Logger.log("Mail quota exceeded but the PDF has been saved");
}
}
The makeBlobPdf code:
function makeBlobPdf (spreadsheetId, ssName) {
Logger.log("In makeBlobPdf spreadsheet ID: " + spreadsheetId );
var marginStringValue = '0.15';
var margin = '_margin=' + marginStringValue;
var margins = '&top' + margin + '&left' + margin
+ '&right' + margin + '&bottom' + margin;
var url = 'https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/'
+ spreadsheetId + '/export?'
+ 'exportFormat=pdf&format=pdf'
+ '&size=A4'
+ '&portrait=false'
+ '&fitw=true' // Fit to width
+ '&sheetnames=false'
+ '&printtitle=false'
+ '&printnotes=false'
+ '&pagenumbers=false'
+ '&pagenum=CENTER'
+ '&gridlines=false'
+ '&fzr=true' // Repeat frozen rows
+ margins;
var token = ScriptApp.getOAuthToken();
Logger.log("URL to be fetched: " + url );
var result = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url, {
headers: {
Authorization: 'Bearer ' + token
}
});
var attachName = ssName + '.pdf';
var pdfBlob = result.getBlob().setName(attachName);
return pdfBlob;
};

Answer 1

Solution:
The issue in your code is that there is no method getActiveSheet()
for a file. It makes sense since a file can be anything in your
google drive. It wouldn't make sense to have a spreadsheet method like getActiveSheet() being applied to an image or a folder for example. As a result tempSs.getActiveSheet() is invalid since tempSs is a type of file in the deleted part of your code.
Here is the proper way to do that.
If you want to create the file and get its ID directly. And then you can use openById to get the spreadsheet.
function myFunction() {
var fileName = 'testname';
var file = Drive.Files.insert({title: fileName, mimeType: MimeType.GOOGLE_SHEETS}); // file
var newFile = SpreadsheetApp.openById(file.id); // Spreadsheet file
newFile.getActiveSheet().getRange(1, 1, totDataRows, 2).setValues(dataSubset);
}
But keep in mind newFile.getActiveSheet() gives the first sheet in your file. You might want to use newFile.getSheetByName('Sheet1') instead.
To use this code please enable Drive API.

Answer 2

From the question
Can you create spreadsheet in gas & get ID & getActive?
Yes. Bear in mind that running getActiveSheet() for the created spreadsheet will return the firts sheet.
Regarding DriveApp.getFileById(id) it returns a File object not a Spreadsheet object.
The Class File hasn't a getActiveSheet() method. If you wan to use this method one opction is to use SpreadsheetApp.openById(id) or SpreadsheetApp.open(file)
Resources
https://developers.google.com/apps-script/reference/drive/drive-app
https://developers.google.com/apps-script/reference/spreadsheet/spreadsheet-app

Answer 3

The main problem you are encountering is that your sheet is being created but is taking some time to set the values in the function createSubset(). Therefore, while the creation of the Spreadsheet is complete, the values of the sheet have not been set yet which is done in the background.
This makes that createSubset() returns the Spreadsheet ID to the other functions and the PDF file is immediately created (but the cell values have not been set yet). This leads to your current behaviour where you are sending an empty Spreadsheets PDF because the cell values had not been set yet.
To force the cells to update with the right values and avoid sending the PDF before the Spreadsheet is all ready you can use the function flush which applies all the pending changes to the Spreadsheet. Use it as follows:
function createSubset(fileName) {;
baseSs = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet(); // "StudentRosterForPractice"
baseSheet = baseSs.getSheetByName("Sheet1");
// there are formulas saved below actual data but no in column B
var totDataRows = cntDataRows (baseSheet.getRange('B1:B').getValues()) - 1;
dataSubset = baseSheet.getRange(3, 2, totDataRows, 2).getValues();
tempSsId = SpreadsheetApp.create(fileName).getId();
tempSs = SpreadsheetApp.openById(tempSsId);
tempSs.getActiveSheet().getRange(1, 1, totDataRows, 2).setValues(dataSubset);
// FORCE ALL UPDATES IN THE SPREADSHEET BEFORE RETURNING THE SPREADHSEET ID
SpreadsheetApp.flush();
return tempSsId;
}