Optimize Google Script for Hiding Columns

Question

These two scripts are incredibly slow. I work with a data set of about 32 columns by 1000 rows ( growing pretty rapidly ).

I've read and even used code for treating data like an array so that you can make only one call to google-services, but I'm not sure how that can help me with this case.

I need to hide certain columns depending on which person is using the google sheet

Here is the actual code:

function HideColumns(){
  var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var sheet = ss.getActiveSheet();
  var range = sheet.getRange("A1");
  sheet.hideColumn(range);
  range = sheet.getRange("C1:E1");
  sheet.hideColumn(range);
  range = sheet.getRange("G1");
  sheet.hideColumn(range);
  range = sheet.getRange("I1");
  sheet.hideColumn(range);
  range = sheet.getRange("K1");
  sheet.hideColumn(range);
  range = sheet.getRange("Q1:Z1");
  sheet.hideColumn(range);
  range = sheet.getRange("AC1:AG1");
  sheet.hideColumn(range);
}

function ShowColumns(){
  var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var sheet = ss.getActiveSheet();
  var range = sheet.getRange("A1");      
  sheet.unhideColumn(range);
  range = sheet.getRange("C1:E1");
  sheet.unhideColumn(range);
  range = sheet.getRange("G1");
  sheet.unhideColumn(range);
  range = sheet.getRange("I1");
  sheet.unhideColumn(range);
  range = sheet.getRange("K1");
  sheet.unhideColumn(range);
  range = sheet.getRange("Q1:Z1");
  sheet.unhideColumn(range);
  range = sheet.getRange("AC1:AG1");
  sheet.unhideColumn(range);
}

Answer 1

For the ShowColumns() script, are you just needing to unhide all columns in the sheet? If so, you could at least simplify that one a bit:

function ShowColumns() {
  var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  var sheet = ss.getActiveSheet();
  var range = sheet.getRange("1:1");
  sheet.unhideColumn(range);
}

Answer 2

unfortunately hiding columns is a "spreadsheet only" function, no way to make it faster or in batch...

maybe you could imagine a custom UI (built with UiApp or HTMLService) to show only the user relevant data ? but that might not be possible, depending on how much you need spreadsheet specific features..., not speaking of the work it might represent.