Google Script document openbyid permission error

Question

If in the onOpen function of a Google Doc I create a spreadsheet object by opening a spreadsheet by id, how can I pass that object to other functions if I'm using the menu system? (longer explanation below)

I have a google doc script that will take a snapshot of a document at a particular time and then export that to .docx and update a spreadsheet with the url of the snapshot. This is initiated by a menu option like so:

function onOpen(e) {
DocumentApp.getUi().createMenu('Senate Secretary Menu')
   .addItem('Snapshot', 'snapshot')
  .addToUi();
}

Which calls the function snapshot()

function snapshot() {
//open the spreadsheet using id
var ss=SpreadsheetApp.openById('spreadsheet_id');

This generates a you do not have permission to call openbyid() error

I understand that google script prohibits openbyid() from being called in custom functions (which I interpreted as functions in spreadsheet, but whatevs). if I change the onOpen function to include the OpenById() call it will work.

function onOpen(e) {
DocumentApp.getUi().createMenu('Senate Secretary Menu')
   .addItem('Snapshot', 'snapshot')
  .addToUi();
var ss=SpreadsheetApp.openById('spreadsheet_id');
}

My question is how can I pass the file object from the onOpen function to the snapshot function?

Just to clarify, are you using the actual spreadsheet ID (a long sequence of letters and numbers) or the string 'spreadsheet_id'? — Brady
it is actually a long string of numbers. But I found the error posted below. — rwreed

rwreed rwreed · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-28T20:47:35

For anyone who might also have this problem. I took the menu template from the Google Quickstart, but it has @OnlyCurrentDoc flag in the header comment block that I missed. Took that out and my problem was solved.

Google Script document openbyid permission error

1 Answers