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Can Airtable's own "Export CSV" be triggered via a script?

Topic Labels: Scripting extentions
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Markus_Wernig
8 - Airtable Astronomer
8 - Airtable Astronomer

Here’s my thinking. I like the simplicity of Airtable’s own “Export CSV” function. Data in a spreadsheet as a simple backup is all I am after.

If “Export CSV” could be triggered via a script, the entire process could be automated. A new record could be the trigger to run this script.

Does anyone know if this is even possible?
Thank you!

27 Replies 27
TFP
6 - Interface Innovator
6 - Interface Innovator

@Markus_Wernig This could be made possible with an Airtable App with a few options like whether you want the ids or resolve the relationships instead.

Still gotta be done, but that could be a great way of making it available for everyone, and for free.

Nate_Hughes
5 - Automation Enthusiast
5 - Automation Enthusiast

Yes to the CSV, It really should be a simple trigger, or even a googlesheets function, which you can kind of work into by playing the triggers that execute when all fields that have are no blank. Not ideal, but it can kind of work.

Ideally a secondary CSV back-up nightly automation is needed.

Further, a airtable file, that supports records IDs etc would be most appreciated.

GavinA
8 - Airtable Astronomer
8 - Airtable Astronomer

For anyone wanting live csv export by api endpoint, here is an endpoint i built:

https://csv-getter-for-airtable.ew.r.appspot.com/all-csv?bid=<your_base_id>&apik=<your_api_key>&tname=<your_table_name>

Details can be found here

GavinA
8 - Airtable Astronomer
8 - Airtable Astronomer

Above has been deprecated. Much easier to use now by going here

This is amazing! Thanks so much :slightly_smiling_face:

peter_brobeck
5 - Automation Enthusiast
5 - Automation Enthusiast

So, I changed my mind and eventually build a “print-base-structure” airtable app. Then, I use a diff tool to compare the generated output, and it allows me to see what structural differences there are between two bases.

cool thanks

btw, within script extension you can work across the tables of one base, you probably know but do you have any recommendation of how to export or create a new table from a list of records re-arranged and coming from different tables ?

Hello! I'd love to know how to do that if you're willing to share

Thanks!

Hi Kuovonne,

How would one use scripting to convert the existing data into a csv format? I tried with the below, but couldn't get the URL.createObjectURL to work with Airtable.

 


@kuovonne wrote:

You cannot trigger the existing “Download CSV” feature in Airtable with a script. However, it is possible to use scripting (either in scripting app, or with an automation scripting action) to convert the existing data to CSV format and save that data to a website. The exact details would depend on where you want to save the data.


// Define the input variables
let table = base.getTable("Content Brief"); // Table name
let view = table.getView("Excel Author Flyer Download View"); // View name

// Fetch records from the specified view
let result = await view.selectRecordsAsync();
let records = result.records;

// Check if there are records to process
if (records.length === 0) {
console.log("No records found in the view.");
return;
}

// Convert records to CSV format
function recordsToCSV(records, fields) {
if (records.length === 0) return '';

// Map field names from the result fields
const headers = fields.map(field => field.name);
const csvRows = [];

// Add header row
csvRows.push(headers.join(','));

// Add data rows
for (let record of records) {
const values = headers.map(header => {
const value = record.getCellValue(header);
return `"${String(value || '').replace(/"/g, '""')}"`; // Escape quotes
});
csvRows.push(values.join(','));
}

return csvRows.join('\n');
}

// Fetch the field names for the table/view
const fields = table.fields;
const csvContent = recordsToCSV(records, fields);

// Check if the CSV content is empty
if (!csvContent) {
console.log("CSV content is empty.");
return;
}

// Create a file blob from the CSV content
const blob = new Blob([csvContent], { type: 'text/csv' });
const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);

// Output the download link
output.markdown(`Download your CSV file [here](${url}).`);

// Clean up the URL object after use
setTimeout(() => {
URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
}, 1000);