Execute Script

This action enhances the software functionality by using custom VBScript or Python scripts. Use this function if the built-in actions don't meet your data manipulation requirements.

Scripts can include the trigger variables – both internal variables and the variables defined or imported from labels.

Make sure that Windows account under which the service runs has the privileges to execute the commands in the script.

	Note
	The script type is configured per trigger in the trigger properties. All Execute Script actions within a single trigger must be of the same type.

About group identifies the selected action.

Name: allows you to define a custom action name. This makes actions easily recognizable on the solution's list of actions. By default, the action name is taken from its type.
Description: custom information about the action. Enter a description to explain the purpose and role of action in a solution.
Action type: read-only information about the selected action type.

Script editor offers the following features:

Insert data source: inserts an existing or newly created variable into the script.
Verify: validates the entered script syntax.
Script editor: opens the editor which makes scripting easier and more efficient.

Action Execution and Error Handling

Each action can be set as a conditional action. Conditional actions only run when the defined conditions allow them to be run. To define these conditions, click Show execution and error handling options.

Execution options are:

Enabled: specifies if the action is enabled or disabled. Only enabled actions will execute. This functionality may be used while testing a form.
Condition: defines one-line programming expression that must provide a Boolean value (true or false). When the result of the expression is true, the action will execute. Condition offers a way to avoid executing actions every time.

Error handling options are:

Ignore failure: specifies whether an error should be ignored or not. With Ignore failure option enabled, the execution of actions continues even if the current action fails.

	Note
	Nested actions that depend on the current action do not execute in case of a failure. The execution of actions continues with the next action on the same level as the current action. The error is logged but does not break the execution of the action.

Example 80. Example

At the end of printing, you might want to send the status update to an external application using HTTP Request action. If the printing action fails, action processing stops. In order to execute the reporting even after the failed print action, the Print Label action must have the option Ignore failure enabled.

Save error to variable: allows you to select or create a variable to save the error to. The same cause of the error is also saved to internal variables ActionLastErrorId and ActionLastErrorDesc.

Script Editor

Loftware provides a script editor which makes your Python or VBScript scripting easier, error-free and time efficient.

The selection of scripting languages that should be used in Script editor differs between Loftware Designer Pro and Automation Builder:

In Designer, double-click on the form design surface to open Form Properties >Additional Settings > Form Scripting Language.
In Automation Builder, go to Configuration items > click Edit to open trigger properties >Settings > Other > Scripting.

Loftware uses .NET variant of Python named IronPython. It works as a fully compatible implementation of Python scripting language which also supports .NET methods.

Editor Ribbon includes commonly used commands which are distributed over multiple functional groups.

Clipboard group offers Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete commands.
Undo Redo group allows undoing or repeating script editing actions.
File group allows loading and saving scripts in a file.
- Load from file: loads a script from an external previously saved textual file.
- Save to file: stores the currently edited script in a textual file.
Editing group allows finding and replacing strings in a script.
- Find: locates the entered string in the script.
- Replace: replaces string in the script.
Insert group: Data Source command inserts existing or newly defined data sources into the script.
Script group: Validate script command validates of the entered script's syntax.

Available scripting elements contain all available script items which can be used when building a script. Double-click the element or click the Insert button to insert the element at cursor position into the script.

Element description provides basic information about the inserted script element.

Error list includes the errors which are reported after the Validate script command is run.