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Extend Google Sheets with FTP Data
Make calls to the API Server from Google Apps Script.
Interact with FTP data from Google Sheets through macros, custom functions, and add-ons. The CData API Server enables connectivity to FTP data from cloud-based and mobile applications like Google Sheets. The API Server is a lightweight Web application that produces OData services for FTP.
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 MyDirectory data and, as you make changes, executes updates to FTP data.
Set Up the API Server
Follow the steps below to begin producing secure FTP OData services:
Deploy
The API Server runs on your own server. On Windows, you can deploy using the stand-alone server or IIS. On a Java servlet container, drop in the API Server WAR file. See the help documentation for more information and how-tos.
The API Server is also easy to deploy on Microsoft Azure, Amazon EC2, and Heroku.
Connect to FTP
After you deploy the API Server, provide authentication values and other connection properties needed to connect to FTP by clicking Settings -> Connections and adding a new connection in the API Server administration console.
To connect to FTP or SFTP servers, specify at least RemoteHost and FileProtocol. Specify the port with RemotePort.
Set User and Password to perform Basic authentication. Set SSHAuthMode to use SSH authentication. See the Getting Started section of the data provider help documentation for more information on authenticating via SSH.
Set SSLMode and SSLServerCert to secure connections with SSL.
The data provider lists the tables based on the available folders in your FTP server. Set the following connection properties to control the relational view of the file system:
- RemotePath: Set this to the current working directory.
- TableDepth: Set this to control the depth of folders to list as views.
- FileRetrievalDepth: Set this to retrieve and list files recursively from the root table.
Stored Procedures are available to download files, upload files, and send protocol commands. See the Data Model chapter of the FTP data provider documentation for more information.
You can then choose the FTP entities you want to allow the API Server to access by clicking Settings -> Resources.
Authorize API Server Users
After determining the OData services you want to produce, authorize users by clicking Settings -> Users. The API Server uses authtoken-based authentication and supports the major authentication schemes. Access can also be restricted based on IP address: Connections from all addresses except localhost are blocked by default, so you will need to allow connections from Google's servers for this article. You can authenticate as well as encrypt connections with SSL.
Retrieve FTP 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/MyDirectory?select=Id,Filesize,Filename,FilePath";
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 mydirectory = JSON.parse(json).value;
var cols = [["Id","Filesize","Filename","FilePath"]];
sheet.getRange(1,1,1,4).setValues(cols);
row=2;
for(var i in mydirectory){
for (var j in mydirectory[i]) {
switch (j) {
case "Id":
a1.offset(row,0).setValue(account[i][j]);
break;
case "Filesize":
a1.offset(row,1).setValue(account[i][j]);
break;
case "Filename":
a1.offset(row,2).setValue(account[i][j]);
break;
case "FilePath":
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:
- Click Resources -> Current Project's Triggers -> Add a New Trigger.
- Select retrieve in the Run menu.
- Select From Spreadsheet.
- Select On open.
After closing the dialog, you are prompted to allow access to the application.
Post Changes to FTP 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/MyDirectory("+id+")";
var putdata = "{\"@odata.type\" : \"CDataAPI.MyDirectory\", \""+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:
- Click Resources -> Current Project's Triggers.
- Select buildReq in the Run menu.
- Select From Spreadsheet.
- 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 FTP data.
