CODEWITHSUNDEEP
google-apps-scriptgoogle-sheets
Mark Halmi
Mark Halmi

Reputation: 21

create new folder and copy google sheet, with new name to new folder

I am trying to automate the creation of new folders in Google drive from data in a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet gets information from a form. I have figured out how to make the new folders using scripts but have the following questions:

  1. How do I avoid creating duplicate folders each time the script is run? For example if a folder named '1808' has already been created, I don't want the script to create '1808(1)'

  2. I want to copy a spreadsheet from another location and insert in the new folders that I am creating. The new file name is to be created with information from the same spreadsheet.

    function makeFolders(){

//Get array of folder names (fixed & variable)
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
var sheet = ss.getActiveSheet();
var bottomRow = sheet.getMaxRows()-2;
var folderNames = sheet.getRange(2, 12, bottomRow, 1).getValues();

//If fixed name cell is blank it throws up an alert and stops      
if (folderNames === "") {
    SpreadsheetApp.getUi().alert('Cell A3 is blank.');
}

//If folder ID cell is blank it throws up an alert and stops
var folderUrl = sheet.getRange(3,14).getValue();  
if (folderUrl === "") {
    SpreadsheetApp.getUi().alert('Cell C3 is blank.');
}      

//If fixed name cell and file URL aren't empty, run the program  
if (folderNames !== "" && folderUrl !== "") {    
    //Get ID from folder URL
    var folderId = folderUrl.match(/[-\w]{25,}/);    
    //Get master folder 
    var getRootFolderId = DriveApp.getFolderById(folderId);

    //Copy master n times and rename each copy with the new name
    //stops when it comes to a blank cell 
    for (n=0;n<bottomRow;n++){
          if(folderNames[n] == ""){break;}

          var newFolder = getRootFolderId.createFolder(folderNames[n]);
    }
    ss.toast("Your folders have been made! :)","Finished",3);
}
}**strong text**

Upvotes: 2

Views: 1268

Answers (2)

NSchorr
NSchorr

Reputation: 925

You could add a timestamp to the name of the new folder created. Each timestamp would be unique to the millesecond:

function uniqueFolderName() {
    var folderName = "1808";
    var formattedDate = Utilities.formatDate(new Date(), "GMT", "yyyyMMddHHmmssSSS");
    var newFolderName = folderName + formattedDate;
    Logger.log(newFolderName);
}

Upvotes: 1

123
123

Reputation: 813

How do I avoid creating duplicate folders each time the script is run? For example if a folder named '1808' has already been created, I don't want the script to create '1808(1)'

You could get a list of all the folder names and loop through them to check if any match the new folder name! Something like:

function MakeNewFolders(rootFolderID, folderNames)
    // Get master folder 
    var rootFolder = DriveApp get folder (rootFolderID)
    var subfolders = rootFolder.getFolders()
    var alreadyExists = false;
    var newFolder;

    // Check if any subfolder already exists
    //   loop for folders first, to minimize GAS function calls
     while (subfolders.hasNext()) {
        var subfolderName = subfolders.next().getName();
        loop (each folder in folderNames) {
            if (subfolderName == newFolderName)
                alreadyExists = true;
        }
        if (!alreadyExists)
            newFolder = rootFolder.createFolder(newFolderName)
     }

If there are a TON of folders you need to loop through (more than 60-ish), here is a code snippet you might find handy. Basically, the original Google example for getting a list of subfolders runs twice as slow as necessary by checking for folder.hasNext(), when you can just use a try-catch block and ignore the "you've reached the end!" exception it throws. Should cut execution time in half! :)

I want to copy a spreadsheet from another location and insert in the new folders that I am creating. The new file name is to be created with information from the same spreadsheet.

Try something like this!

function CopyFile(originalFileID, destinationFolderID) {
  var destinationFolder = DriveApp.getFolderById(destinationFolderID) ;
  var fileToCopy = DriveApp.getFileById(originalFileID)
  var copiedFile = fileToCopy.makeCopy(<new name>, destinationFolder)
  fileToCopy.setTrashed(true); // alternatively, you can use 
    // Drive.Files.remove(originalFileID);  
}

Hope this helps! Been a while since I used GAS, hopefully this compiles :)

Upvotes: 1

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