Google has changed their script authorization process

[Fred Davison - QuadStick]

Since we use Google Apps Scripts with the configuration spreadsheets, the user has to grant permission for the script to run.   A few weeks ago, Google made the authorization process more difficult for "unverified" scripts to be run.  It may take a while for them to verify the scripts Quadstick uses, so in the meantime, when you make a new configuration spreadsheet, you will be presented with a dialog box that looks like this:



Click on Advanced and then on "Go to QuadStick Scripts".

They added this new layer of protection and verification because they are always trying to improve the security of their scripts product.  This message should eventually go away but may come back temporarily when I make modifications to the scripts.

[Fred Davison]

I finally have solution to the "This app isn't verified" problem.  There is a new "add-on" that replaces the original Quadstick menu in the spreadsheets. 

To get the add-on installed for your configuration spreadsheets, open this spreadsheet , make a copy, and then in the copy, under the add-ons menu, select Quadstick then Install.

If Quadstick does not show after a little while, close and reopen the spreadsheet.

After you click install, you will see a much more friendly message requesting permission to run the Add-On:

Once you have installed the Add-on, it will be available in all of your configuration files without any additional permission messages and you can use it instead of the original script.  Eventually you will be able to install it directly from the "Get add-ons" command.  
Your original Quadstick menu will remain functional. 
After I get some feedback, I'll remove the original Quadstick menu from my own configuration spreadsheets and post instructions on how you can remove it from yours.

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Background story:

Back in July, Google added a much more difficult process to grant permission for running software inside of Google Docs in response to bad people finding ways to trick Docs users.  Google decided to create a "verification" process for scripts to make sure the authors were legitimate.  After more that forty emails back and forth with google's tech support people, we finally discovered that one of the side effects of the way I was connecting the spreadsheet to the software that ran in the sheet was that it could never be "verified" and would always have that ugly series of message when granting permission.  All the underlying scripts were individually verified but the short script that ran directly in the sheet could not be.

Add-ons are another way to accomplish many of the same things as the original script.  Probably the most noticeable difference for users it that the command has to appear under the Add-ons menu instead of in the main menu bar.

Add-ons have some advantages: 

• When an update is needed, it will automatically appear for everyone instead of users having to change their Library number.
• Once you have granted permission the first time, it will apply to all of your configuration files.
• They are noticeably faster.

So give it a try and let me know how it works.

Fred

 

[Dan NH]

I don't see the install option…

[Fred Davison]

That's ok.  It installed automatically for you.  When I was testing, I'd see the "install" menu on a gmail account that had never used any add-ons before, which I assume would be most people.

[Fred Davison]

Google has approved the Quadstick add-on and it will now show up in the "Get Add-ons" store in the Add-Ons menus in a spreadsheet.  Once you have added it to one of your configuration spreadsheets, it will be available for all of them.

I have added a new function: "List unused inputs" which will open up a side-bar windows with a list of all the inputs that are not currently used on the sheet.    This is useful for when you are trying to choose what input to use for a new output or combination.
The list will update automatically a couple of seconds after you make a change on the sheet. 

While the side-bar is open, you can select any input or output name and it will highlight duplicates in yellow.  This is useful for finding unintended duplicates or confirming that two inputs or outputs are related.  The old script did this when you added a new input or output.  This function will do it whenever you select a cell.