Looping in Creating PDF in Google Sheet - google-apps-script

Question

The function only work once. It does not loop at all.
Tweaking by changing the for looping parameter to just number and changing the position of the lines.
function PDFAbsensi() {
var sourceSpreadsheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActive();
// Get active sheet.
var sheets = sourceSpreadsheet.getSheets();
var sheetName = sourceSpreadsheet.getActiveSheet().getName();
var sourceSheet = sourceSpreadsheet.getSheetByName('PRINT ABSENSI');
// Set the output filename.
var idkelompok = sourceSheet.getRange(2,36).getValues();
var namakelompok = sourceSheet.getRange(2,2).getValues();
var nomorkelompok = sourceSheet.getRange(2,3).getValues();
var pdfName = idkelompok + " - " + namakelompok + " " + nomorkelompok;
// export url
var url = 'https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/'+sourceSpreadsheet.getId()+'/export?exportFormat=pdf&format=pdf' // export as pdf / csv / xls / xlsx
+ '&gid='+sourceSpreadsheet.getSheetByName('PRINT ABSENSI').getSheetId();
var token = ScriptApp.getOAuthToken();
var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url, {
headers: {
'Authorization': 'Bearer ' + token} });
var parents = DriveApp.getFileById(sourceSpreadsheet.getId()).getParents();
if (parents.hasNext()) {
var folder = parents.next();}
else {
folder = DriveApp.getRootFolder();}
// Loop
var jumlahpdf = sourceSheet.getRange(5,36).getValue();
for (i=0;i<jumlahpdf;i++) {
var theBlob = response.getBlob().setName(pdfName+'.pdf');
// delete pdf if already exists
var files = folder.getFilesByName(pdfName+'.pdf');
while (files.hasNext())
{files.next().setTrashed(true);}
// create pdf
var newFile = folder.createFile(theBlob);
return true;
// Delete the wasted sheet we created, so our Drive stays tidy.
DocsList.getFileById(newSpreadsheet.getId()).setTrashed(true);
// Add the number for looping function
var updatenomorkelompok = sourceSheet.getRange(2,36).setValue(idkelompok-(-1));}}
I expect the code to create multiple PDF files. As of now it only made one each time it runs.

Answer 1

Issue:
You have return true in the middle of your for loop.
Explanation:
The return is ending the function completely on the first loop. This is expected behaviour, see below from MDN return documentation:
The return statement ends function execution and specifies a value to be returned to the function caller.
Example:
Below is a basic for loop that logs the value of i with every run:
for (i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
console.log(i);
}
This logs every iteration as expected.
Here's an example with the return statement you're using (same for loop, but with return true inside):
testReturn();
function testReturn() {
for (i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
console.log(i);
return true;
}
}
When this function is called, we get a log entry for 0 (the first run), but as we're returning, the function execution is ended, hence why your script is only processing the first PDF.
return