Removing invalid named ranges in GAS - google-apps-script

Question

I have defined some named ranges in a sheet that I later delete. Afterwards, the ranges remain in the sidebar "Data->Named ranges...", with the range "#REF". I would like to delete them because I don't want them to accumulate.
They are not listed in SpreadsheetApp.GetActiveSpreadsheet.getNamedRanges().
How can I delete them programatically?
An alternative solution would be how to define a named range that is removed when a sheet is deleted. This happens if you have a named range in a sheet that is duplicated - the named range has a name like "'Sheet1Copy'!RangeName", but it's not possible to define a name like this.

Answer 1

Use removeNamedRange(name) to remove a Named Range. It will work even with Named Ranges that has #REF! as range and are not returned by SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getNamedRanges().
In order to make easier to maintain your spreadsheets free of Named Ranges with #REF! as range, keep a list of your Named Ranges. You could use an auxiliary spreadsheet for that.

Answer 2

UPDATED BELOW
The accepted answer works fine if you are removing a unique Named Range, but not if you have more than one Range sharing the same Name (i.e. Sheet-scoped Named Ranges vs Spreadsheet-scoped Named Ranges).
The first instance of the Named Range will probably be scoped to the entire Spreadsheet, whereas any copies of the Sheet (that contain the original Named Range) will feature Named Ranges that are scoped to the copied Sheet (e.g. 'SheetCopy'!NamedRange instead of NamedRange).
If you want to remove Sheet-scoped Named Ranges whose references are no longer valid, try running the following script from the Script Editor:
function removeDeadReferences()
{
var activeSS = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
var sheets = activeSS.getSheets();
var sheetNamedRanges, loopRangeA1Notation;
var x, i;
// minimum sheet count is 1, no need to check for empty array, but why not
if (sheets.length)
{
for (x in sheets)
{
sheetNamedRanges = sheets[x].getNamedRanges();
// check for empty array
if (sheetNamedRanges.length)
{
for (i = 0; i < sheetNamedRanges.length; i++)
{ // get A1 notation of referenced cells for testing purposes
loopRangeA1Notation = sheetNamedRanges[i].getRange().getA1Notation();
// check for length to prevent throwing errors during tests
if (loopRangeA1Notation.length)
{ // check for bad reference
// note: not sure why the trailing "!" mark is currently omitted
// ....: so there are added tests to ensure future compatibility
if (
loopRangeA1Notation.slice(0,1) === "#"
|| loopRangeA1Notation.slice(-1) === "!"
|| loopRangeA1Notation.indexOf("REF") > -1
)
{
sheetNamedRanges[i].remove();
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
Edit / Update
I recently needed to run this script again, and Google must've made changes to the way the .getRange() function works. The previous script will not work if the Named Range contains an invalid reference.
Also, after re-reading the initial question, I feel like I was too focused on the Sheet-scoped aspect of the answer.
The OP seemed to be after more of an automated experience, which the Accepted Answer does not provide. In addition to not requiring an externally maintained list of Named Ranges, the following script will remove both Sheet-scoped and Spreadsheet-scoped Named Ranges that contain invalid references.
Here's the updated script, tested to work with the V8 engine:
function removeDeadReferences()
{
var activeSS = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
var sheets = activeSS.getSheets();
var sheet;
var sheetName;
var sheetNamedRanges, sheetNamedRange, sheetNamedRangeName;
var loopRange, loopRangeA1Notation;
var x, i;
// minimum sheet count is 1, no need to check for empty array
for (x in sheets)
{
sheet = sheets[x];
// for logging
sheetName = sheet.getName();
sheetNamedRanges = sheet.getNamedRanges();
// check for empty array
if (sheetNamedRanges.length)
{
for (i = 0; i < sheetNamedRanges.length; i++)
{
sheetNamedRange = sheetNamedRanges[i];
// for logging
sheetNamedRangeName = sheetNamedRange.getName();
// v8 engine won't allow you to get range if it is invalid
try {
loopRange = sheetNamedRange.getRange();
}
catch (error)
{
Logger.log(error);
loopRange = null;
}
// get A1 notation of referenced cells for testing purposes
loopRangeA1Notation = (
loopRange != null
? loopRange.getA1Notation()
: false
);
// check for bad reference
// added tests to ensure future compatibility
// but any of these should suffice
// comment out ones you don't want to test for
if (
loopRangeA1Notation == false
|| loopRangeA1Notation.slice(0,1) === "#"
|| loopRangeA1Notation.slice(-1) === "!"
|| loopRangeA1Notation.indexOf("REF") > -1
)
{
Logger.log("The named range, '" + sheetNamedRangeName + "', within the Sheet named, '" + sheetName + "', was removed.");
sheetNamedRange.remove();
}
}
}
}
}

Answer 3

The function below loops sheets and deletes "bad" named ranges.
You may see it live here. Make your own copy and go to menu:
⚡ Test Automation > 🍏 Sheets > 🦶 Delete Bad Named Ranges
please try
function test_deleteBadNamedRanges() {
var sets = {
delimiter: '|',
file: '', // leave blank to use active spreadsheet
sheet_names: 'nonono|Sheet1|Sheet2', // note put empty string or null to use all sheets
remove_copies: true, // set true to delete 'copy of sheet'!named_ranges
success_message: '🦶Removed "bad" named ranges!'
}
var result = deleteBadNamedRanges_(sets);
console.log(result);
console.log(sets);
}
function deleteBadNamedRanges_(sets) {
var book, msg = '';
try {
if (!sets.file || set.file === '') {
book = SpreadsheetApp.getActive();
} else {
book = SpreadsheetApp.openById(sets.file);
}
} catch (err) {
msg = '🤪Could not get the book for some reason.'
msg += ' The error is: ' + err;
return msg;
}
if (!book) {
msg = '🤪The book object could not be retrieved.'
return msg;
}
/** function to get sheets by names */
var sheets = [];
var errors_log = [];
var getSheetsByNames_ = function(book, names) {
var sheets = [], sht, msg;
for (var i = 0; i < names.length; i++) {
mag = 'ok';
try {
sht = book.getSheetByName(names[i]);
} catch (err) {
msg = '❌no sheet ' + names[i] + '. ';
msg += 'Err: ' + err;
sht = false;
}
if (!sht) {
msg = '❌not found sheet ' + names[i]
}
sheets.push(sht);
errors_log.push(msg);
}
return sheets;
}
/** get sheets */
if (!sets.sheet_names || sets.sheet_names === '') {
sheets = book.getSheets();
} else {
sheets = getSheetsByNames_(
book,
sets.sheet_names.split(sets.delimiter));
}
/** delete bad named ranges for each sheet */
var res = [];
for (var i = 0; i < sheets.length; i++) {
sets.sheet = sheets[i];
if (sets.sheet) {
res.push(deleteBadNamedRangesSheet_(sets))
} else {
res.push(errors_log[i]);
}
}
sets.sheet = '_end_of_loop_';
var result = sets.success_message + '\\n\\n' +
res.join('\\n');
return result;
}
/**
*
* delete bad ranges for 1 sheet
*/
function deleteBadNamedRangesSheet_(sets) {
var sheet = sets.sheet;
var sheet_name = sets.sheet.getName();
// for logs
if (!sets.removed_ramed_ranges) {
sets.removed_ramed_ranges = [];
}
/** function to remove named range
* and log it to memory
*/
var count_deleted = 0;
var add2removed_ = function(namedrange, a1, name) {
namedrange.remove();
sets.removed_ramed_ranges.push({
sheet_name: sheet_name,
name: name,
a1: a1
});
count_deleted++;
return 0;
}
/** loop and check named ranges */
var ranges = sheet.getNamedRanges();
var a1 = '', nr, name = '', check_copy;
for (var i = 0; i < ranges.length; i++) {
nr = ranges[i];
a1 = nr.getRange().getA1Notation();
name = nr.getName();
// remove copy of named range
if (sets.remove_copies) {
check_copy = name
.replace(sheet_name, '')
.substring(0,3);
if (check_copy === "''!") {
add2removed_(nr, a1, name);
}
}
// remove named range
if (a1 == '#REF!') {
add2removed_(nr, a1, name);
}
}
return '✔️Sheet ' + sheet_name + ', deleted: ' + count_deleted;
}