How to Create a New Library with Google Apps Script

Google Apps Script is a powerful tool for automating tasks and integrating different Google services together. In addition to writing standalone scripts, you can also define functions and classes in a library that can be used across multiple scripts. In this article, we’ll cover the steps for creating a new library in Google Apps Script.

Step 1: Create a New Project

To create a new library, you’ll first need to create a new Google Apps Script project. To do this, simply go to the Google Drive homepage and click on the “New” button. From the dropdown menu, select “More” and then “Google Apps Script.” This will open up the Apps Script editor in a new window.

Step 2: Define the Library Functions and Classes

Once you have a new project open, you can define the functions and classes that you want to include in your library. To do this, click on the “File” menu in the editor and select “New” > “Script File.” This will create a new script file where you can define your library code.

In this file, you can define any number of functions and classes that you want. For example, here’s a simple function that returns the current date:

function getCurrentDate() {
    return new Date();
}

Step 3: Set the Library Configuration

To make your functions and classes available as a library, you’ll need to define the library configuration. This tells Google Apps Script the name of your library, a short description, and what functions and classes are included.

To set the library configuration, click on the “File” menu and select “Project Properties.” In the properties window, select the “Library” tab. Here you can enter the name and description of your library, as well as specify which functions and classes are part of the library.

{
    "name": "MyLibrary",
    "version": "1.0",
    "description": "A simple library that provides utility functions",
    "dependencies": {},
    "library": {
        "macros": [],
        "functions": [
            "getCurrentDate",
        ],
        "records": [],
        "types": []
    }
}

In the example above, we’ve specified that the “getCurrentDate” function is part of the library.

Step 4: Publish the Library

Once you’ve defined the library configuration, you can publish the library so that other Google Apps Script projects can use it. To do this, click on the “Publish” menu and select “Deploy as API executable.” This will open a dialog where you can specify the version of the library and set any additional permissions.

Once you’ve published the library, you’ll be given an identifier that you can use to include the library in other projects. This identifier is a string of letters and numbers, and it will be used as an argument to the “Library” function.

Step 5: Use the Library in Other Projects

To use the library in another Google Apps Script project, you’ll need to include it as a dependency. To do this, open the “Script Editor” for the project you want to use the library in, and click on the “Resources” menu. Select “Libraries” from the dropdown, and enter the library identifier that you received when you published the library.

Once you’ve included the library as a dependency, you can use its functions and classes in your script. For example, to call the “getCurrentDate” function from our example library, you would use this code:

var date = MyLibrary.getCurrentDate();

Wrapping Up

In this article, we’ve covered the steps involved in creating and using a Google Apps Script library. By following these steps, you can create reusable functions and classes that can save you time and effort in your future projects.

Remember, you can define any number of functions and classes in your library, and you can include any number of libraries in a single project. This allows you to build complex applications that take advantage of the power and flexibility of Google Apps Script.