getMergedRanges() array output is out of order - google-apps-script

I have a column of merged cells and am trying to modify a specific merged cell. For some reason, the array of ranges that I get back when calling the getMergedRanges() method is out of order. Here's my code:
var column = spreadsheet.getRange('H8:H151');
var mergedCells = column.getMergedRanges();
mergedCells[0].setValue('This is a string');
Instead of setting the value of the first merged cell in the column, it would modify the 13th merged cell... Is this a bug with App Script or did I do something wrong?
Click here to see a similar example
I want to edit merged cell #2 but when I modify the output by accessing index 1, it would modify some other cell. The result is always different each time.

After looking at your sheet I understood what your problem was. This seems to only happen when the number of merged cells is high.
This does indeed look like a bug on Google's side. So I have reported a bug on your behalf. You can click on the +1 to give it more attention to be solved quickly.

Related

Google Sheet App Scrip Update Cell based on values of another

I'm trying to update cell values on open of a sheet and on edit of a specific cell.
On Open
In the sample sheet sheet 'Transactions' I am trying to set a text month(Q) and year(R) based on the date(B) if the either Q or R is blank.
On Edit
I am try to set Group(P) in sheet 'Transactions' based on the value in category(D) by looking finding the matching Group(B) value that corresponds to Category(A) in sheet "List". I'd like to do this both if Group(P) is blank and Category(A) is not blank or the user edits category(D) in sheet 'Transactions'.
I've been looking around a bit today for something similar on stack flow but haven't quite found it.
Thank you in advance for any help.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QBq0fxty8K55UaM_uS42GY7dMpCHg4ClGMI4UtU-0T4/edit?usp=sharing
Why not just use Array Formulas?
Put this in the Months column, starting in row 2.
=FILTER(text(B2:B,"MMMM"),Not(ISBLANK(B2:B)))
Put this in the Year:
=FILTER(text(B2:B,"YYYY"),Not(ISBLANK(B2:B)))
Put this for the match:
=filter(VLOOKUP(D2:D,List!A:B,2,false),not(ISBLANK(B2:B)))
Make sure the rows below are clear, and it will auto-update as values are created.

Copying values from Google sheet, add time stamp, prevent duplicates

I'm using Kimono to scrape a site that lists active development permits. For a one off data scrape it's fine, the problem is that there is no way of sorting new data. Every time Kimono scrapes it updates the entire array.
This is what the sheet currently looks like
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BH8ESAHQJrog6x8nRBOpgBN-nTN1_aDY7wr8W_YYet0/edit#gid=1865015934
The first sheet is automatically populated and overwritten by Kimono. It seems like the most logical way of making this work would be to copy the values to another sheet, adding a time stamp when this happens and then preventing duplicate values from being posted.
Following this thread is was able to muster this code
I've got the copying part down with the following:
function moveValuesOnly() {
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
var source = ss.getRange('Building Permits!A1:D');
source.copyTo(ss.getRange('Sheet2!A1'), {contentsOnly: true});
source.clear();
}
What I am trying to figure out is how to prevent duplicates based on the URL value.
I know that it is right in front of me, but I'm drawing a blank on how to get this to work.
This Google documentation article on removing duplicates is very well written, so I won't duplicate it: https://developers.google.com/apps-script/articles/removing_duplicates
It has exactly what you need. Read the later part of the article where it talks about how to check duplicates not for the entire row, but specific columns in that row. Once you understand that, your problem is straightforward to solve. Just use 2 arrays, to hold the contents of the rows from the 2 sheets as in the example they've given. compare the first column value of the current row. if it matches, don't copy the row over.
note: this works only when you copy row-by-row into the target sheet, not the entire range as your'e doing right now. But that's unavoidable.

Copy formula down using script

I've been working on a script (With some help from folk on SO). I have managed to create a script that imports a csv file and updates named ranges based on the imported data.
Here is an image of what I'm trying to do:
At this point I have imported data which has been populated into columns A:G. The cells in columns H:L are formula and are based on the data in A:G. Because I have imported data the data are now longer than the formula range. If not relying on script I would just double click the small blue square at the bottom right of the highlighted cells and the formulas would copy down. This is what I'd like to have the script do once I have imported the data.
I created a range called "formula_range" which automatically updates with the length of data. "formula_range" starts in cell H3 and ends in L:N where N is the length of rows in the sheet.
"formula_range" therefore contains some populated cells with formula and then blank rows all the way to the bottom of the sheet.
I saw this SO post. So in English, my line of thinking is:
Create a variable formula_range H3:L3 as a range
paste formula_range to every row in formula_range
Voila?
How do I get the variable formula_range if the first row in formula_range will always have the formula to be copied down. Put another way it should be fixed at H3:L3.
I tried this:
var copy_range = ss.getRangeByName("formula_range").getRange(1,5,1);
SpreadsheetApp.getUi().alert(copy_range);
My alert said "undefined" (I really wasn't sure what it would show.)
My line of thinking is not the most efficient since I am going to copy over existing formula. Perhaps there is a better way?
How do I get the first row in a named range formula_range[0]; ?
How can I use script to copy down formula in formula_range?
I think what you're trying to accomplish could be achieved more efficiently with a built-in arrayformula:
https://support.google.com/docs/answer/3093275
Place in H3:
=ARRAYFORMULA(DATE(A3:A,B3:B,1))
for each of your formulas in H through L in row 3 surround them with array formula and extend the arguments with open-ended ranges starting with row 3 as in the above example

Workaround for not losing cell's reference because of user doing sorting, while script checks cells value

I have been struggling with the following situation for almost the whole last week and it would be awesome if someone could give me some hint.
The situation:
1. Script finds a particular value in, lets say, 'Sheet1', and gets the row number of the cell containing this value.
2. Since script has found this value, it executes a bunch of actions like creating new spreadsheet and copying numerous 'Sheet1' from dozen other spreadsheets to this newly created spreadsheet, and comparing/ analyzing data.
The problem.
- While script is doing a bunch of other actions, user is able to rearrange cells by, for example, sorting A to Z, which changes the address of previously found cell.
Here is the code that I used in order to verify this:
function WhatHappensIfUserSorts () {
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActive();
var sh = ss.getActiveSheet();
var rng = sh.getRange("B17"); //Lets say that script finds this cell according to some rules
Utilities.sleep(10000);
rng.setValue("Test Value");
}
Question:
Might there be any workaround for this?
My current ideas.
1. I was thinking about hiding the filter row in the beginning of the script, but this doesn't help a lot, because users can insert new row in the which will change the addresses of the rows below.
The background.
I am trying to create two way synchronization, meaning, each project member has his/ her own spreadsheet with 'Project X', 'Project Y' etc. sheets and no matter who updates their project sheets, all other users that work on the same project get these updates in their project sheets. These updates that have to be tracked are not just the cell values, these are cell notes as well. And this is the reason why script has to do the bunch of other actions, since CopyTo method does not work between spreadsheets.
During my research I found sheetSpider project, but it seems somewhat different and too complicated from what I need.
A simple suggestion would be to give each row a unique identifier so that you could use it to evaluate the target range again before you write back to the sheet.
get target row's unique ID --> do work --> locate target rows ID and use to determine write range --> write back to sheet.
Alternatively, during the operation you could delete the target row and then use appendRow() to drop the updated version back in.
A third and final suggestion might be to temporarily suspend the permissions for the sheet. See: https://developers.google.com/apps-script/reference/spreadsheet/page-protection#setProtected

Referencing cell on other tab in formula

How to reference the same (row,column) on the different tab in the same google spreadsheet document?
So, I want to do something like this:
=SOME_FORMULA('First tab'!(ADDRESS(ROW(),COLUMN()))). This doesn't work.
If the formula isn't apsolutly referenced, entries of Google Forms questionnaire change the reference and mess up the formula. (the formula that looked at row number 5 after insert looks at row number 6) I can't use apsolute referencing ($A$1) because I have to enter it manually.
Can I change the reference on multiple cells? (for one I can use cmd + f4)
I had that annoying reference problem too. If I understand correctly you are trying to get the information on some cells, but every time someone sends information to the spreadsheet by filling up a Form, that reference moves down a row.
The best solution I came up with was to create a new SpreadSheet and import all the information with this:
=importrange("spreadsheet-key","Form Responses!A1:B2107")
That function updates the info in realtime, so you can do all the processing on the new spreadsheet.
Hope this helps.
Do not quite understand what you need. Need to reference a cell in another sheet given coordinates on the current cell where it is located?
If so, the following formula can be useful:
=INDIRECT("First tab!"&ADDRESS(ROW(), COLUMN()))