[SOLVED] Run a Google apps script automatically upon loading a Google Site?

Run a Google apps script automatically upon loading a Google Site?

I wrote an Apps Script that takes a spreadsheet and converts it into a Google form. I want to display the form on my google site; however, I want the form to automatically refresh every time the site is opened, so that if the spreadsheet has changed, the form will also be updated when it displays. Essentially, I want the script to run automatically upon open of the Google site – any idea how to do this?

Also, as a side note (not as important), is there any way to incorporate a script into a google site without displaying it as a gadget? I don't want to display the script, I just want it to run in the background.

Solution

You can run an Apps Script function indirectly when the site loads by creating a stand alone Web App with HTML Service, publishing it, and putting window.onload into a script tag:

<script>
  window.onload = function() {
    console.log('Onload ran. ');//Open the browser console log to see debug messages

  };
</script>

Then use google.script.run to run a server function:

<script>
  window.onload = function() {
    console.log('hah! it ran. ');
    google.script.run
      .withSuccessHandler(run_This_On_Success)
      .gsServerFunction();
  };

 window.run_This_On_Success = function(the_Return) {
   console.log('was successful!: ' + the_Return);
 };

Code.gs

function gsServerFunction() {
  return true;
};

index.html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <body>
    This is the body


    <script>
      window.onload = function() {
        console.log('hah! it ran. ');
        google.script.run
          .withSuccessHandler(wuzSugzezvul)
          .gsServerFunction();
       };

       window.wuzSugzezvul = function() {
         console.log('was successful!');
       };
    </script>
  </body>
</html>

Remove the border and the title of the apps script gadget, make it very small, and don't put in any text to display in the HTML.