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 radiobuttons. Items can be accessed or created from aForm. When used in a quiz, these itemsare graded.

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

Methods

MethodReturn typeBrief description
createResponse(response)ItemResponseCreates a newItemResponse for this scale item.
duplicate()ScaleItemCreates a copy of this item and appends it to the end of the form.
getGeneralFeedback()QuizFeedback|nullReturns 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 likeImageItems,PageBreakItems, andSectionHeaderItems).
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 aSectionHeaderItem).
getType()ItemTypeGets the item's type, represented as anItemType.
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 thatdoesn'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 likeImageItems,PageBreakItems, andSectionHeaderItems).
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 aSectionHeaderItem).

Detailed documentation

createResponse(response)

Creates a newItemResponse for this scale item. Throws an exception if theresponse 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 followingscopes:

  • 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 thisScaleItem, for chaining

Authorization

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

  • 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|null — the feedback, if any.

Authorization

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

  • 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 likeImageItems,PageBreakItems, andSectionHeaderItems).

Return

String — the item's help text or description text

Authorization

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

  • 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 followingscopes:

  • 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 followingscopes:

  • 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 followingscopes:

  • 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 followingscopes:

  • 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 followingscopes:

  • 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 followingscopes:

  • 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 aSectionHeaderItem).

Return

String — the item's title or header text

Authorization

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

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

getType()

Gets the item's type, represented as anItemType.

Return

ItemType — the item's type

Authorization

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

  • 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 followingscopes:

  • 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 followingscopes:

  • 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 be0 or1. Theupper bound must be between3 and10, inclusive. A new scale defaults to alower bound of1 and an upper bound of5.

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

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
lowerIntegerthe new lower bound
upperIntegerthe new upper bound

Return

ScaleItem — thisScaleItem, 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 followingscopes:

  • 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 thatdoesn't have a correct or incorrect answer (ie questions that require manual grading).

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
feedbackQuizFeedbackthe new feedback

Return

ScaleItem — thisScaleItem, for chaining

Authorization

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

  • 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 likeImageItems,PageBreakItems, andSectionHeaderItems).

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
textStringthe new help text

Return

ScaleItem — thisScaleItem, for chaining

Authorization

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

  • 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 — thisScaleItem, for chaining

Authorization

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

  • 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 — thisScaleItem, for chaining

Authorization

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

  • 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 followingscopes:

  • 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 aSectionHeaderItem).

Parameters

NameTypeDescription
titleStringthe new title or header text

Return

ScaleItem — thisScaleItem, for chaining

Authorization

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

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

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Last updated 2025-12-11 UTC.