I need help creating a script but I’m completely new to coding. I have a Google Sheets document with a dropdown menu that contains different project names. When I pick a name from this dropdown, two charts below it update automatically using data from another tab.
What I want to do is create an automated process that picks the first item from the dropdown list, waits about 15 seconds for everything to load and calculate, then prints that page. After printing, it should move to the next item in the dropdown, wait another 15 seconds, print again, and keep doing this until it has printed a page for every single option in the list.
I heard that Google Sheets works with Google Apps Script which uses JavaScript. Can someone point me in the right direction or give me some basic steps to get started? I really have no programming experience so any help would be great.
Since you’re completely new to coding, break this down into smaller pieces instead of building everything at once. Google Apps Script can handle this, but there are some limitations you need to know upfront. The biggest issue is that Apps Script can’t directly trigger your browser’s print dialog like a regular webpage. You’ll need to work with PDF exports or use the built-in printing methods, which have their own quirks. For automating your dropdown, use getRange() to access the cell with your dropdown and setValue() to change it programmatically. The tricky part is making sure your charts actually finish updating before moving to the next step. Sometimes 15 seconds isn’t enough if your data’s complex, sometimes it’s too much. I’d start with a simple test script that just cycles through your dropdown values without printing first. Once that works reliably, add the export functionality.
Honestly, google apps script is ur best bet here, but expect some trial n error. The printing’s gonna be the trickiest part since apps script can’t just hit ctrl+p. I’d try using driveapp to save each version as a pdf first. For automating the dropdown, grab the validation range n loop thru those values. Just heads up - charts can be slow to update, so u might need to adjust that 15 sec wait.
Yes, you can accomplish this with Google Apps Script, although it may seem tricky initially. Since you’re new to programming, I recommend starting by recording a macro in Google Sheets. Navigate to Extensions > Macros > Record macro, and change your dropdown value manually. This will give you a basic code template. The more complex parts involve timing and printing, as Google Apps Script functions differently from browser printing. You might need to export each view as a PDF to your Google Drive and print those files. For timing, use Utilities.sleep() to create the delays, but you may need to adjust the timing based on your data’s complexity. Start with a simple script that loops through the dropdown values to ensure it works smoothly before incorporating the printing functionality.