Why are some Google Sheets API v4 functions not documented? - google-apps-script

I'm trying to understand how the Google Sheet API v4 works, so I check the sample codes provided by Google for the API methods. When looking at the examples for Google Apps Script (e.g. batchUpdate), I find this method, Sheets.newUpdateSpreadsheetPropertiesRequest(), and many more - all beginning with the prefix new. I've searched, but I can't find these methods described anywhere in the documentation.
This is for me not as clear as the behavior of the Spreadsheet Service (SpreadsheetApp).
Have I missed something, or is the REST API not well-documented?

The Advanced Service APIs are wrappers for their corresponding REST APIs. Methods prefixed with new are constructors for the corresponding resource object in the respective API (used mainly for auto-completion).
For example Sheets.newUpdateSpreadsheetPropertiesRequest() is equivalent to the UpdateSpreadsheetPropertiesRequest object. It takes a bit of getting used to, but spend some time navigating the documentation. It will begin to make sense eventually.

Related

How to insert RichLink (Chip Block) in Google Docs using Google App Script

Google Docs has recently introduced a feature where we can refer to
Date
Person
Google Drive Document
in the form of a Chip Block (as shown in the picture above)
I am trying to generate such chip block using Google App Script.
Rich Link Documentation does not have any code snippet or method to add a Rich Link inside a document.
Document Service page also doesn't have detail regarding how to insert a Rich Link.
I wonder whether the feature is not yet implemented in the Google App Script Api
The smart chips can be retrieved using the methods released on August 23, 2021. Ref. But, unfortunately, in the current stage, it seems that there are no methods for inserting the smart chips. Although I checked about this at both Google Document service and Google Docs API, I couldn't find the methods for this. So, I think that is the current answer.
And also, when I checked the Google issue tracker, I couldn't find anything about your goal. Ref So, how about reporting your goal as a future request at the issue tracker?

google places JS API localized place type

I am currently working on a project using the google maps JS API. i would like to display the place type in a similar fashion to how a google search would result (example below).
Using the getDetails method in PlacesService (as show here), i can receive an array of types for a place, yet they are not descriptive as what a google search shows, and are not localized. is it possible to achieve using the API?
Currently, the API doesn't provide this information.
There are a couple of feature requests in the Google issue tracker that might match your requirement:
https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/35822953
https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/35827225
You can star these feature requests to add your vote and subscribe to further notifications.

Migrating to Drive SDK from DocumentsList API V3

I just came to know that DocumentsList API is depricated. So i thought of migrating my app to Drive and saw this page. I mostly use urls like https://docs.google.com/feeds/default/private/full/. So is it enough to replace them with new URL's like this https://www.googleapis.com/drive/v2/files/ ?
Just wanted to confirm is that all i need to takecare or am I missing anything. My App uses OAuth2 for authorization. Do I need to change anything in there too?
If you are constructing the requests yourself, you have to replace the URLs but also take into account that the responses from the Drive API will be JSON-formatted and not XML-formatted as in the Documents List API.
If instead you are using one of the Google-provided client libraries, you have to start using a newer client library, that you can download from https://developers.google.com/drive/downloads.
The migration guide is mostly a guide that maps methods from the Documents List API into methods of the Drive API and should be used as reference to know what is available and where.
Oauth 2.0 is fine. You can even use the same tokens you already have for Documents List v3.

How can I use Google Maps with Processing?

I want to use Google Maps API with Processing. Until now I was just able to get Google Places data, but I'm struggling with the map itself. I know about other map options, like unfold or modestMaps, but I need Google. In particular because of the directions API in further progress. I've searched this forum and the web, without any help. I thought it should be quite
easy.
How can I use Google Maps with Processing?
I'm not sure about getting a full featured, dynamic Google Maps within your Processing app, but you might be able to modify the Processing library for the Google Weather API to instead use the Directions or Static Maps APIs. http://www.onformative.com/lab/google-weather-library-for-processing/
If you download the source and check out GoogleWeather.java you can see the constructor is calling the WeatherAPI and getting back the XML result. I think you could do the same thing except use the Directions API in it's place.
Here's a post on a Java blog about showing Static Maps API results in Java, which might be translatable into Processing: http://weblogs.java.net/blog/cajo/archive/2010/10/16/adding-google-maps-your-java-application
For something more dynamic, you might be able to adapt JXMapViewer, check out this article: http://today.java.net/pub/a/today/2007/10/30/building-maps-into-swing-app-with-jxmapviewer.html

When using the Google Places API, what is the difference between "using the JavaScript library" and "calling the API directly"?

I have seen the two forms of reference to the Google Places Library/Service, using JavaScript vs calling the API directly, a number of times, but I don't understand the difference. The Google Docs don't describe anything about two methods of accessing the API.
For example, this question talks about 2 ways of accessing the API: OVER_QUERY_LIMIT in a loop
And it appears that there is some type of direct web access taking place in this question: Querying Google Places API using jQuery
Is this something where there was an old way that involved formatting URL parameters and the new way is by utilizing the JavaScript library calls?
FINAL SUMMARY EDIT: There are two distinct ways of requesting data from Google, as described in #Dan Nissenbaum's answer below. And since my original question, the QUERY_LIMIT question referenced above has been edited to also include more information about the two options.
Perhaps you are referring to the distinction between the Google Places API that is intended for use on the SERVER (i.e., utilizing PHP to call the Google Places API directly), and using the completely different approach of the Google Places Javascript Library in which the BROWSER executes Javascript using the Javascript library provided by Google (that internally wraps calls to the Google Places API, so that you, as a Javascript programmer, only need to understand the Javascript library provided by Google, and use that)?
Here are the two scenarios.
Scenario #1: Use the API directly. For this method, you must refer to Google's API documentation for the Google Places API: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/places/.
Using this API works as follows (giving a simple example only). Say you want to retrieve places within 1000 meters of latitude=-27.2531166, longitude=138.8655664. You need to hit a URL as described by the API documentation: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/places/#PlaceSearchRequests.
In this example, the URL looks like this (it's long):
https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/search/json?location=-27.2531166,138.8655664&radius=1000&sensor=false&key=AddYourOwnKeyHere
You need a key for your personal use, which I assume you have. There are other options you can specify, such as limiting the results to restaurants, etc.
When you hit this URL, the data will be returned in either JSON, or XML format, as specified by the text json in the URL above (use the text xml for xml). This data is returned exactly like data is returned from any URL call when you hit a URL in your browser.
You can test this by simply typing the URL directly in your browser, and see the results.
To use the API directly from code, you will need to use code that hits the external URL above within code and retrieves the results within code (for example, using the PHP CURL library, or using AJAX in Javascript).
Scenario #2: You use the Javascript library that Google provides that wraps the API, so you don't need to deal with it. I'll update the answer with more details about this, if you don't know what this is.
The docs do discuss the two different approaches. The Places Library utilizes the Google Places services from within the JavaScript Google Maps API. If you are using the Google Maps API in a browser, this is probably the approach for you:
https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/places
There is also a web service, which allows you to query directly from your application. You query it using direct http calls to Google services. If you need access to the data on your server or a mobile device, this is the approach you want to take:
https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/places