How to execute Google App script from external script

Question

I am attempting to build a web app that will create a Google Doc from a template and populate it with user provided data. Using Google's quickstart example in the documentation, I can successfully authorize and access the Google Drive file system. Now I need to programmatically open a template Google Doc (or even create one from scratch) and add the data.

This is rather easily done using App Script's Document Service (the DocumentAppclass). So I can do something like:

function createDoc(contentArray) {
  var doc = DocumentApp.create('Sample Document');
  var body = doc.getBody();
  var rowsData = contentArray; // data submitted with HTML form passed as arg
  body.insertParagraph(0, doc.getName())
      .setHeading(DocumentApp.ParagraphHeading.HEADING1);
  table = body.appendTable(rowsData);
  table.getRow(0).editAsText().setBold(true);
}

in a standalone App Script and successfully create the new Google Doc on Google Drive. I can't figure out how to execute this App Script from my external web app. Is there a way to do this or do I need to find a different way to create Google Docs (and add content) using just the Drive API?

EDIT:

here is the GET request from my web app:

var gurl = "https://script.google.com/macros/s/AKfycbwMHKzfZr1X06zP2iEB4E8Vh-U1vGahaLjXZA1tk49tBNf0xk4/exec";
$.get(
    gurl,
    { name: "john", time: "2pm",},
    function(data) {
      console.log(data);
    },
    "jsonp"
)

and here is my doGet():

function doGet(e) {

  var result = "";
  var name = e.parameter.name;

  Logger.log(name);

  try {
    result = "Hello " + name;
  } catch (f) {
    result = "Error: " + f.toString();
  }

  result = JSON.stringify({
    "result": result
  });  

  var doc = DocumentApp.create('ballz3');
  var body = doc.getBody();
  var rowsData = [['Plants', 'Animals'], ['Ficus', 'Goat'], ['Basil', 'Cat'], ['Moss', 'Frog']];
  body.insertParagraph(0, doc.getName())
      .setHeading(DocumentApp.ParagraphHeading.HEADING1);
  table = body.appendTable(rowsData);
  table.getRow(0).editAsText().setBold(true);
  Logger.log('DOc Name: ' + doc.getName());

  return ContentService
  .createTextOutput(e.parameter.callback + "(" + result + ")")
  .setMimeType(ContentService.MimeType.JAVASCRIPT);   

}

Take a look at this guide - to be able to execute your webapp, you'll need a doGet() or a doPost() function and a versioned deployment of your WebApp — Oleg Valter
@oleg valter this is exactly what i need. I can successfully handle a request (with doGet() or doPost() and send back a response, but it doesn't seem to be executing any of my Document.app calls. Possibly a permissions thing? — Daveh0
You have to deploy the script webapp with the following parameters: execute as me and accessible to anyone even anonymous. That's because when your app is calling the doget function via the URL it is actually anonymous. — Serge insas
If you think it would create a security issue you can imagine a couple of security parameters to make it really difficult to hack. The documentation shows how to add parameters to an URL and how to handle it in a doget function. I've used that configuration a lot of time to(for example) restrict the access to certain people in my domain by giving each one of them an unique url. — Serge insas
@Daveh0, sorry saw your question only now - I believe Serge answered your question in full, it is indeed a permissions issue (enable anonymous access). Or you can take an API executable route as Alberto suggested (both have their pros & cons, ofc) — Oleg Valter

AMolina AMolina · Accepted Answer · 2019-06-13T15:01:39

In order to run a script from an external location like your web app you need to follow some set-up and use the Script API. The documentation provided below has a great example on how to run your scripts from outside.

Additionally, you can use the APIs directly, with services like OAuth to use the APIs directly in a way that can save you some time and make your code more simple. Using OAuth can provide you with simple API requests. To use it:

Go to the link provided below, select the desired scope (Drive for this example).
Exchange the authorization token for refresh/access tokens.
Proceed to configure the request. Here you can set all the parameters for the request, and even select from the existing operations the scope has available (“List possible operations” button).
The resulting request will look like the one below:

GET /drive/v3/files HTTP/1.1 Host: www.googleapis.com Content-length: 0 Authorization: Bearer [YOUR-TOKEN]
Beneath it you will see the server response to the request.

Documentation URL: https://developers.google.com/apps-script/api/how-tos/execute

OAuth Playground: https://developers.google.com/oauthplayground/

How to execute Google App script from external script

1 Answers