Class ScaleItem

  • A ScaleItem is a question item in Google Forms that allows respondents to select one option from a numbered sequence of radio buttons.

  • ScaleItems can be created and accessed from a Form object and are graded when used in a quiz.

  • Key methods for ScaleItems include setting bounds, labels, title, help text, required status, and point values, as well as creating responses and duplicating the item.
ScaleItem

A question item that allows the respondent to choose one option from a numbered sequence of radio buttons. Items can be accessed or created from a Form. When used in a quiz, these items are graded. 

// Open a form by ID and add a new scale item.
const form = FormApp.openById('1234567890abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz');
const item = form.addScaleItem();
item.setTitle('Pick a number between 1 and 10').setBounds(1, 10);

Methods

MethodReturn typeBrief description
createResponse(response)ItemResponseCreates a new ItemResponse for this scale item.
duplicate()ScaleItemCreates a copy of this item and appends it to the end of the form.
getGeneralFeedback()QuizFeedbackReturns the feedback that is shown to respondents when they respond to a gradeable question.
getHelpText()StringGets the item's help text (sometimes called description text for layout items like ImageItems, PageBreakItems, and SectionHeaderItems).
getId()IntegerGets the item's unique identifier.
getIndex()IntegerGets the index of the item among all the items in the form.
getLeftLabel()StringGets the label for the scale's lower bound, if any.
getLowerBound()IntegerGets the scale's lower bound.
getPoints()IntegerReturns the point value of a gradeable item.
getRightLabel()StringGets the label for the scale's upper bound, if any.
getTitle()StringGets the item's title (sometimes called header text, in the case of a SectionHeaderItem).
getType()ItemTypeGets the item's type, represented as an ItemType.
getUpperBound()IntegerGets the scale's upper bound.
isRequired()BooleanDetermines whether the respondent must answer the question.
setBounds(lower, upper)ScaleItemSets the scale's lower and upper bounds.
setGeneralFeedback(feedback)ScaleItemSets the feedback to be shown to respondents when they respond to a gradeable question that doesn't have a correct or incorrect answer (ie questions that require manual grading).
setHelpText(text)ScaleItemSets the item's help text (sometimes called description text for layout items like ImageItems, PageBreakItems, and SectionHeaderItems).
setLabels(lower, upper)ScaleItemSets labels for the scale's lower and upper bounds.
setPoints(points)ScaleItemSets the number of points a gradeable item is worth.
setRequired(enabled)ScaleItemSets whether the respondent must answer the question.
setTitle(title)ScaleItemSets the item's title (sometimes called header text, in the case of a SectionHeaderItem).

Detailed documentation

createResponse(response)

Creates a new ItemResponse for this scale item. Throws an exception if the response argument is outside the bounds set for the item.

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
responseIntegera value answer for this scale item

Return

ItemResponse — the item response

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

duplicate()

Creates a copy of this item and appends it to the end of the form.

Return

ScaleItem — a duplicate of this ScaleItem, for chaining

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

getGeneralFeedback()

Returns the feedback that is shown to respondents when they respond to a gradeable question.

Return

QuizFeedback — the feedback, if any.

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

getHelpText()

Gets the item's help text (sometimes called description text for layout items like ImageItems, PageBreakItems, and SectionHeaderItems).

Return

String — the item's help text or description text

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

getId()

Gets the item's unique identifier.

Return

Integer — the item's ID

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

getIndex()

Gets the index of the item among all the items in the form.

Return

Integer — the index of the item

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

getLeftLabel()

Gets the label for the scale's lower bound, if any.

Return

String — the label for the scale's lower bound

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

getLowerBound()

Gets the scale's lower bound.

Return

Integer — the scale's lower bound

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

getPoints()

Returns the point value of a gradeable item.

Return

Integer — the number of points a question is worth.

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

getRightLabel()

Gets the label for the scale's upper bound, if any.

Return

String — the label for the scale's upper bound

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

getTitle()

Gets the item's title (sometimes called header text, in the case of a SectionHeaderItem).

Return

String — the item's title or header text

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

getType()

Gets the item's type, represented as an ItemType.

Return

ItemType — the item's type

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

getUpperBound()

Gets the scale's upper bound.

Return

Integer — the scale's upper bound

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

isRequired()

Determines whether the respondent must answer the question.

Return

Boolean — whether the respondent must answer the question

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

setBounds(lower, upper)

Sets the scale's lower and upper bounds. The lower bound must be 0 or 1. The upper bound must be between 3 and 10, inclusive. A new scale defaults to a lower bound of 1 and an upper bound of 5.

Throws a scripting exception if the given values are outside the permitted limits. Decimals are truncated to the preceding integer.

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
lowerIntegerthe new lower bound
upperIntegerthe new upper bound

Return

ScaleItem — this ScaleItem, for chaining

Throws

Error — if the lower or upper bound is invalid

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

setGeneralFeedback(feedback)

Sets the feedback to be shown to respondents when they respond to a gradeable question that doesn't have a correct or incorrect answer (ie questions that require manual grading).

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
feedbackQuizFeedbackthe new feedback

Return

ScaleItem — this ScaleItem, for chaining

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

setHelpText(text)

Sets the item's help text (sometimes called description text for layout items like ImageItems, PageBreakItems, and SectionHeaderItems).

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
textStringthe new help text

Return

ScaleItem — this ScaleItem, for chaining

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

setLabels(lower, upper)

Sets labels for the scale's lower and upper bounds.

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
lowerStringthe new label for the lower bound
upperStringthe new label for the upper bound

Return

ScaleItem — this ScaleItem, for chaining

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

setPoints(points)

Sets the number of points a gradeable item is worth. The default for new items is 0.

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
pointsIntegerthe number of a points a question item is worth

Return

ScaleItem — this ScaleItem, for chaining

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

setRequired(enabled)

Sets whether the respondent must answer the question.

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
enabledBooleanwhether the respondent must answer the question

Return

ScaleItem — the current item (for chaining)

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms

setTitle(title)

Sets the item's title (sometimes called header text, in the case of a SectionHeaderItem).

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
titleStringthe new title or header text

Return

ScaleItem — this ScaleItem, for chaining

Authorization

Scripts that use this method require authorization with one or more of the following scopes:

  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms.currentonly
  • https://www.googleapis.com/auth/forms