AppsScriptPulse

The Ultimate Guide Connecting AppSheet to Google Cloud SQL and MySQL databases

This comprehensive guide walks you through connecting AppSheet to Google Cloud SQL, step-by-step. Unlock the power of a scalable and secure database to build powerful, data-driven mobile applications. Learn everything you need to know, from setting up Google Cloud SQL server, setting up the MySQL database as the datasource for AppSheet Apps, the connection to leveraging Cloud SQL for seamless data management in your AppSheet projects. If you are an AppSheet app creator or developer, this tutorial will likely be the best practice for you during the process of working with Google Cloud SQL

Google AppSheet GDE, Vo Tu Duc, has published  a comprehensive guide on connecting AppSheet to Google Cloud SQL. Google provides a very useful support page on AppSheet data sources and performance, which highlights some scenarios where you might need to consider Cloud SQL.

For example, large-scale AppSheet apps using Google Sheets as a datasource with significant data access during specific times of the day, could encounter concurrency or quota issues imposed by the Sheets API. Using Cloud SQL you can configure your own instance configured to match your AppSheet app requirements avoiding any quota limits.

The guide provides very detailed step-by-step instructions for setting up Google Cloud SQL, creating a MySQL database, and connecting it to AppSheet. This includes lots of annotated screenshots, making it easy to follow even for those who are new to Google Cloud, MySQL, and SQL queries. Whilst the guide assumes you are creating a new app if you copy an existing app to an SQL database  and then, if needed, upgrade the existing app.

One final thing to note is Cloud SQL isn’t part of the standard data integrations offered with AppSheet Starter and Core editions. As a result, all your app users will require AppSheet Enterprise licenses. Here is a summary of features that are supported with each subscription.

Source: The Ultimate Guide Connecting AppSheet to Google Cloud SQL and MySQL database

Create Jira timelines for multiple projects in Google Sheets with Apps Script

Create awesome Jira timelines for multiple projects in Google sheets – zmandel/timeline-jira-google-sheets

Viewing Jira timelines in Google Sheets can be beneficial in a number of ways including allowing you to use the features of Sheets for further analysis and exploration of the data. One such feature is Google Sheet timeline graphs. These can be customisable and let you configure timelines to display specific data, such as issue type, priority, or assignee.

To help with getting your Jira data into Google Sheets, Sig Mandel has recently published a Google Sheets template which you can copy and connect to your Jira data. Features of the template include:

Makes Timelines with Multiple Jira Projects – Create comprehensive timelines that encompass multiple Jira projects, enabling you to visualize and track the progress of related initiatives simultaneously.

Alerts When Issues Are Not Started or Ended on Time – Stay informed with timely alerts that notify you when issues are not started or ended according to their designated timelines. Proactively address potential delays and ensure projects remain on schedule.

View Timelines as Regular Sheets and as Native Timelines – View your timelines in two distinct formats: as traditional spreadsheets for detailed analysis and as visually appealing native timelines that offer a comprehensive overview of project progress.

One Click to View Issue Details or to Open in Jira – Seamlessly access issue details and navigate to the corresponding Jira issues with a single click. Quickly drill down into specific tasks to gain deeper insights and make informed decisions.

Works in “Epics & Stories” and “Stories & Subtasks” Modes for Issue Grouping – Customize your timelines by grouping issues based on “Epics & Stories” or “Stories & Subtasks.” This flexibility allows you to tailor the timeline presentation to your project’s unique structure and requirements.

Keeps All Previously Made Timelines for Easy Comparison – Maintain a historical record of all previously created timelines. Easily compare timelines to identify trends, progress, and areas for improvement over time.

Follow the source link to the GitHub repo, open the template preview link and click ‘Use Template’ to get started.

Source: GitHub – zmandel/timeline-jira-google-sheets: Create awesome Jira timelines for multiple projects in Google sheets

Register for Google Workspace Developer Summits in Boston and Berlin, September 2024

The Google Workspace Developer Summit is a full day event led by the Google Workspace Developer Relations team. Together, we will explore both the opportunity and the technologies that make up the Google Workspace platform, with a focus on what’s new and emerging in the types of solutions you and your teams can build.

The Google Workspace Developer Summit are returning! These are excellent opportunities for Workspace user and developers of all experience levels to learn about creating unique solutions for their businesses or the world. The full-day events, led by the Google Workspace Developer Relations team, will allow you to explore both the potential and technologies of the Google Workspace platform.

The events also include sessions from community members and I will be doing a short session at the Berlin event on Empowering Google Workspace Developers with Gemini Function Calling and more!

You can register to attend following these links:

If you can’t join in-person for the summits but still would like to watch some of the sessions both registration pages include a Google Form to note interest.

Source: Google Workspace Developer Summit – Boston & Google Workspace Developer Summit – Berlin

Correcting date formats in Google Sheets with Apps Script

Screenshot showing difference between American/British date formats

Search through Google Sheet data and correct the format of any date values to your choosing.

The following Google Apps Script is just one way you could search through data within a Google Sheet, pinpoint all date-values (no matter where they are), check their format (e.g. dd/mm/yyyy) and update it to a format of your choosing if necessary.

This function has been useful when American/British date formats have managed to make their way into a Google Sheet.

Source: The Gift of Script: Correct date formats in a Google Sheet

Sharing cache data between Google Apps Script projects with bmCacheSharer

Shared cached data between multiple scripts with this enhanced Apps Script Cacheservice library

Bruce Mcpherson has shared a new Apps Script library, bmCacheSharer, which enables sharing of cache data between multiple Google Workspace projects. The library was originally created to solve the problem of sharing configuration data stored in a Google Sheet with multiple script projects.

The library includes a number of nice features to overcome some of the limitations of the Apps Script CacheService, such as the 100k maximum item size and the 6-hour expiration limit by incorporating features like compression, key digestion, and automatic refresh.

It also provides options for sharing cached values by using community keys. The library is designed to be flexible, allowing users to either use its built-in cache service or provide their own. Additionally, it offers a memory cache for faster access within the same script instance. The document includes code examples and explanations to illustrate the library’s usage and benefits.

Follow the source link to find out more..

Source: Google Apps Script CacheSharer library

Totally Unscripted – Stop clicking, start Apps Scripting; The case for automating Google Workspace for EVERYONE! June 12, 2024 at 1100 PDT / 1400 EDT / 1800UTC / 1900 BST

To wrap up the first half of season 5, the Totally Unscripted crew will go back to basics and talk about the perhaps the best-kept secret in the Google Workspace universe, and that’s of course Google Apps Script! While many of our regular viewers surely know how powerful Apps Script can be, we wanted to ask the rest of the Workspace world “Why aren’t you Apps Scripting?!?”

Join us for a fun and whimsical exploration of Google Apps Script, where we’ll uncover why Apps Script is the ultimate productivity sidekick, ready to rescue you from repetitive chores and unleash your creative superpowers. No coding experience? No problem! We’ll break it down in a way that’s easy to understand, even if you’re a tech newbie.

It’s time to unlock the full potential of Google Workspace and join the Apps Script revolution. Let’s spread the word and empower everyone to automate their way to a more productive and joyful work life!

Join us LIVE on June 12, 2024 at 1100 PDT / 1400 EDT / 1800UTC / 1900 BST

*Totally Unscripted is an independent Google Workspace developer show co-hosted by Martin Hawksey, Charles Maxson, Alice Keeler and Kara Ireland

How to use Google Apps Script to automate your Gmail out-of-office message

As a Developer Advocate for Google Workspace, I live and breathe productivity tools. But even the most tech-savvy among us can have frustratingly simple oversights. My recurring pain point? Forgetting to turn on my Gmail vacation responder to automatically notify people of my absence before heading out of office.

Google Workspace Developer Advocate, Chanel Greco, has shared a clever solution to automate their Gmail out-of-office notification using Google Apps Script. Faced with the recurring problem of forgetting to set up the out-of-office notification, Chanel crafted a script that does the job based on Google Calendar events marked as ‘outOfOffice’.

Chanel’s project not only solves a personal problem but also demonstrates the benefits of Google Apps Script for task customization and productivity. By harnessing the power of Workspace APIs, you can create innovative solutions to automate routine tasks and streamline workflows.

Follow the source link to read more…

Source: How I Used Apps Script to Never Forget My Gmail Vacation Responder Again

Build a Google Drive Add-on with Gemini to rename Untitled Google Docs – Name with Intelligence

Google Workspace Add-on for Google Drive, which uses AI to recommend new names for the selected Doc in Google Drive by passing the body of the document within the AI prompt for context.

Tired of staring at “Untitled document” in Google Drive? At Google Cloud Next ’24 and I/O 2024, the Google Workspace DevRel team showcased new Apps Script samples utilizing the Gemini API for AI-powered functionality.

One such sample, “Name with Intelligence” by Charles Maxson, helps developers overcome this common hurdle. This Google Drive add-on leverages the Gemini API to suggest relevant titles for your documents, saving you valuable time and effort.

This innovative Google Drive add-on tackles the common struggle of naming untitled documents. It utilizes the Gemini API to analyse the content of your Google Doc and suggest relevant titles based on its understanding of the text. This not only saves you time brainstorming titles, but also ensures your documents are clearly named for easy searchability later.

Want to see it in action? Check out this clip from Charles’ TU5.8 – Apps Script and Gemini Next ’24 Redux presentation.

Ready to give “Name with Intelligence” a try?

Head over to the GitHub repository to explore the source code.

For those interested in my GeminiApp library, you can also find the sample here.

Take Your Development Further

This is just a glimpse of what’s possible with the Gemini API and Apps Script. With a little creativity, you can develop your own AI-powered Google Workspace add-ons to streamline your workflows and boost your productivity.

I encourage you to experiment and create innovative solutions that enhance your Google Workspace experience!

Source: apps-script-samples/ai/drive-rename/README.md at main · googleworkspace/apps-script-samples

Deploying an Apps Script Library Part 7: Contributing

Open-source made me a better developer, and can do the same for you.

TLDR;

This is our final stretch! We’ve navigated through building an Apps Script library, and now it’s time to discuss how you can contribute. Here’s a quick rundown of what we’ll cover:

  1. GitHub Flow: Learn to fork the repository, create a feature branch, and make a pull request.
  2. Guidelines: Tips on ensuring your pull request gets accepted.
  3. Code of Conduct: We won’t delve into this, as respectful behavior is the default expectation.
  4. License: Our library uses the MIT License, which is pretty much the one that lets you do anything you want with the code.
  5. Issues: I will post issues that I consider a priority, but feel free to tackle any of them.
  6. Process: Follow the steps outlined in our CONTRIBUTING.md file.

As a reminder, here are the links to the repo and the NPM page.

But first, let’s talk about what you should do before you open a pull request.

Source: Deploying an Apps Script Library Part 7: Contributing