get value in one column in spreadsheet using google apps script

Question

I want to get a string value -to compare it later on with an if condition- from only one column in spreadsheet using Google apps script. I searched the internet and I found this link - sorry if this sounds stupid, I am new to Google apps scripts - https://developers.google.com/apps-script/class_spreadsheet

var values = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet().getRange(2, 3, 6, 4).getValues(); 

I guess that must be helpful, the only problem is that the column I want to get the values from is dynamic so how do I set the range of this column

Answer 1

if you use simply :

var values = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet().getDataRange().getValues()

You will get a 2 Dimension array of all the data in the sheet indexed by rows and columns.

So to get the value in column A, row1 you use values[0][0] , values[1][0] for columnA, row 2, values[0][2] for column C row1, etc...

If you need to iterate in a for loop (in a single column) :

for(n=0;n<values.length;++n){
var cell = values[n][x] ; // x is the index of the column starting from 0
}

If you need to iterate in a for loop (in a single row) :

for(n=0;n<values[0].length;++n){
var cell = values[x][n] ; // x is the index of the row starting from 0
}

Answer 2

much easier way to loop through the rows and get a column value.. hope that helps

var values = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet().getDataRange().getValues();

values.forEach( function(row) {
  row[4] // column index as 4
});

Answer 3

Here is the script I use to get the values in a dynamic column:

var SS = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet()
var Avals = SS.getRange("A1:A").getValues();
var numberOfValues = Avals.filter(String).length;
var RangeVals = SS.getRange(1,1,numberOfValues).getValues();

I've never had to change which starting row based based on a dynamic changing starting point though. Would be interested in seeing how that would be done.

Here is a similar post. Another example here.