Export a Google Drive spreadsheet to PDF in Google Drive in the same folder.

readme.md

Export a Google Drive spreadsheet to PDF in Google Drive in the same folder

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Quick Start

To use this script in Google Drive:

1. In your spreadsheet, click Tools->Script Editor.
2. Paste the contents of Code.gs into the editor.
3. Save.
4. Select "Allow" when Google asks about permissions.
5. Reload your spreadsheet.

You should now see a new file menu option, "Export".

ascreenshot.PNG

Code.gs

// Simple function to add a menu option to the spreadsheet "Export", for saving a PDF of the spreadsheet directly to Google Drive.
// The exported file will be named: SheetName and saved in the same folder as the spreadsheet.
// To change the filename, just set pdfName inside generatePdf() to something else.

// Running this, sends the currently open sheet, as a PDF attachment
function onOpen() {
  var submenu = [{name:"Save PDF", functionName:"generatePdf"}];
  SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().addMenu('Export', submenu);  
}

function generatePdf() {
  // Get active spreadsheet.
  var sourceSpreadsheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActive();
  
  // Get active sheet.
  var sheets = sourceSpreadsheet.getSheets();
  var sheetName = sourceSpreadsheet.getActiveSheet().getName();
  var sourceSheet = sourceSpreadsheet.getSheetByName(sheetName);
  
  // Set the output filename as SheetName.
  var pdfName = sheetName;

  // Get folder containing spreadsheet to save pdf in.
  var parents = DriveApp.getFileById(sourceSpreadsheet.getId()).getParents();
  if (parents.hasNext()) {
    var folder = parents.next();
  }
  else {
    folder = DriveApp.getRootFolder();
  }
  
  // Copy whole spreadsheet.
  var destSpreadsheet = SpreadsheetApp.open(DriveApp.getFileById(sourceSpreadsheet.getId()).makeCopy("tmp_convert_to_pdf", folder))

  // Delete redundant sheets.
  var sheets = destSpreadsheet.getSheets();
  for (i = 0; i < sheets.length; i++) {
    if (sheets[i].getSheetName() != sheetName){
      destSpreadsheet.deleteSheet(sheets[i]);
    }
  }
  
  var destSheet = destSpreadsheet.getSheets()[0];

  // Repace cell values with text (to avoid broken references).
  var sourceRange = sourceSheet.getRange(1,1,sourceSheet.getMaxRows(),sourceSheet.getMaxColumns());
  var sourcevalues = sourceRange.getValues();
  var destRange = destSheet.getRange(1, 1, destSheet.getMaxRows(), destSheet.getMaxColumns());
  destRange.setValues(sourcevalues);

  // Save to pdf.
  var theBlob = destSpreadsheet.getBlob().getAs('application/pdf').setName(pdfName);
  var newFile = folder.createFile(theBlob);

  // Delete the temporary sheet.
  DriveApp.getFileById(destSpreadsheet.getId()).setTrashed(true);
}

install.txt

To use this script in Google Drive:

1. In your spreadsheet, click Tools->Script Editor.
2. Paste the contents of Code.gs into the editor.
3. Save.
4. Select "Allow" when Google asks about permissions.
5. Reload your spreadsheet.

You should now see a new file menu option, "Export".

Hi,

I am getting this error "You cannot delete a sheet with a linked form. Please unlink the form first."
Kindly help.

Hello! When I save a spreadsheet that contains formulas, it saves in blank, without the content generated by the formulas. How can I solve this?

@LeGueuxFoudroyant : +1: > Do you know anyway to "force" googlesheet to recalculate all values on a sheet before I generate the pdf file ?

I face the same problem... Did you succeed to solve it ?
I would be very interested!
Thx

@romainb75
Hi,

Yes I finally succeeded but I forgot to post the answer, thank you for you heads-up.
Before I generate each PDF file, I force googlesheet to update by making a new getrange on the whole sheet.

Using the same previous example I have the following code :

---

// Access the sheet from which I generate PDF FILE
var FFACGEN= document.getSheetByName("FACGEN")

// Browsing threw a list of customer
for (var i=0;i<10;i++){
// I put the number of the customer into cell A1
FFACGEN.getRange("A1").setValue(i);

// Force the data in the sheet to update before generating the PDF file :
FFACGEN.getRange(1,1,FFACGEN.getMaxRows(),FFACGEN.getMaxColumns()).getValues();

// Generate and register pdf file using FFACGEN sheet
var theBlob = Document.getBlob().getAs('application/pdf').setName("MyDocument.pdf");
var folder = DriveApp.getFolderById("FolderID");
var newFile = folder.createFile(theBlob);
}

---

This is so helpful.
Is there a way to have the script take all the sheets and export them to individual PDFs in the folder, rather than doing all of them separately?

@LeGueuxFoudroyant : thx for your response!

Hello,
I've taking the liberty to modify @primaryobjects script(very nice work indeed) a little, in order to avoid the REF issues mentioned.
Just an idea!
`function generatePdf() {
var ss, source, newTab, newSheet;

source = SpreadsheetApp.openById("10wh47mXtvXEdfgdfgdfgdfgdfgdfg").getSheetByName('PrintFATURAFINAL');
ss = SpreadsheetApp.openById("10wh47mXtvXEVUHdfgdfgdfgdfgdfgdfgd");
var pdfName = source.getRange('E10').getDisplayValue();
/*By using the value on a cell as the name for the pdf file you can dynamically change it to be display as a distinct list with no repetition.
ei: client A.pdf
client B.pdf
,etc...
*/
newTab = source.copyTo(ss) // copy sheet to the same spreadsheet
newTab.getDataRange().setValues(newTab.getDataRange().getDisplayValues())
newSheet = SpreadsheetApp.create('Temp');
newTab.copyTo(newSheet);
newSheet.deleteSheet(newSheet.getSheets()[0]);

var folderId = '16ZABtdfgdfgdfgdfgdfgdfgdfgdfg';
var folder = DriveApp.getFolderById(folderId);

// Save to pdf.
var theBlob = newSheet.getBlob().getAs('application/pdf').setName(pdfName);
var newFile = folder.createFile(theBlob);

var delet = ss.deleteSheet(newTab);
DriveApp.getFileById(newSheet.getId()).setTrashed(true);

}`

For those getting the reference error as previously mentioned you need to move the 'Replace values with text section' to be before the ' Delete redundant sheets' section... because if the sheets are deleted prior to the 'getDisplayvalues' the references will be broken. I just thought I would clarify this as it took a bit for the previous reference to it to sink into my brain.

// Replace cell values with text (to avoid broken references).
var sourceRange = sourceSheet.getRange(1,1,sourceSheet.getMaxRows(),sourceSheet.getMaxColumns());
var sourcevalues = sourceRange.getDisplayValues();
var destRange = destSheet.getRange(1, 1, destSheet.getMaxRows(), destSheet.getMaxColumns());
destRange.setValues(sourcevalues);

// Delete redundant sheets.
var sheets = destSpreadsheet.getSheets();
for (i = 0; i < sheets.length; i++) {
if (sheets[i].getSheetName() != sheetName){
destSpreadsheet.deleteSheet(sheets[i]);
}

Hello, good night, guys.

I'm using Google Translate, sorry if you leave somewhere, it won't be my fault.

I would like to know how do I save the PDF file to a specific Google Drive folder. This spreadsheet is shared in my work. I think the file would be saved only in the respective folders of each account - separately (am I right?). I need to avoid this. PDFs must be saved to a folder in my account. The folder in Drive is already properly "open" for the link owner.

So how do I save the PDF file to a specific folder in Google Drive, with everyone using the spreadsheet also saving to that same folder?

Thanks if you can help me. 🙏

May Sheet is Connact with google form so Msg is Show( plz unlink form firest for Delete redundant sheets.) how to solve this problem
// Delete redundant sheets.
var sheets = destSpreadsheet.getSheets();
for (i = 0; i < sheets.length; i++) {
if (sheets[i].getSheetName() != sheetName){
destSpreadsheet.deleteSheet(sheets[i]);
}

I run this code and an error message " We're sorry, a server error occured. Please wait a bit and try again.(line 14,file "Code")"

Thanks in advance if you can help

Hello guys!
Thanks for the code, updates and commits.

In my case, I cannot run the script because there are several cells with dropdown list values. How could I change the script in order to fix this issue? I tried, but I didn't find a solution.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hi, is this script working? I used it on July, buy since August it save a .pdf that is an HTML inside. Same script.

Hello Guys,
I tried this script but always get this error message.
Exception: Unexpected error while getting the method or property getFolderById on object DriveApp.
generatePdf @ pdf.gs:19

I am trying to convert a single sheet from my spreadsheet to pdf in my google drive folder.
Is there any solution, Please Help

My script as follows

unction generatePdf() {
var ss, source, newTab, newSheet;

source = SpreadsheetApp.openById("1Osheet ID").getSheetByName('Orderform');
ss = SpreadsheetApp.openById("1OMy sheet ID");
var pdfName = source.getRange('G3').getDisplayValue();
/*By using the value on a cell as the name for the pdf file you can dynamically change it to be display as a distinct list with no repetition.
ei: client A.pdf
client B.pdf
,etc...
*/
newTab = source.copyTo(ss) // copy sheet to the same spreadsheet
newTab.getDataRange().setValues(newTab.getDataRange().getDisplayValues())
newSheet = SpreadsheetApp.create('Temp');
newTab.copyTo(newSheet);
newSheet.deleteSheet(newSheet.getSheets()[0]);

var folderId = 'https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/MY folder ID?usp=sharing';
var folder = DriveApp.getFolderById(folderId);

// Save to pdf.
var theBlob = newSheet.getBlob().getAs('application/pdf').setName(pdfName);
var newFile = folder.createFile(theBlob);

var delet = ss.deleteSheet(newTab);
DriveApp.getFileById(newSheet.getId()).setTrashed(true);

}

regards

Hi, very nice script! i have a small question. I have a spreadsheet with 7 sheets. I want to print the 2nd.
Two things happens. first, the file comes out without a .pdf suffix, secondly i get #REF! errors on all lines referencing another sheet..

Is it because its deleting the scripts deletes reduntant sheets before replacing cell values or am i doing something wrong?

Much appreciated!

Yes indeed. I suggest using hideSheet() instead of deleting it. In this way, you avoid having issues with charts that make use of data in other sheets!

// Hide redundant sheets.
var sheets = destSpreadsheet.getSheets();
for (i = 0; i < sheets.length; i++) {
if (sheets[i].getSheetName() != sheetName){
sheets[i].hideSheet();
}
}

can it be written for automatic download sheet as pdf into pc as series of time frame like ex: daily at 9:30 downloading data as a pdf file . plz help

You could try setting a time-scheduled task to run the script at date/time intervals.

function createTimeDrivenTriggers() {
  // Trigger every 6 hours.
  ScriptApp.newTrigger('getEmails')
      .timeBased()
      .everyHours(1)
      .create();
}

In my case the pdf is not generated only spreadsheet is generated and the file name is temp_convert_to_pdf
What went wrong?

Sorry, there was a data validation error in my sheet.
It is resolved and now its working

Thanks a lot!

Finally a PDF menu button. Thank You!!!

Two questions. How can I save the PDF by the name of a value in a cell. For example, a sales order number that changes. I have attached a tally code to change the number of the SO#in the cell (G5) every time the "create PDF" is pressed and I would like to save each PDF by that SO#. Which brings me to the second question. How can I set this tally code up in a different spread sheet (a data sheet) and the script reference it to change (G5). For example, G5 (sheet 1) = C1(data spreadsheet) where C1 is the tally. Here is what I am currently using.

SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet().getRange('G5').setValue(SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet().getRange('G5').getValue() + 1);

Finally a PDF menu button. Thank You!!!

Two questions. How can I save the PDF by the name of a value in a cell. For example, a sales order number that changes. I have attached a tally code to change the number of the SO#in the cell (G5) every time the "create PDF" is pressed and I would like to save each PDF by that SO#. Which brings me to the second question. How can I set this tally code up in a different spread sheet (a data sheet) and the script reference it to change (G5). For example, G5 (sheet 1) = C1(data spreadsheet) where C1 is the tally. Here is what I am currently using.

SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet().getRange('G5').setValue(SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet().getRange('G5').getValue() + 1);

Figured out the tally from another spreadsheet but still trying to figure out how to save the PDF based on information in a cell on the same sheet and not the sheet name.

Thank you for the code! I want to save a specific range of my visible sheet as PDF. Is there anything that I can add to this code to get a pdf of the desired range? Please help!