Trigger python code from Google spreadsheets?

Question

In excel you can create user defined functions with python using pyxll. I have been moving to Google spreadsheets and using their Google app script, but the libraries are so much bigger and better in python, I wish there was a way to build user defined functions using python from Google spreadsheets. There are ways to interact python with Google sheets like gspread. Is there a way to run python on Google app engine then get sheet to trigger that code? What other ways is there to trigger python code from Google spreadsheets?

Answer 1

You should create a webservice in GAE which then can be called using Google Apps Script UrlFetch class. This is how I usually do to integrate a third party app with Apps Script App.

In a Spreadsheet container script you can create a code like

function myFunction(){
  //your code
  //Call the webservice
 var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch('my_webservice_url', {payload:'...', method:'POST'});
 Logger.log(response.getContentText());
 // your code based on response
}

Above code can be triggered by a time driven trigger in Apps Script based on some conditions

Answer 2

Deploy your python code as a cloud function: https://cloud.google.com/functions/docs/writing/http.

Then call your function with URL Fetch as shown above.