I want to produce a Google Apps document based on a (Google doc) template stored on the users Google Drive and some XML data held by a servlet running on Google App Engine.
Preferably I want to run as much as possible on the GAE. Is it possible to run Apps Service APIs on GAE or download/manipulate Google doc on GAE? I have not been able to find anything suitable
One alternative is obviously to implement the merge functionality using an Apps Script transferring the XML as parameters and initiate the script through http from GAE, but it just seem somewhat awkward in comparison.
EDIT: Specifically I am looking for the replaceText script functionality, as shown in the Apps script snippet below, to be implemented in GAE. Remaining code is supported through Drive/Mail API, I guess..
// Get document template, copy it as a new temp doc, and save the Doc’s id
var copyId = DocsList.getFileById(providedTemplateId)
.makeCopy('My-title')
.getId();
var copyDoc = DocumentApp.openById(copyId);
var copyBody = copyDoc.getActiveSection();
// Replace place holder keys,
copyBody.replaceText("CustomerAddressee", fullName);
var todaysDate = Utilities.formatDate(new Date(), "GMT+2", "dd/MM-yyyy");
copyBody.replaceText("DateToday", todaysDate);
// Save and close the temporary document
copyDoc.saveAndClose();
// Convert temporary document to PDF by using the getAs blob conversion
var pdf = DocsList.getFileById(copyId).getAs("application/pdf");
// Attach PDF and send the email
MailApp.sendEmail({
to: email_address,
subject: "Proposal",
htmlBody: "Hi,<br><br>Here is my file :)<br>Enjoy!<br><br>Regards Tony",
attachments: pdf});
As you already found out, apps script is currently the only one that can access an api to modify google docs. All other ways cannot do it unless you export to another format (like pdf or .doc) then use libraries that can modify those, then reupload the new file asking to convert to a google doc native format, which in some cases would loose some format/comments/named ranges and other google doc features. So like you said, if you must use the google docs api you must call apps script (as a content service). Also note that the sample apps script code you show is old and uses the deptecated docsList so you need to port it to the Drive api.
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