getActiveSheet

getActiveSheet is a method of the Spreadsheet class in Google Apps Script. It returns the currently active sheet (the sheet that is currently selected) within the active spreadsheet. The method is commonly used in bound scripts to access or manipulate the sheet that the user has open at runtime.

Return value and behavior: getActiveSheet returns a Sheet object representing the active sheet. In most cases it will reflect the sheet the user is viewing, but in some contexts it may return null if there is no active sheet available. The result is used as the starting point for further operations on that sheet, such as reading or writing data, formatting, or navigation.

Usage pattern: A typical usage pattern is to obtain the active spreadsheet and then its active sheet, for example: var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getActiveSheet(); This sheet object can then be used to access ranges, values, and properties, such as var values = sheet.getDataRange().getValues(); or var name = sheet.getName();

Considerations: getActiveSheet is most reliable in scripts bound to a specific spreadsheet and when the user has an active sheet at the time the script runs. In web apps, add-ons, or triggers where there is no user interface, the concept of an active sheet may not apply, and alternative methods to reference a specific sheet or spreadsheet may be appropriate. Related methods include getSheetByName for selecting a particular sheet and getActiveSpreadsheet for references to the containing spreadsheet.