Extend Google Sheets with Bitbucket Data

Jerod Johnson
Jerod Johnson
Director, Technology Evangelism
Make calls to Bitbucket from Google Apps Script via the API Server.

Interact with Bitbucket data from Google Sheets through macros, custom functions, and add-ons. The CData API Server enables connectivity to Bitbucket data from cloud-based and mobile applications like Google Sheets. The API Server is a lightweight Web application that produces OData services for Bitbucket.

Google Apps Script can consume these OData services in the JSON format. This article shows how to create a simple add-on that populates a Google Spreadsheet with Issues data and, as you make changes, executes updates to Bitbucket data.

Set Up the API Server

If you have not already done so, download the CData API Server. Once you have installed the API Server, follow the steps below to begin producing secure Bitbucket OData services:

Connect to Bitbucket

To work with Bitbucket data from Google Sheets, we start by creating and configuring a Bitbucket connection. Follow the steps below to configure the API Server to connect to Bitbucket data:

  1. First, navigate to the Connections page.
  2. Click Add Connection and then search for and select the Bitbucket connection.
  3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Bitbucket.

    For most queries, you must set the Workspace. The only exception to this is the Workspaces table, which does not require this property to be set, as querying it provides a list of workspace slugs that can be used to set Workspace. To query this table, you must set Schema to 'Information' and execute the query SELECT * FROM Workspaces>.

    Setting Schema to 'Information' displays general information. To connect to Bitbucket, set these parameters:

    • Schema: To show general information about a workspace, such as its users, repositories, and projects, set this to Information. Otherwise, set this to the schema of the repository or project you are querying. To get a full set of available schemas, query the sys_schemas table.
    • Workspace: Required if you are not querying the Workspaces table. This property is not required for querying the Workspaces table, as that query only returns a list of workspace slugs that can be used to set Workspace.

    Authenticating to Bitbucket

    Bitbucket supports OAuth authentication only. To enable this authentication from all OAuth flows, you must create a custom OAuth application, and set AuthScheme to OAuth.

    Be sure to review the Help documentation for the required connection properties for you specific authentication needs (desktop applications, web applications, and headless machines).

    Creating a custom OAuth application

    From your Bitbucket account:

    1. Go to Settings (the gear icon) and select Workspace Settings.
    2. In the Apps and Features section, select OAuth Consumers.
    3. Click Add Consumer.
    4. Enter a name and description for your custom application.
    5. Set the callback URL:
      • For desktop applications and headless machines, use http://localhost:33333 or another port number of your choice. The URI you set here becomes the CallbackURL property.
      • For web applications, set the callback URL to a trusted redirect URL. This URL is the web location the user returns to with the token that verifies that your application has been granted access.
    6. If you plan to use client credentials to authenticate, you must select This is a private consumer. In the driver, you must set AuthScheme to client.
    7. Select which permissions to give your OAuth application. These determine what data you can read and write with it.
    8. To save the new custom application, click Save.
    9. After the application has been saved, you can select it to view its settings. The application's Key and Secret are displayed. Record these for future use. You will use the Key to set the OAuthClientId and the Secret to set the OAuthClientSecret.
  4. After configuring the connection, click Save & Test to confirm a successful connection.

Configure API Server Users

Next, create a user to access your Bitbucket data through the API Server. You can add and configure users on the Users page. Follow the steps below to configure and create a user:

  1. On the Users page, click Add User to open the Add User dialog.
  2. Next, set the Role, Username, and Privileges properties and then click Add User.
  3. An Authtoken is then generated for the user. You can find the Authtoken and other information for each user on the Users page:

Creating API Endpoints for Bitbucket

Having created a user, you are ready to create API endpoints for the Bitbucket tables:

  1. First, navigate to the API page and then click Add Table .
  2. Select the connection you wish to access and click Next.
  3. With the connection selected, create endpoints by selecting each table and then clicking Confirm.

Gather the OData Url

Having configured a connection to Bitbucket data, created a user, and added resources to the API Server, you now have an easily accessible REST API based on the OData protocol for those resources. From the API page in API Server, you can view and copy the API Endpoints for the API:

Retrieve Bitbucket Data

Open the Script Editor from your spreadsheet by clicking Tools -> Script Editor. In the Script Editor, add the following function to populate a spreadsheet with the results of an OData query:


function retrieve(){
  var url = "https://MyUrl/api.rsc/Issues?select=Id,Title,ContentRaw,Id";
  var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch(url,{
    headers: {"Authorization": "Basic " + Utilities.base64Encode("MyUser:MyAuthtoken")}
  }); 
  var json = response.getContentText();
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
  var a1 = sheet.getRange('a1');
  var index=1;
  var issues = JSON.parse(json).value;

  var cols = [["Id","Title","ContentRaw","Id"]]; 
  sheet.getRange(1,1,1,4).setValues(cols);

  row=2;
  for(var i in issues){
    for (var j in issues[i]) {
      switch (j) {
        case "Id":
          a1.offset(row,0).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
        case "Title":
          a1.offset(row,1).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
        case "ContentRaw":
          a1.offset(row,2).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
        case "Id":
          a1.offset(row,3).setValue(account[i][j]);
          break;
      }      
    }
    row++;
  }
}

Follow the steps below to add an installable trigger to populate the spreadsheet when opened:

  1. Click Resources -> Current Project's Triggers -> Add a New Trigger.
  2. Select retrieve in the Run menu.
  3. Select From Spreadsheet.
  4. Select On open.

After closing the dialog, you are prompted to allow access to the application.

Post Changes to Bitbucket Data

Add the following function to post changes to cells back to the API Server:


function buildReq(e){
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
  var changes = e.range;
  var id = sheet.getRange(changes.getRow(),1).getValue();
  var col = sheet.getRange(1,changes.getColumn()).getValue();
  
  var url = "http://MyServer/api.rsc/Issues("+id+")";
  var putdata = "{\"@odata.type\" : \"CDataAPI.Issues\",  \""+col+"\": \""+changes.getValue()+"\"}";;
  UrlFetchApp.fetch(url,{
    method: "put",
    contentType: "application/json",
    payload: putdata,
    headers: {"Authorization": "Basic " + Utilities.base64Encode("MyUser:MyAuthtoken")}
  });

}

Follow the steps below to add the update trigger:

  1. Click Resources -> Current Project's Triggers.
  2. Select buildReq in the Run menu.
  3. Select From Spreadsheet.
  4. Select On edit.

You can test the script by clicking Publish -> Test as Add-On. Select the version, installation type, and spreadsheet to create a test configuration. You can then select and run the test configuration.

As you make changes to cells, the API Server executes updates to Bitbucket data.

Ready to get started?

Learn more or sign up for a free trial:

CData API Server