Cannot find function in google docs file error

Question

I know some JS and I have a fair amount of experience with VBA scripts for MSO, but I'm just starting to learn how to script google docs, and I'm having difficulty with the google scripting environment.

I created a doc on my google drive, and I am trying to log outputs in the code, but I get an error when I get the error TypeError: Cannot find function getBody in object Excel Download Macro Log File. (line 56, file "Code") when I try to run this code:

function logDataFromCode() {

  var LogDoc = DriveApp.getFilesByName('Excel Download Macro Log File').next();

  // Access the body of LogDoc, then add a paragraph with relevant data from script:
  LogDoc.getBody()
    .appendPageBreak()
    .appendParagraph("[put variables to log here]");
}

Can someone please explain why I am getting this error?

Have you tried to cast it? looks like LogDoc is a file and you want a document, try calling ((Document)LogDoc).getBody() — Liora Haydont
– Liora Haydont, Commented Mar 9, 2018 at 21:41
The cast doesn't seem to work, humm. Try var doc = DocumentApp.openById(LogDoc.getId()); doc.getBody()? — Liora Haydont
– Liora Haydont, Commented Mar 9, 2018 at 21:53

tehhowch · Accepted Answer · 2018-05-20 16:08:12Z

3

You are getting that error because the class returned by getFilesByName("name").next() is of type File, not Document.

The solution is to use the File from DriveApp to explicitly open a Document via DocumentApp:

var LogDoc, files = DriveApp.getFilesByName("the file name");
if(files.hasNext()) {
  LogDoc = DocumentApp.openById(files.next().getId());
} else {
  // No files matched the name supplied to DriveApp
  return;
}

edited May 20, 2018 at 16:08

answered Mar 9, 2018 at 22:14

tehhowch

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Liora Haydont · Accepted Answer · 2018-03-09 22:14:04Z

2

Your variable LogDoc is a File, but you want it to be a Document

The best way to cast it is to get it's id and then accesing it using the DocumentApp to open it.

Like this:

var LogFile = DriveApp.getFilesByName('Excel Download Macro Log File').next();
var LogDoc = DocumentApp.openById(LogFile.getId());
// Access the body of LogDoc, then add a paragraph with relevant data from script:
LogDoc.getBody()

answered Mar 9, 2018 at 22:14

Liora Haydont

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