Export data from Google AppMaker Datasource automatically

Question

Does anyone know how we can generate report from data in datasource in Google AppMaker automatically (e.g generate rep

Answer 1

This can be achieved by using Installable Triggers.

Say for example, you have a model with students data that has three fields; name(string), age(number) and grade(number). On the server script you can write something like this:

//define function to do the data export
function dataExport() {

  //create sheet to populate data
  var fileName = "Students List " + new Date(); //define file name
  var newExport = SpreadsheetApp.create(fileName); // create new spreadsheet
  var header = ["Name", "Age", "Grade"]; //define header
  newExport.appendRow(header); // append header to spreadsheet

  //get all students records
  var ds = app.models.students.newQuery();
  var allStudents = ds.run();

  for(var i=0; i< allStudents.length; i++) {

    //get each student data
    var student = allStudents[i];
    var studentName = student.name;
    var studentAge = student.age;
    var studentGrade = student.grade;

    var newRow = [studentName, studentAge, studentGrade]; //save studen data in a row
    newExport.appendRow(newRow); //append student data row to spreadsheet

  }

  console.log("Finished Exporting Student Data");

}

//invoke function to set up the auto export
function exportData(){

  //check if there is an existing trigger for this process
  var existingTrigger = PropertiesService.getScriptProperties().getProperty("autoExportTrigger");

  //if the trigger already exists, inform user about it
  if(existingTrigger) {

    return "Auto export is already set"; 

  } else { // if the trigger does not exists, continue to set the trigger to auto export data

    //runs the script every day at 1am on the time zone specified
    var newTrigger = ScriptApp.newTrigger('dataExport')
    .timeBased()
    .atHour(1)
    .everyDays(1)
    .inTimezone("America/Chicago")
    .create();

    var triggerId = newTrigger.getUniqueId(); 

    if(triggerId) {
      PropertiesService.getScriptProperties().setProperty("autoExportTrigger", triggerId);
      return "Auto export has been set successfully!";
    } else {
      return "Failed to set auto export. Try again please"; 
    }

  }

}

Then, to delete/stop the auto export, in case you need to, you can write the following on the server script too:

function deleteTrigger() {

  //get the current auto export trigger id
  var triggerId = PropertiesService.getScriptProperties().getProperty("autoExportTrigger");

  //get all triggers
  var allTriggers = ScriptApp.getProjectTriggers();

  //loop over all triggers.
  for (var i = 0; i < allTriggers.length; i++) {

    // If the current trigger is the correct one, delete it.
    if (allTriggers[i].getUniqueId() === triggerId) {

      ScriptApp.deleteTrigger(allTriggers[i]);
      break;

      //else delete all the triggers found  
    } else {

      ScriptApp.deleteTrigger(allTriggers[i]);

    }

  }

  PropertiesService.getScriptProperties().deleteProperty("autoExportTrigger");
  return "Auto export has been cancelled";

}

• You can check the demo app right here.
• The reference to the script properties service is here.
• The reference to the Time Zones list is here.

I hope this helps!