I'd like to manage spreadsheets (uploaded by a client via API) over google engine. I created test spreadsheet extended by functions in .gs script (which works great if I add them via online editor) but I do not know how to apply such a .gs script to every uploaded spreadsheet automatically (possibly via API).
Moreover, I do not want to share this .gs file by publishing it as an extension (because of security policies).
Updated: I also tried copying existing spreadsheet with working gs script and overwriting its spreadsheet data via API (instead of uploading new one) - it's overwritten data successfully but unfortunately lost gs script. Details are described in separate (bounty) question: Custom google app script doesn't work after copying spreadsheet with google java client
So I've even tried copying using plain HTTP methods since I thought it might be a problem with Java SDK but it still didn't work which means that there is some problem at google side (or something is really unclear) with service accounts.
After all I solved the problem with another approach.
First I copy spreadsheet with script attached to it to my service account (as I described in this Custom google app script doesn't work after copying spreadsheet with google java client topic). The file is copied with broken script.
Then I make user authorize using google's oauth (this tutorial shows how https://developers.google.com/identity/protocols/OAuth2WebServer#overview)
And then on his behalf I perform copying.
Finally the file is on his private drive which is the biggest downside of this solution but at least the script works which was my main goal.
Hope it helps ;)
You can publish a google script without it going on the Marketplace. If you make a Google group you can publish in such a way that only members of your google group can see it. If your google group only has you, only you can see it. Then it will be on all of your spread sheets.
The downside being that google will never let you remove it from their server, only unpublish it.
You can create a stand-alone script that is independent of any spreadsheet. This script would contain any methods/functions needed to create and manipulate spreadsheets according to your use case. Furthermore you could deploy the script as a web-app and implement a doGet() or doPost() method. Whenever a user uploads spreadsheet data via API you can call the web app with the information and have it create spreadsheets as needed.
Related
I have a Google Script library that is used by at least 100 other scripts (some that are bound to spreadsheets/documents, some that are not). How can I find all of these client scripts that reference my library script?
More specifically, I need to be able to add a new feature into the library that requires new permissions that I (the user) must grant. The client scripts won't run if I just add this feature to the library without granting the permissions to each of the client scripts. So ultimately, I need to give this new permission to each of the clients. And if I knew what scripts were actually using this library, I could do that manually for each one. But I need to URL's or ID's or something for each of those scripts.
Answer:
Unfortunately this is not possible to do.
More Information
It is possible to get a list of standalone Scripts from your Drive, though scripts bound to a file can not be searched for using regular searching methods.
It is possible, using the help of this Google Account page to get a list of all the Apps that have access to your account, though only files you have authorised will appear here, and apps which are not just those created by you in Apps Script will appear there (for example, other add-ons or even Android Apps bound to your account appear here).
A Partial Workaround:
Using Google Apps Script, you can list all Apps Script Projects that you own with help of the MimeType enumeration GOOGLE_APPS_SCRIPT
var scripts = DriveApp.getFilesByType(MimeType.GOOGLE_APPS_SCRIPT);
var arr =[ ];
while (scripts.hasNext()) {
var script = scripts.next();
arr.push(script)
}
Logger.log(arr);
Or even just searching for type:script in Drive, however this only returns a list of scripts that are not bound to a file.
You can then use regular Google Drive search terms to find which of these files contain, for example, a unique method name that the library uses. I am aware this isn't a perfect solution and you would still have to look for projects bound to a file using the above webpage.
Feature Request:
It appears that back in 2014 a feature request for this was made on Google's Issue Tracker, though I would suggest creating another feature request for this here as it was marked as a duplicate of another issue. You can make a feature request under the correct Apps Script component here.
References:
Google Apps Script - Enum MimeType
Google Drive Search Query Terms
Apps with access to your account
Google's Issue Tracker
Feature Request: Listing and searching for container bound scripts
Create an Apps Script Feature Request
I have been searching for a solution to a Sheet Protection issue, I have a Sheet that includes automated scripts to write data into the Sheet below from some fields at the top. I want the user to be able to provide the data in the fields at the top and then to run a script that adds the data below. The script to add the data works fine for the owner of the sheet if Protection is enabled, but fails for any user that has Edit rights as the Protection cannot be cleared by script for the data to be written to the bottom of the sheet.
https://developers.googleblog.com/2015/02/control-protected-ranges-and-sheets-in.html
I found this code from a Google blog post a few years ago and have tried variations without success....is this type of approach just not possible with Google Sheets and Google Script ?
Unfortunately, that is not currently possible to run a bound script as the owner without using a workaround. Scripts can only be run as the owner when they use Triggers or when you make a standalone Script Web App. You can see this for more information.
This should bypass fooling around with scripting protection ranges!
The Workaround!
There is a way you can get around this by creating a web app so that your bound script talks to the web app which runs on the spreadsheet. See this answer for more information.
So the process looks like this: User clicks a button that runs a function on a bound script. This function makes a web call to a web app that can run a function as the person who created the script.
I would also recommend you pay attention to a comment by Augustine C:
...you may also find it helpful to have a shared secret key saved in your spreadsheet and then verify it using the backend webapp script, or to perhaps verify that the recipient of the email is, in fact, also an editor of your Google Sheet.
I have Google spreadsheet with script attached to it (with the Tools->Script Editor tool).
I want to call one of script function from external Android App. Is it possible? Should I use Spreadsheet API?
Unfortunately, you cannot directly call your script from any external application.
However, you can change it to be a web application, then invoke it via an HTTP GET or POST from almost anywhere, including an Android app.
Insert new rows into Google Spreadsheet via cURL/PHP - HOW? provides an example of a web app that you could adapt.
Should I use Spreadsheet API?
Your question doesn't actually say what it is you want to do, so the answer is "it depends". You still won't be able to invoke an embedded script using the Spreadsheet API, but you will be able to read and write spreadsheet content.
Obviously the answer depends on your usecases, but have you checked the Google Appscript API?
As stated it
provides methods to remotely execute Apps Script functions
I am trying to implement a spreadsheet app using Google Apps Script. But I have several issue that does not mach my requirements. I have looked in to these issues and was unsuccessful to find answers or better alternative ways to implement this functionality.
Requirements:
Write manageable testable code
Not to download the script to each spreadsheet but to somehow when you install once you can use it on any spreadsheet in the drive.
1,2 are the problems I faced.
The Google Apps Script IDE seems to have difficulty in handling a large code base (I mean not to keep the code its about managing and handle the growth of the code)
This is the major problem (Not matching the requirement)
Let's say I create a script for a spreadsheet and then I deploy it and then I can then install the script on any other script I like and then execute it. But this has to be done for each and every spreadsheet. The installed script is not in the script manager to be used in all the spreadsheets without installing the script form the gallery every time.
And also When I create a project of Spreadsheets directly on the Google Drive. Since this is not allocated to a particular spreadsheet it does not allow me to select it from the dive (From script manager) and load this script to a spreadsheet I wish, and run/debug it.
I am not hoping to get a better solution to above issue 1.
But issue No. 2 is is the burning one,
Is this can be addressed to match the requirement?
If the requirement can not be achieved form Google Apps Script, I have to go for an alternative.
Alternatives I thought so far:
I thought about desktop application that can give the spreadsheet URL and then give the authentication information and by using the spreadsheet API do the necessary manipulations form the desktop application. This is the dummy est approach which is not so user friendly.
Go for a Google app, where you can log in using the G mail authentication and then after giving the spreadsheet URL using the Spreadsheet API do the necessary manipulations. But I am not sure about the authentication process for a Google app and the possibility of access permission to the drive.
Final is the Crome app, Where Crome is provided with the necessary authentication to access a given spreadsheet URL and do the necessary manipulations to the spreadsheet.
Which of those options is preferred, or is there any better solution that matches the requirement I stated above?
The definition of "large code base" is subjective, but even a project with several hundred lines of code can benefit from organization. In the IDE you have two primary tools available to help organize your code; Files and Libraries.
This answer is mainly a collection of links to other answers, within a number of topic areas that should address the concerns you've expressed.
Code Organization & Libraries
A script project can have multiple files, of type "gs" (script) or "html". The namespace extends across all script files in the project. Separating methods into files is a simple way to organize your code within a project (for instance, place all tests in one file separate from production code), although it does very little for reusability across projects.
Libraries are projects that are published to enable other projects to incorporate their capabilities without requiring them to copy the actual code. Have a look at the Notable Script Libraries for a start. Libraries take their name space from the library name - for instance, I have a library of utilities related to input & output of CSV files, which I (cleverly) named CSVUtils. The methods in that library are accessed as CSVUtils.example(), and are supported by the auto-complete feature. Libraries support a limited subset of jsdoc, and when published provide a link to the generated documentation.
Organizing Spreadsheet Code in several *.gs files - even possible?
Is it possible to have one script for multiple spreadsheets?
How, or where, do I define a function for use in more than one spreadsheet?
google-apps-script have multiple scripts in one spreadsheet
Creating a namespace-like organization in a google apps script library
Publishing a Google Apps Script Library
Design patterns for libraries in GAS?
ScriptDb in Library accessed by WebApp
Project and multiple doGet() script files published as web apps -- Need clarification
... every SO question about Apps Script Libraries.
Using external JavaScript libraries:
Start by reading through Understanding Caja Sanitization, especially the section regarding External JavaScript Libraries.
Google Apps Script: How can use js library in HtmlService
Authorization & Ownership
Authorization - Google apps script grant user permissions access services on spreadsheet in ther first run without open script editor
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/15096379/google-app-scripts-how-to-let-shared-users-run-scripts-as-themselves
When does Google require re-authentication?
OAuth in Google Apps Scripts Libraries
Code Transparency
Source-code of Libraries used by WebApps visible to everybody?
How to hide library source code in Google way?
After reading up a lot on the Google Spreadsheet API I have come to the conclusion that formatting (such as merging cells, changing fonts etc) is only available throught the Apps scripts.
Since we need to create and fill the spreadsheets with data programatically using Java on the back-end I guess I need to somehow either;
link the new sheet to a Apps script that trigger on-load or
create a Apps script that creates the spreadsheet for me.
Anyone knows?
If you want to just "create" the spreadsheet, you don't need a script to load whenever it spreadsheet is opened. It's probably easier to develop a script that runs once and create the spreadsheet for you.
Another tip is to have a template file that you can copy with most of the formatting (if not all) already there. Possibly pending just little things that are related to the real data the new spreadsheet will have.
Edit to answer the question in the title.
No, you can not add a script to an existing spreadsheet programatically, only manually. What you can do is previously set up a template spreadsheet with a script in it and create new spreadsheets by copying this template.
(answering the comment)
You can run a script programatically, but not upload it. To run a script you can deploy it as a web-app and call its url with either a http get or post (will call its doGet or doPost functions, that you must have declared). Also, you could set this script to run on form submit of any spreadsheet-form and just submit a set of answers to this form. At last (that I can think of now) you could just add the script as a library in another Apps Script and call it directly.
(Aug 2016) There is no way programmatic way to link a Google Sheet and Apps Script code other than manually. Based on what it seems you want ("create and fill the spreadsheets with data programatically using Java"), you can now do it without Apps Script.
TL;DR: Above, #Henrique has answered multiple questions and even questions that weren't asked! The good news is that today, we have more answers representing alternate possible solutions to what you're seeking.
It's now possible to "upload" Apps Script code programmatically with the
import/export system, say with Eclipse since you're a Java developer (2013 announcement).
I agree with Henrique's suggestion that if you create a spreadsheet
template, i.e., Excel file, you can use the Google Drive API to
programmatically import/create identical Google Sheets with all your
desired formatting.
"Formatting (such as merging cells, changing
fonts etc)" can now be done outside of Apps Script, as there is a
"new" Google Sheets API v4 (not GData).
In order to use the new API, you need to get the Google APIs Client Library for Java and use the latest Sheets API, which is much more powerful and flexible than any previous API. Here's one code sample to help get you started. If you're not "allergic" to Python, I also made a video with a different, slightly longer example introducing the new API and gave a deeper dive into its code via a blogpost that you can learn from.
Note the v4 API allows you to create spreadsheets & sheets, upload & download data, as well as, in the general sense, programmatically access a Sheet as if you were using the user interface (create frozen rows, perform cell formatting, resizing rows/columns, adding pivot tables, creating charts, etc.), but to perform file-level access such as uploads & downloads, imports & exports (same as uploads & downloads but conversion to/from Google Apps formats), you would use the Drive API instead.