ImportXML with Google Sheet and Auto Refresh Every Minute

Question

I have the script below which is importing some XML data in a google sheet called prices. Everything works fine except that I have set up a time driven trigger to run every minute but the data won't get updated.

• The trigger seems to work fine, as I can see the last run time being updated every minute.
• The script calling the XML data works fine as I can see the data being populated in the spreadsheet.
• The XML feed works fine too, as I can see the time being updated every minute, also have a cron job.

• I only have this function as a project.

  function getData() {
    var sheetName = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName("prices");
    var queryString = Math.random();
    var cellFunction = '=ImportXML("http://myxmldata.com/data-xml.php","//data/date")';
    sheetName.getRange('A2').setValue(cellFunction);
  } 
  

  So what's wrong?

Answer 1

Here is how I solved my problem:

On your spreadsheet go to the top menu > click Tool > then Script Editor and add the following scripts:

This is the script to call your data e.g. XML. Please update the script with your own information. YOUR-SHEET-NAME, is the tab name e.g. "prices".

function getData() {
  var sheetName = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName("YOUR- 
  SHEET-NAME");
  var queryString = Math.random();
  var cellFunction = '=ImportXML("https://yoururl-xml.php","//trade/price")';  

  var range = sheetName.getRange('A2');

  range.clearContent();  // You can also use range.setFormula("");
  SpreadsheetApp.flush();
  range.setFormula(cellFunction);
  }

Below that script, add the following script, more information on this page: Periodically refresh IMPORTXML() spreadsheet function

YOUR-SHEET-ID is the long number in the spreadsheet url e.g. 1YTB12xSTMSNdoT_S1U67MtOUDTf6n4OL2tJLnTNAXYZ

function RefreshImports() {
  var lock = LockService.getScriptLock();
  if (!lock.tryLock(5000)) return;             // Wait up to 5s for previous refresh to end.

  var id = "YOUR-SHEET-ID";
  var ss = SpreadsheetApp.openById(id);
  var sheet = ss.getSheetByName("YOUR-SHEET-NAME");
  var dataRange = sheet.getDataRange();
  var formulas = dataRange.getFormulas();
  var content = "";
  var now = new Date();
  var time = now.getTime();
  var re = /.*[^a-z0-9]import(?:xml|data|feed|html|range)\(.*/gi;
  var re2 = /((\?|&)(update=[0-9]*))/gi;
  var re3 = /(",)/gi;

  for (var row=0; row<formulas.length; row++) {
    for (var col=0; col<formulas[0].length; col++) {
      content = formulas[row][col];
      if (content != "") {
        var match = content.search(re);
        if (match !== -1 ) {
          // import function is used in this cell
          var updatedContent = content.toString().replace(re2,"$2update=" + time);
          if (updatedContent == content) {
            // No querystring exists yet in url
            updatedContent = content.toString().replace(re3,"?update=" + time + "$1");
          }
          // Update url in formula with querystring param
          sheet.getRange(row+1, col+1).setFormula(updatedContent);
        }
      }
    }
  }

  // Done refresh; release the lock.
  lock.releaseLock();

}

Here is a screenshot of both scripts:

Then add the timer, go to the top menu click on the clock and add trigger. Make sure to select the right function i.e. RefreshImports.

Done!