Replacing Google Doc text with Spreadsheet Data using RegEx - regex

Question

I am making a merge code to take data from my spreadsheet and populate merge tags in a Google Doc. The part of the code I am unable to write correctly is the part that writes the tags back to the Google Doc. I have been able to locate the tags but the code doesn't replace them.
Here is what I've written so far.
function mergeApplication() {
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
var sheet = ss.getSheetByName("Merge Data");
var range = sheet.getActiveRange();
var formSheet = ss.getSheetByName("Form Responses");
var lastRow = formSheet.getLastRow();
var lastColumn = sheet.getMaxColumns();
function checkAndComplete() {
var urlColumn = lastColumn;
var checkColumn = (urlColumn - 1);
var checkRange = sheet.getRange(2, checkColumn, (lastRow - 1), 1);
var check = checkRange.getBackgrounds();
var red = "#ff0404";
var yellow = "#ffec0a";
var green = "#3bec3b";
for (var i = 0; i < check.length; i++) {
if (check[i] == green) {
continue;
} else {
var statusCell = sheet.getRange((i+2), checkColumn, 1, 1);
var urlCell = sheet.getRange((i+2), urlColumn, 1, 1);
var dataRow = sheet.getRange((i+2), 1, 1, (lastColumn - 2));
function mergeTasks() {
function docCreator() {
// var templateConditionRange = sheet.getRange((i+2), column);
// var templateConditionCheck = templateConditionRange.getValues();
var docTemplate1 = DriveApp.getFileById(id);
// var docTemplate2 = DriveApp.getFileById(id);
// var docTemplate3 = DriveApp.getFileById(id);
var folderDestination = DriveApp.getFolderById(id);
var clientName = sheet.getRange((i+2), 3).getValue();
var date = sheet.getRange((i+2), 1).getValue();
// if (templateConditionCheck[i] == "") {
var docToUse = docTemplate1;
// }
// if (templateConditionCheck[i] == "") {
// var docToUse = docTemplate2;
// }
// if (templateConditionCheck[i] == "") {
// var docToUse = docTemplate3;
// }
var docName = "Merge Tester Doc for " + clientName + " [" + date + "]";
var docCopy = docToUse.makeCopy(docName, folderDestination);
var docId = docCopy.getId();
var docURL = DriveApp.getFileById(docId).getUrl();
var docToSend = DriveApp.getFileById(docId);
var docBody = DocumentApp.openById(docId).getBody().getText();
function tagReplace() {
var taggedArray = [docBody.match(/\<{2}[\w\d\S]+\>{2}/g)];
var headerArray = [sheet.getRange(1, 1, 1, (lastColumn - 2)).getValues()];
var dataArray = [dataRow.getValues()];
var strippedArray = [];
Logger.log("The preliminary length of taggedArray is " + taggedArray.length);
Logger.log(taggedArray);
function tagStrip() {
for (var t = 0; t < taggedArray.length; t++) {
var strippedString = taggedArray[t].slice(2, -3).toString();
strippedArray.push(strippedString);
Logger.log("The current strippedArray length is " + strippedArray.length);
}
Logger.log("The final strippedArray length is " + strippedArray.length);
Logger.log("The final taggedArray length is " + taggedArray.length);
Logger.log("The final, completed strippedArray is " + strippedArray);
}
function dataMatch() {
for (var s = 0; s < strippedArray.length;) {
for (var h = 0; h < headerArray.length;) {
if (strippedArray[s] == headerArray[h]) {
docBody.replaceText(taggedArray[s].String(), dataArray[h].String());
h=0;
s++;
} else {
h++;
}
}
}
}
tagStrip;
dataMatch;
}
function emailCreator() {
var emailTag = sheet.getRange((i+2), (urlColumn - 2)).getValue();
var emailBody = HtmlService.createHtmlOutputFromFile("Email Template").getContent();
var personalizers = clientName + " [" + date + "]";
var subject = "Merge Tester Email for " + personalizers;
MailApp.sendEmail(emailTag, subject, emailBody, {
name: "Christopher Anderson",
attachments: [docToSend],
html: emailBody,
});
}
tagReplace();
statusCell.setBackground(yellow);
emailCreator();
urlCell.setValue(docURL)
}
statusCell.setBackground(red);
docCreator();
statusCell.setBackground(green);
}
mergeTasks();
}
}
}
checkAndComplete();
}
The problem section is here:
function tagReplace() {
var taggedArray = [docBody.match(/\<{2}[\w\d\S]+\>{2}/g)];
var headerArray = [sheet.getRange(1, 1, 1, (lastColumn - 2)).getValues()];
var dataArray = [dataRow.getValues()];
var strippedArray = new Array();
Logger.log("The preliminary length of taggedArray is " + taggedArray.length);
Logger.log(taggedArray);
function tagStrip() {
for (var t = 0; t < taggedArray.length; t++) {
var strippedString = taggedArray[t].slice(2, -3).toString();
strippedArray.push(strippedString);
Logger.log("The current strippedArray length is " + strippedArray.length);
}
Logger.log("The final strippedArray length is " + strippedArray.length);
Logger.log("The final taggedArray length is " + taggedArray.length);
Logger.log("The final, completed strippedArray is " + strippedArray);
}
function dataMatch() {
for (var s = 0; s < strippedArray.length;) {
for (var h = 0; h < headerArray.length;) {
if (strippedArray[s] == headerArray[h]) {
docBody.replaceText(taggedArray[s].String(), dataArray[h].String());
h=0;
s++;
} else {
h++;
}
}
}
}
tagStrip;
dataMatch;
}
It doesn't even log anything having to do with strippedArray.
It seems to be skipping over that section entirely.
Am I using the correct method of completing this task and/or is there a simpler way of doing it?
It's worth mentioning that my tags in the doc have 2 "<>" around them. That's the reason for my RegEx looking how it does.
Also, when logging the .length of taggedArray, it returns a value of 1.

Answer 1

You never actually call tagStrip which is supposed to work on strippedArray.
You declare it with function tagStrip(){} and later you reference the function with tagStrip; but you never actually call it. The same is happening with dataMatch.
Try calling the two functions by writing
tagStrip();
dataMatch();
If you don't include the parentheses you don't call it you just run the function Objects as statements.

Answer 2

Here is a portion of code I use in my add-on Simply Send, I use the same <<>> merge tags.
//copy template
var mDocDrive = doc.makeCopy(title, folder);
var mDoc = DocumentApp.openById(mDocDrive.getId());
var mDocDriveApp = DriveApp.getFileById(mDoc.getId());
var docToAttach = mDoc.getUrl();
var driveToShare = mDocDriveApp;
// replace text inside template
var body = mDoc.getBody();
body.replaceText("<<SS Title>>", title);
body.replaceText("<<timestamp>>", lastR.timestamp);
body.replaceText("<<username>>", lastR.email);
for (i in lastR.theResponses){
var cur = lastR.theResponses[i];
var name = cur.title;
name = name.replace(/[\-\[\]\/\{\}\(\)\*\+\?\.\\\^\$\|]/g, "\\$&"); // this will allow fields that include special characters.
var response = cur.response;
var searchPattern = "<<"+name+">>";
body.replaceText(searchPattern, response);
}
// this will replace any unused tags with nothing.
var ques = getQuestionList();
for (j in ques){
var curq = ques[j].name;
curq = curq.replace(/[\-\[\]\/\{\}\(\)\*\+\?\.\\\^\$\|]/g, "\\$&");
var searchPattern2 = "<<"+curq+">>";
body.replaceText(searchPattern2, "");
}
mDoc.saveAndClose();
//create pdf
if (mmDefaults.shareAs == "pdf"){
// uncomment if you want to make the pdf in the merge folder
var asPdf = mDoc.getAs('application/pdf');
asPdf.setName(mDoc.getName()+ ".pdf");
var pdf = DriveApp.createFile(asPdf);
folder.addFile(pdf);
DriveApp.removeFile(pdf);
mDocDriveApp.setTrashed(true);
var docToAttach = pdf;
driveToShare = pdf;
}