setFormula then get and set Value - is this the best way? - google-apps-script

Question

I have a growing dataset on a google sheet with which I need to run some complex filters/queries/vlookups on. However I only need to do this daily as the new data arrives. The number of complex formulas is starting to slow the spreadsheet to a grinding halt, particularly with our woeful broadband connection.!
I therefore came up with a workaround of using GAS to set the formula in a cell, then to get the Value and then to set the Value, knowing that GAS doesn't run the spreadsheet functions natively (as per VBA). As I have already worked up the filters and vlookups on the sheets I need, I didn't go into scripting the formulas to achieve the same thing.
Here is a simplified version of the code:
function myFunction() {
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
var sh = ss.getSheetByName('Sheet1');
var rng = sh.getRange('B11');
rng.setFormula('=sum(filter(C2:E5,A2:A5="Bob"))');
var val = rng.getValue();
rng.setValue(val);
}
In my production spreadsheet I can have # 300 formulas on each of 30 sheets, so if these are all pinging away at the dataset I get lengthy periods of the grey progress bar. (In essence the formulas are filtering/summing or counting daily data to weekly data) My example above shows everything happening on one sheet.
Wondered if there was a better/different way of doing this?
Thanks
Tim

Answer 1

Well, I have not come up with anything better so will post my solution. Two scripts. First one checks that the user actually want to update their values, if they say yes, then checks with the user again and shows them the date range it will update. Then runs the second script, which in simple terms just applies a formula to a cell then copies the value generated and pastes the value. On testing with full data load, spreadsheet does no "waiting/progress grey box" at all so solves my issue.
function runWriteBehavs() {
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
var sy = ss.getSheetByName("summary");
//gets last row in column B - data is contigious
var BVals = sy.getRange("B1:B").getValues();
var BLast = BVals.filter(String).length;
var rowBeh = BLast + 1;
var lastDate = sy.getRange("A" + rowBeh).getValue();
var lastEndDate = new Date(lastDate.getTime()+6*3600000*24);;
//formats dates
lastDate = Utilities.formatDate(new Date(lastDate), "GB", "dd/MM/yyyy");
lastEndDate = Utilities.formatDate(new Date(lastEndDate), "GB", "dd/MM/yyyy");
//message box for confirmation
var output = Browser.msgBox("This script will run the summaries for the week:\\n" + lastDate + " - " + lastEndDate + "\\n Are you really sure you want to continue?",Browser.Buttons.YES_NO);
if ( output == "yes" ) {
//calls main update script
writeBehavs();
}
}
//Needs to be run once all data is entered
function writeBehavs() {
//get variables
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
var db = ss.getSheetByName("database");
var sy = ss.getSheetByName("summary");
var sL = ss.getSheetByName("lists");
//gets number of behaviours, a counta() of list on sheet
var bCount = sL.getRange("H1").getValue();
//gets column listing hard coded on sheet
var bCol = sL.getRange("H2:H30").getValues();
//gets last row in column B - data is contigious
var BVals = sy.getRange("B1:B").getValues();
var BLast = BVals.filter(String).length;
//for each number on behaviour count
for (var i=0; i<bCount; ++i) {
//set the column
var colBeh = [bCol[i]];
//set the correct row for data entry and start date check
var rowBeh = BLast + 1;
//sets correct row for end date check
var rowBeh2 = rowBeh + 1;
//gets first empty row in Column from iteration
var rng = sy.getRange(colBeh+rowBeh);
//enters the formula in the cell
rng.setFormula('=iferror(sum(filter(database!$E$2:$E,database!$D$2:$D='+ colBeh + '$1,database!$A$2:$A=lists!$G$2,database!$B$2:$B>=$A' + rowBeh + ',database!$B$2:$B<$A' + rowBeh2 + ')),"0")');
//captures the value generated by the formula
var val = rng.getValue();
//pastes the formula to the cell
rng.setValue(val);
//Job Done!
}
}