CodePy Christmas

Merry Christmas: An Introduction to Google Apps Script

What is Google Apps Script(GAS)?

GAS is a JavaScript-based platform for writing cloud applications and expanding/integrating with Google services. That probably doesn't sound very useful to the average user, but anyone with any JavaScript experience can start using GAS to automate tasks. Today we'll walk you through using a script we've written with GAS and break the commands down into pseudo-code.

CodePy Christmas GAS

This script does one simple thing: when it is Christmas, it will email you.

To use:

  1. Go here to open the script
  2. Click the 'triggers' button[Image of trigger button]
  3. Click 'No triggers set up. Click here to add one now.'
  4. Change 'Hour Timer' to 'Day Timer'
  5. In the last drop down box select what time of day you want to receive your email
  6. Click save and wait for Christmas!
Watch the video below:

 



Awesome, now it's working! But wait, what does all this do?

How it works

  • var email = Session.getActiveUser().getEmail();
    • Gets your (the user's) email address and save it in a variable called email
  • var currentTime = new Date();
    • Sets the variable currentTime to the current milliseconds since January 1st, 1970 UTC
  • if ((currentTime.getMonth() == 11)&(currentTime.getDate() == 25)){
    • Checks if it's Christmas
    • (currentTime.getMonth() == 11)
      • Checks if the current month is December(January is 0, so December is 11)
    • (currentTime.getDate() == 25)
      • Checks if the current day is the 25th
    • &
      • Checks that both the month is December and the day is the 25th (So it's only true on December 25th, Christmas)
  • GmailApp.sendEmail(email, "GAS Christmas", "Merry Christmas from CodePy!");
    • Only runs when above "if" statement is true
    • Sends yourself an email with "GAS Christmas" as the subject and "Merry Christmas from CodePy!" in the body

Pseudo-code

What is Pseudo-code?

Pseudo-code(fake-code) is the English(or other language) interpretation of a computer program.
From Google:
" a notation resembling a simplified programming language, used in program design."

Pseudo CodePy Christmas

Do this every day:
  • Save the users email address
  • Find out what day it is
  • If it's Christmas:
    • Send the user an email saying Merry Christmas
  • If it isn't Christmas:
    • Don't do anything


Modify Code

You can save this code to your own account and modify as you want; feel free to play around with it! Just go to file -> make a copy... to save a copy for yourself. You can find it in your Google Drive. Be aware: Unlike Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, Apps Script does NOT auto save.

Conclusion

Thank you for following along with this tutorial and we hope you learn to use Google Apps Script!
Remember to feel free to contact us with any questions on our website, CodePy.

Merry Christmas!

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