How can I shift rows by one when they match a substring? - google-apps-script

Question

Could someone please help me solve this?
Attached is the example sheet of what I am trying to do:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12w4rGArGi1I1wlpm5yJJtT5AAlMM4LcZC31_DpP6jZQ/edit?usp=sharing
I am trying to shift the rows that contain "PO" in my data selection. (see shift function)
It should change from this:
to this:
I have written a script but it isn't working and I am not getting an error message.
I have a feeling it is because I am trying to "+1" my array to offset my values. Please help!
Here is my current script:
function shift() {
try{
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
var as = ss.getActiveSheet();
var ar = as.getActiveRange();
var vals = ar.getValues(); // get values from the active (selected) range...... intended use is to draw a selection where the PO BOX substring is in the leftmost column
// SpreadsheetApp.getUi().alert(vals); //for checking values
var r; // variable for rows
for (r = 0; r < vals.length; r++){ // for each row, up to the last row (iterate over all rows from top to bottom)
if(vals[r][0].indexOf("PO") != -1){ // if first column in each row contains "PO"
SpreadsheetApp.getUi().alert("found a PO BOX"); // make annoucement
var c; // variable for columns
var cols = []; // array for column data (for debugging)
for (c = 0; c < vals[r].length; c++){ // for each columns in row (iterating over each cell in row from left to right)
cols[c] = vals[r][c]; // add the current cell value to an array
vals[r][c+1] = vals[r][c]; // take the value from the current cell and assign it to the next cell (+1 to the column)
}
SpreadsheetApp.getUi().alert(cols); // show me the data that cas changed
}
}
ar.setValues(vals); // set new values to active range
}
catch(err){
SpreadsheetApp.getUi().alert(err);
}
}
Expectations:
get the data range (my intended testing range is B:1 to D:12)
iterate through each row, and on each row, iterate through each
cell(column)
If the very first cell in the current row(vals[r][0]) contains the
substring "PO" , then I want to change the values of that row such
that they all shift over by one column, and leave the very first
cell as a blank string
I change the values by replacing the current values with the same
values BUT +1 to the columns row(vals[r][c]) = row(vals[r][c+1])
Realit(EDIT)y:
Exceeded memory limit error... possible infinite loop happening... i THINK it might be because I am adding a column that does not exist in the data range, but how would I get around this problem?
SOLVED!!!!
After much trial and error, I cane up with an answer (posted int he answers)
feels great to solve my own problem for the first time ever!

Answer 1

my problem was exactly what i expected. I was trying to assign values outside of the range.
The way that I solved this was to assign all of my values to an array(I also shifted them over in the process), and then loop through the range(the range is just a two dimensional array), assigning all of the shifted values to the range columns.
function shift() {
try{
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
var as = ss.getActiveSheet();
var ar = as.getActiveRange();
var vals = ar.getValues();
var r; //variable for rows
for (r = 0; r < vals.length; r++){ // for each row, up to the last row (iterate over all rows from top to bottom)
if((vals[r][0].indexOf("PO") != -1)||(vals[r][0].indexOf("P0") != -1)){ // if first column in each row contains "PO"
var c; // variable for columns
var cols = []; // array to store all data temporarily (will be uses to set new values later)
for (c = 0; c < vals[r].length; c++){ // then iterate over each column(cell) in the row
if(c == 0){ // if it is the first row,
cols[c+1] = vals[r][c]; // assign second index of the array with the PO value (to simulate a shift)
cols[c] = ""; // assign the first index of the array a blank string
}
else{ // if it is not the first row
cols[c+1] = vals[r][c]; // assign each additional column value to the next index (+1) of the array
}
}
for (c = 0; c < vals[r].length; c++){ // once the array is finished, loop through the columns again foreach row
vals[r][c] = cols[c]; // this time, assigning the new values to the corresponding array indices
}
}
}
ar.setValues(vals); // now, set the values that you reassinged to the array
}
catch(err){
SpreadsheetApp.getUi().alert(err);
}
}