CODEWITHSUNDEEP
google-apps-scriptgoogle-sheets
jldeon
jldeon

Reputation: 363

Getting data from a public readable Google Sheet in a script

I'm trying to create a Google Script to access a range of cells from a Google Docs spreadsheet that I don't own but is shared. The spreadsheet is shared in a way that means it is publicly readable, but can't be written to. (Normal users can comment, but not edit)

When I try to run this script, I get an error: "You do not have permissions to access the requested document." I've authorized Google Scripts to my account, but that doesn't seem to be enough to do a getValues() call.

Here's my script so far:

function myFunction() {
  var spreadsheet = SpreadsheetApp.openByUrl("https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1g24uo61ITTveZrUGx4ZY5nMoJp-n1NCxq5r4WMhAJU0/");
  // I can access the name, this runs fine:
  Logger.log(spreadsheet.getName());
  SpreadsheetApp.setActiveSpreadsheet(spreadsheet);
  SpreadsheetApp.setActiveSheet(spreadsheet.getSheets()[0]);
  // fetch this sheet
  sheet = spreadsheet.getActiveSheet();
  var range = sheet.getRange(3,3,22,1);

  // This next line fails: 
  var slicesAndCounts = range.getValues();
  Logger.log(slicesAndCounts);
 }

(The URL is the actual public spreadsheet, so this code should run as is)

Is there some way I can access the values in the spreadsheet from Google Scripts? I've considered trying to make a private copy of the spreadsheet, but I only need it for the duration of the script and I'm not sure if I can create a temporary copy easily. That solution also seems a bit heavy, considering I feel like I should be able to read the spreadsheet given I can access it via my browser or the Google Sheets app.

Upvotes: 2

Views: 1644

Answers (1)

Tanaike
Tanaike

Reputation: 201643

How about using Sheets API? At SpreadsheetApp, it seems that users cannot retrieve values from the shared spreadsheet. I think that the reason may be due to that the access token cannot use at SpreadsheetApp. In my environment, the same error also occurs. So I would like to propose to use Sheets API. When Sheets API is used, the access token is also used. By this, users can retrieve values from the shared spreadsheet.

In order to use this sample script, please enable Sheets API at Advanced Google Services and API console.

Enable Sheets API v4 at Advanced Google Services

  • On script editor
    • Resources -> Advanced Google Services
    • Turn on Google Sheets API v4

Enable Sheets API v4 at API console

  • On script editor
    • Resources -> Cloud Platform project
    • View API console
    • At Getting started, click Enable APIs and get credentials like keys.
    • At left side, click Library.
    • At Search for APIs & services, input "sheets". And click Google Sheets API.
    • Click Enable button.
    • If API has already been enabled, please don't turn off.

If now you are opening the script editor with the script for using Sheets API, you can enable Sheets API for the project by accessing this URL https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/library/sheets.googleapis.com/

About sample script :

The result of this sample is the same to that of your script. The values are retrieved from the range of 3,3,22,1 of 1st sheet in the shared spreadsheet.

  • In this sample script, it uses file ID of Spreadsheet. In your case, that is 1g24uo61ITTveZrUGx4ZY5nMoJp-n1NCxq5r4WMhAJU0 for https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1g24uo61ITTveZrUGx4ZY5nMoJp-n1NCxq5r4WMhAJU0/.
  • In this sample script, a1Notation is used for the range. In your case, getRange(3,3,22,1) is C3:C24.
    • For this script, when {ranges: "C3:C24"} is used, it means the 1st sheet of the spreadsheet. If you want to retrieve values from more than 2nd sheet, please use the sheet name like sheet2!C3:C24 and sheet3!C3:C24.
Script : 
function myFunction() {
  var spreadsheetId = "1g24uo61ITTveZrUGx4ZY5nMoJp-n1NCxq5r4WMhAJU0";
  var slicesAndCounts = Sheets.Spreadsheets.Values.batchGet(spreadsheetId, {ranges: "C3:C24"}).valueRanges[0].values;
  Logger.log(slicesAndCounts);
}

References :

If this was not useful for you, I'm sorry.

Upvotes: 2

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