Including a script in a jslink file

Question

I'm building a simple app on a SP2013 online intranet that uses the Google Books API to pull in GB content (title, author, image etc). The goal is to modify a SP list view to populate the book isbn using a jslink file, so the correct book gets rendered. My custom item line looks like this but doesn't work:

var ret = "<script>var googleAPI = 'https://www.igoogleapis.com/books/v1/volumes?q=" + ctx.CurrentItem.Book_x0020_id + "';></script>";
return ret; 

Is it even possible to include a script variable declaration within a jslink file? Another option would be to use a calculated field instead, but SP encodes some of the html causing the script to break.

Answer 1

This article is probably what you're looking for. It suggests to create 2 ‘single line of text’ columns with JavaScript and 1 calculated column to put everything together.

Using JavaScript URL in Calculated Columns

Answer 2

I would say it's not possible. You can include multiple files within JSLInk by using | between the JSLink property in Web Part settings, e.g., ~site/myscript.js|~site/myotherscript.js, and myscript.js would be usable in myotherscript.js. It doesn't, however support any variables, so it will not work in you case.

Could you make AJAX call to that Google API from within your main JSLink file?

Answer 3

It turns out pulling the calculated column in using a content query web part works. I added the field ref name in the description box of a cqwp and - bingo.