Search spreadsheet by column, return rows

Question

I'm trying to find the best script in terms of runtime to complete a task. I've got a decently large spreadsheet where I need to check values in certain known columns, and depending on a match case it returns that row. Ideally I'd like a new spreadsheet containing the returned rows.

I've got the spreadsheet opened by ID and I've got the sheet & range, but not sure the most efficient way to search through the specific columns and grabbing not just that value but the entire row.

Answer 1

You can use the code below to search in a specific column. Code is self explanatory.

function onOpen() {
  var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var menuEntries = [ {name: "Search", functionName: "onSearch"} ];
  ss.addMenu("Commands", menuEntries);    
}

function onSearch()
{
    var searchString = "Test11";
    var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName("SheetName"); 
    var column =4; //column Index   
    var columnValues = sheet.getRange(2, column, sheet.getLastRow()).getValues(); //1st is header row
    var searchResult = columnValues.findIndex(searchString); //Row Index - 2

    if(searchResult != -1)
    {
        //searchResult + 2 is row index.
        SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().setActiveRange(sheet.getRange(searchResult + 2, 1))
    }
}

Array.prototype.findIndex = function(search){
  if(search == "") return false;
  for (var i=0; i<this.length; i++)
    if (this[i] == search) return i;

  return -1;
} 

Answer 2

You may want to use the Google Apps Script textFinder class.

This example function will search a string and show the row of the first occurrence in an alert dialog:

function searchString(){
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet()
  var search_string = "dog"
  var textFinder = sheet.createTextFinder(search_string)
  var search_row = textFinder.findNext().getRow()
  var ui = SpreadsheetApp.getUi();
  ui.alert("search row: " + search_row)
}

Answer 3

My lookup script on GitHub

Usages:

Lookup_(SheetinfoArray,"Sheet1!A:B",0,[1],"Sheet1!I1","n","y","n");

Lookup_(Sheetinfo,"Sheet1!A:B",0,[1],"return","n","n","y");

Lookup_(SheetinfoArray,"Sheet1!A:B",0,[0,1],"return","n","n","y");

Lookup_(Sheetinfo,"Sheet1!A:B",1,[1,3,0,2],"return","y","n","n");

Lookup_("female","Sheet1!A:G",4,[2],"Database!A1","y","y","y");

Lookup_(Sheetinfo,LocationsArr,4,[0],"return","y","n","y");

Lookup_(/RegEx+/i,LocationsArr,4,[0],"return","y","n","y");

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Parameters Explaination:

-"Search_Key" - Can be be a string, array, or regex to lookup multiple things at once

-"RefSheetRange" - The Reference source of information. Can be local sheet reference and range or an array of data from a variable.

-"SearchKey_RefMatch_IndexOffSet" - What column of information you are referencing of 'Search_Key' to 'RefSheetRange' data.

-"IndexOffSetForReturn" - Once a 'Search_Key' match has been found what columns of data will be returned from 'RefSheetRange'.

-"SetSheetRange" - Where are you going to put the chosen information from 'RefSheetRange' that matched 'Search_Key' OR you can use 'return' and when the function finishes it will return so you can output the function to a variable.

-"ReturnMultiResults" - If 'Y' Say you 'Search_Key' is 'NW' and you want to find every store in a chain that falls under the northwest in your dataset. So declaring 'Y' wont stop after it finds the first match it will keep searching throught the rest of the data.

-"Add_Note" - If 'Y' you are setting the results to a spreadsheet and not returning it to memory then it will set the first cell in the 'SetSheetRange' with a note of what and when.

-"Has_NAs" - If 'Y' it will put in '#N/A' the column where it did not find data for 'Search_Key' other wise it will leave the column blank.

Answer 4

The combination of INDEX and MATCH should work:

=INDEX($B$2:$D$1000,MATCH(S2,$A$2:$A$1000,0))

S2 is a search key.

$A$2:$A$1000 is a range, where we will lookup.

$B$2:$D$1000 is a range, that we will return.

Keep in mind that numeric parts of $B$2:$D$1000 and $A$2:$A$1000 should match.

Answer 5

function onSearch()
{
    var searchString = "SD0023";
    var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName("Form Responses 1"); 
    var column =1; //column Index   
    var columnValues = sheet.getRange(2, column, sheet.getLastRow()).getValues(); //1st is header row
    var searchResult = columnValues.findIndex(searchString); //Row Index - 2

    if(searchResult != -1)
    {
        //searchResult + 2 is row index.
        SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().setActiveRange(sheet.getRange(searchResult + 2, 3)).setValue("found here");
    }
}

Array.prototype.findIndex = function(search){
  if(search == "") return false;
  for (var i=0; i<this.length; i++)
    if (this[i].toString().indexOf(search) > -1 ) return i;

  return -1;
} 

Made some small changes to the answer to search inline text.