I cant figure out why google appscript is sending the actual file instead of the copy

Question

So, I recently have been working on a project with google sheets, where I am getting some data and creating files with that data to email as attachment. I am

copying my template file
setting a name to that template copy file
opening it with the new copy id
doing my replacements of tags (changing values of the copy template file)
sending it as an email


    function sendEmail(){
        for (var row in rangeData) {
          var varify = false;
          var fileName = new Date().toString();
          Logger.log("template " + templateId);
          var fileId = DriveApp.getFileById(templateId).makeCopy().getId();
          DriveApp.getFileById(fileId).setName(fileName);
          var body = DocumentApp.openById(fileId).getBody();
          Logger.log('current row ' + rangeData[row]);
          for (var column in rangeData[row]) {
            var target = firstRowMapped.indexOf(columnNames[column]);
            if (target != -1) {
              Logger.log('found Key');
              try {
                body.replaceText(firstRowMapped[target].toString(), rangeData[row] 
                [target].toString());
                varify = true;
              } catch (err) {
                Logger.log(err);
              }
            }
          }
          if (varify == true) {
            var toSend = DocumentApp.openById(fileId);
            // send mail
            try {
              MailApp.sendEmail(rangeData[row][emailColumn], 'Test Email', rangeData[row][0], {
                name: 'Emailer Script from DOER',
                cc: rangeData[row][ccColumn],
                attachments: toSend.getAs(MimeType.PDF)
              });
              Logger.log('sent');
            } catch (err) {
              Logger.log(err);
            } 
          }
        }
      }

I am getting my expected files on google drive. The Id of those files match that of toSend yet when I am getting my email, I get the fileId. I have been trying to figure this out for days, no luck. Does anyone know why this might be happening? Any Ideas? I personally have send countless attachments through this process (not with a template though) and never had this problem.

Could you reduce this to a much shorter piece of code that has the same problem? — Brilliand, Oct 12 '19 at 19:36
I thought I would post everything to make it easier to understand but alright. Hold on a second. — sakib11, Oct 12 '19 at 19:44
It's still so long... surely you don't need all that logging and error handling just to show us what the problem is? — Brilliand, Oct 12 '19 at 20:57
The idea of reducing it is to create a [minimal, reproducible example](https://stackoverflow.com/help/minimal-reproducible-example). Quite often, the act of reducing the code to that point will make the solution obvious. — Brilliand, Oct 12 '19 at 21:16
I'm unfamiliar with the google apps classes, but it looks like you aren't saving the modified document body after you modify it. — Brilliand, Oct 12 '19 at 21:17
actually I am. Because when I go to that file link from my Google drive, I get all the correct content. — sakib11, Oct 13 '19 at 01:48

score 3 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 13 '19 at 09:10

3

The code in the question is opening two instances of the file, modifying one, then sending the other (unmodified) instance. To fix this, you can either:

Save and close the first instance before opening the other

/* globals
   rangeData, templateId, firstRowMapped,columnNames, emailColumn, ccColumn */

function sendEmail() {

    ...

    var doc = DocumentApp.openById(fileId);
    var body = doc.getBody();

    ...

    doc.saveAndClose();

    if (varify == true) {
      var toSend = DocumentApp.openById(fileId);
      // send mail
      ...

}

Or, only open one instance, and send the same one you modified

// Don't close the doc before this 
var toSend = doc;

edited Oct 13 '19 at 09:10

Brilliand

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answered Oct 12 '19 at 20:46

contributorpw

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wow, Cant believe that worked as With My way, I was still getting the files in google drive (edited files) hence I did not think I would need to save it. – sakib11 Oct 13 '19 at 03:41
2

@sakib11 It's a pretty good bet that the Google Apps class you're using autosaves the file when your script ends... which was just a little too late for it to be sent in the modified form. – Brilliand Oct 13 '19 at 08:59
Yes. exactly. That is what I thought. Hence I was getting ready to implement delays but thought there has to be a better way @Brilliand – sakib11 Oct 13 '19 at 10:48

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 13 '19 at 03:43

Reopening and saving fixed my errors.

        var editFile = DocumentApp.openById(fileId);
        var body = editFile.getBody();
        var target = firstRowMapped.indexOf(columnNames[column]);
        if (target != -1) {
          Logger.log('found Key');
          try {
            Logger.log('row column ' + rangeData[row][target] + ' replacing ' + 
            firstRowMapped[target]);
            body.replaceText(firstRowMapped[target].toString(), rangeData[row] 
            [target].toString());
            Logger.log('replaced Key');
            varify = true;
            editFile.saveAndClose();

I cant figure out why google appscript is sending the actual file instead of the copy

2 Answers2