Returns the Google Doc the user currently has open.
class DocumentApp method .getActiveDocument()
DocumentApp is the Apps Script service.
.getActiveDocument() is the method name you will see after a dot in your code.
What it does
Why it's used
- Edit the Google Doc the user has open right now.
- Bound doc scripts use this like getActiveSpreadsheet for sheets.
Common errors
- Forgetting parentheses on getActiveDocument. Write DocumentApp.getActiveDocument(), not DocumentApp.getActiveDocument or getActiveDocument by itself.
- Skipping dots between chained calls. Each step needs a dot, like DocumentApp.getActiveDocument().getBody().getActiveDocument().
- Adding spaces where they do not belong. Write DocumentApp.getActiveDocument(), not DocumentApp .getActiveDocument(), DocumentApp.getActiveDocument (), or DocumentApp . getActiveDocument().
- Wrong capitalization. Use DocumentApp and getActiveDocument, not documentapp or getactivedocument.
Explore
Related methods
-
.openById()
Opens an existing Google Doc by its file ID.
-
.create()
Creates a new blank Google Doc.
-
.getBody()
Returns the main body section of the document for editing.
-
.getText()
Reads the plain text content of a document element.
-
.setText()
Replaces the text content of a document element.
More Apps Script
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Related blog posts
Written guides about DocumentApp.getActiveDocument().
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