Presented at GDG DevFest Ahmedabad 2015

Presented By : Dipali VyasProject Manager @ Zestard Technologies

Date: 27-Dec-2015

Google Apps Script

What is GAS - Google Apps Script?

And What Magic we are going to see.

Google Apps Script is a JavaScript cloud scripting language to automate tasks▸ Editor in a browser & managed in cloud

(no install/setup, files stored,shared, versioned)

▸ JavaScript runtime in the cloud ( compliant, debuggable, and performant )

▸ Set of APIs and hooks to Google products (extend and enhance, built in security, distribution mechanisms

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11 Google apps, 1 platform in the cloud

Getting Started with Google Apps Script (GAS)

▸ Standalone script https://script.google.com Google Drive > Create > More > Script **

▸ Spreadsheet/App-bound script Tools >Script Editor **

▸ Sites-bound script More > Manage Site > Apps Scripts > Add new script **

** Do take care of the Authorization Step while scripting

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Standalone Script Example

function createAndSendDocument() {

// Create a new Google Doc named 'DevFestAhm15 GAS Demo1'

var doc = DocumentApp.create('DevFestAhm15 GAS Demo1');

// Access the body of the document, then add a paragraph.

doc.getBody().appendParagraph('This document was created by Google Apps Script-Standalone Script. This is part of DevFestAhm15 GAS Demo1 provided by Dipali Vyas during the presentation in front of excellent participants of the session ');

// Get the URL of the document.

var url = doc.getUrl();

// Get the email address of the active user - that's you.

var email = Session.getActiveUser().getEmail();

// Get the name of the document to use as an email subject line.

var subject = doc.getName();

// Append a new string to the "url" variable to use as an email body.

var body = 'Link to your doc created at DevFestAhm15 : ' + url;

// Send yourself an email with a link to the document.

GmailApp.sendEmail(email, subject, body);

}

==========End

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Spreadsheet/ App Bound Script Example

Bound scripts can call a few methods :

▸ getActiveSpreadsheet(), getActiveDocument(), and getActiveForm() allow bound scripts to refer to their parent file without referring to the file's ID.

▸ getUi lets bound scripts access the user interface for their parent file to add custom menus, dialogs, and sidebars.

▸ In Google Sheets, getActiveSheet(), getActiveRange(), and getActiveCell() let the script determine the user's current sheet, selected range of cells, or selected individualcell.setActiveSheet(sheet) and setActiveRange(range) let the script change those selections.

▸ In Google Docs, getCursor() and getSelection() let the script determine the position of the user's cursor or selected text. setCursor(position) and setSelection(range) let the script change those locations.

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Google Apps Script’s Fundamentals

6 IntegrationTriggersCustom UI

Custom UI▸ Menus▸ Sub-Menus▸ Dialogs▸ SideBars

Triggers▸ Simple

triggers(built-in functions)

▸ Installable triggers

Integration

With all Google apps, we can initially check

Triggers in Apps Script

A trigger is a type of script resource that listens for a particular event and executes a function when that event fires.

▸ Simple triggers▸ Specially-named built-in functions that are

specific to spreadsheets▹ onEdit▹ onOpen▹ onInstall

▸ Installable triggers▸ Time-based triggers▸ Container-bound installable triggers (let's make

one!)

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Use Cases

App Reference #1

Grading made easy with Flubaroo

▸ Create quiz using Google Forms▸ Automatically grades against

answer key▸ Can email results and answers to

each student▸ Provides charts to analyze the

results

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Use Cases

App Reference #2

Many types of mail merge

▸ Define a simple template using a draft email, document, sites page, or spreadsheet cell

▸ Add placeholder values that should be dynamically replaced

▸ Each spreadsheet row merged with template and sent out

(Example of MailMerge by Amit Agrawal)

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Easy Reference for the Beginners

▸ http://developers.google.com/apps-scriptUser guide covering basic functionality30+ tutorials with code Videos

▸ YouTube channels

▸ GoogleDevelopers and GoogleApps Stack Overflow Tag questions with google-apps-script )

▸ Very active community, Google moderated Google Apps Developer Blog

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11 THANKS!Any questions?

Special thanks to all the people who made and released these awesome resources for free.

Google Apps Script

Presented at GDG DevFest Ahmedabad 2015

Presented By : Dipali VyasProject Manager @ Zestard Technologies

Date: 27-Dec-2015

Email: dipalia@gmail.com

Twitter: @dipalia