Command

Command Line

Data Flask provides a command line that records interface activity as Visual Basic Script (Language Reference).

The last line in the command window is active and may be edited. Pressing Enter from the last line will cause the script to be executed. Typing into any line other than the last line of the command window will cause that line to be copied to the last line, where editing can continue. Pressing Enter over any line other the last line will cause the script text from that line to be first copied into the last line, and then executed.

If you paste into the command window, any end of line characters will be converted to a colon ( : ), the VBScript command separation character.

Figure 7-1: Command History.

Visibility of the command history can be controlled by choosing Tools/History from the menu. Formula/Record Grid Modifications will turn command recording on and off.

Context Features

Language and object name editing features that are available in the script editor are also available in the command line.

A shorthand feature is available in the command line to help reduce typing. From the context menu, Insert Filename... enters a filename using the system file dialog. Insert Current Cell enters script that would return the currently selected cell's value.

Shorthand commands are expanded when the command script is executed by pressing Enter. The command text is expanded, and string parameters are quoted. If ? is provided as a string parameter, it is replaced by the results of a filename dialog selection.

Shorthand Command Example

? App.StatusBar = ? "hello, world"

Close App.ActiveDocument.Close close

Copy App.Utility.Clipboard = String copy grid.linkproperties.string

Cols For nCol =1 to Grid.NumCols: String: Next cols msgbox grid.columns.item(ncol).string

Cd App.DefaultFilePath = String cd c:\temp

Docs For Each doc In App.Documents: String: Next docs app.history.debug.prompt doc

New App.Documents.New new

Open App.Documents.Open String open categories

Paste Var = App.Utility.Clipboard paste app.statusbar

Rows For nRow =1 to Grid.NumRows: String: Next rows s=s & grid.cell(1,nrow)

Run App.Documents.Open String, "Basic", True, True run macro

Select App.Documents(String).Activate select invoices

Save App.ActiveDocument.Save save

SaveAs App.ActiveDocument.SaveAs String saveas temp

Use App.Documents.Use String use ?

Quit App.Quit quit

Figure 7-2: Shorthand Commands.

Shorthand	Command	Example
?	App.StatusBar =	? "hello, world"
Close	App.ActiveDocument.Close	close
Copy	App.Utility.Clipboard = String	copy grid.linkproperties.string
Cols	For nCol =1 to Grid.NumCols: String: Next	cols msgbox grid.columns.item(ncol).string
Cd	App.DefaultFilePath = String	cd c:\temp
Docs	For Each doc In App.Documents: String: Next	docs app.history.debug.prompt doc
New	App.Documents.New	new
Open	App.Documents.Open String	open categories
Paste	Var = App.Utility.Clipboard	paste app.statusbar
Rows	For nRow =1 to Grid.NumRows: String: Next	rows s=s & grid.cell(1,nrow)
Run	App.Documents.Open String, "Basic", True, True	run macro
Select	App.Documents(String).Activate	select invoices
Save	App.ActiveDocument.Save	save
SaveAs	App.ActiveDocument.SaveAs String	saveas temp
Use	App.Documents.Use String	use ?
Quit	App.Quit	quit

Logging

The command history supports three separate log windows. The Log and Debug windows may be written to by script as App.History.Log.Prompt "hello, log" or App.History.Debug.Prompt "hello, debug".

The Results window is frequently written to by the application, but the Log and Debug windows are reserved for customization.