ScriptForge.Session service

The Session service gathers various general-purpose methods about:

• the installation or execution environment

• UNO introspection

• the invocation of external scripts or programs

Service invocation

Before using the Session service the ScriptForge library needs to be loaded or imported:

• Basic macros require to load ScriptForge library using the following statement:
GlobalScope.BasicLibraries.loadLibrary("ScriptForge")

• Python scripts require an import from scriptforge module:
from scriptforge import CreateScriptService

    GlobalScope.BasicLibraries.LoadLibrary("ScriptForge")
    Dim session As Variant
    session = CreateScriptService("Session")
  

    from scriptforge import CreateScriptService
    session = CreateScriptService("Session")
  

Constants

Below is a list of constants available to ease the designation of the library containing a Basic or Python script to invoke. Use them as session.CONSTANT.

Execute... methods in Session service behave as follows:
Arguments are passed by value. Changes made by the called function to the arguments do not update their values in the calling script.
A single value or an array of values is returned to the calling script.

ExecuteBasicScript

Execute the BASIC script given its name and location, and fetch its result, if any.

If the script returns nothing, which is the case of procedures defined with Sub, the returned value is Empty.

session.ExecuteBasicScript(scope: str, script: str, args: any[0..*]): any

scope: String specifying where the script is stored. It can be either "document" (constant session.SCRIPTISEMBEDDED) or "application" (constant session.SCRIPTISAPPLICATION).

script: String specifying the script to be called in the format "library.module.method" as a case-sensitive string.

• The library is loaded in memory if necessary.

• The module must not be a class module.

• The method may be a Sub or a Function.

args: The arguments to be passed to the called script.

Consider the following Basic function named DummyFunction that is stored in "My Macros" in the "Standard" library inside a module named "Module1".

The function simply takes in two integer values v1 and v2 and return the sum of all values starting in v1 and ending in v2.

    Function DummyFunction(v1 as Integer, v2 as Integer) As Long
        Dim result as Long, i as Integer
        For i = v1 To v2
            result = result + i
        Next i
        DummyFunction = result
    End Function
  

The examples below show how to call DummyFunction from within Basic and Python scripts.

    Dim session : session = CreateScriptService("Session")
    Dim b_script as String, result as Long
    b_script = "Standard.Module1.DummyFunction"
    result = session.ExecuteBasicScript("application", b_script, 1, 10)
    MsgBox result ' 55
  

    session = CreateScriptService("Session")
    bas = CreateScriptService("Basic")
    b_script = 'Standard.Module1.DummyFunction'
    result = session.ExecuteBasicScript('application', b_script, 1, 10)
    bas.MsgBox(result) # 55
  

ExecuteCalcFunction

Execute a Calc function using its English name and based on the given arguments.
If the arguments are arrays, the function is executed as an array formula.

session.ExecuteCalcFunction(calcfunction: str, args: any[0..*]): any

calcfunction: The name of the Calc function to be called, in English.

args: The arguments to be passed to the called Calc function. Each argument must be either a string, a numeric value or an array of arrays combining those types.

    session.ExecuteCalcFunction("AVERAGE", 1, 5, 3, 7) ' 4
    session.ExecuteCalcFunction("ABS", Array(Array(-1, 2, 3), Array(4, -5, 6), Array(7, 8, -9)))(2)(2) ' 9
    session.ExecuteCalcFunction("LN", -3)
    ' Generates an error.
  

    session.ExecuteCalcFunction("AVERAGE", 1, 5, 3, 7) # 4
    session.ExecuteCalcFunction("ABS", ((-1, 2, 3), (4, -5, 6), (7, 8, -9)))[2][2] # 9
    session.ExecuteCalcFunction("LN", -3)
  

ExecutePythonScript

Execute the Python script given its location and name, fetch its result if any. Result can be a single value or an array of values.

If the script is not found, or if it returns nothing, the returned value is Empty.

session.ExecutePythonScript(scope: str, script: str, args: any[0..*]): any

scope: One of the applicable constants listed above. The default value is session.SCRIPTISSHARED.

script: Either "library/module.py$method" or "module.py$method" or "myExtension.oxt|myScript|module.py$method" as a case-sensitive string.

• library: The folder path to the Python module.

• myScript: The folder containing the Python module.

• module.py: The Python module.

• method: The Python function.

args: The arguments to be passed to the called script.

Consider the Python function odd_integers defined below that creates a list with odd integer values between v1 and v2. Suppose this function is stored in a file named my_macros.py in your user scripts folder.

    def odd_integers(v1, v2):
        odd_list = [v for v in range(v1, v2 + 1) if v % 2 != 0]
        return odd_list
  

Read the help page Python Scripts Organization and Location to learn more about where Python scripts can be stored.

The following examples show how to call the function odd_integers from within Basic and Python scripts.

    Dim script as String, session as Object
    script = "my_macros.py$odd_integers"
    session = CreateScriptService("Session")
    Dim result as Variant
    result = session.ExecutePythonScript(session.SCRIPTISPERSONAL, script, 1, 9)
    MsgBox SF_String.Represent(result)
  

    session = CreateScriptService("Session")
    script = "my_macros.py$odd_integers"
    result = session.ExecutePythonScript(session.SCRIPTISPERSONAL, script, 1, 9)
    bas.MsgBox(repr(result))
  

GetPDFExportOptions

Returns the current PDF export settings defined in the PDF Options dialog, which can be accessed by choosing File - Export as - Export as PDF.

Export options set with the PDF Options dialog are kept for future use. Hence GetPDFExportOptions returns the settings currently defined. In addition, use SetPDFExportOptions to change current PDF export options.

This method returns a Dictionary object wherein each key represent export options and the corresponding values are the current PDF export settings.

Read the PDF Export wiki page to learn more about all available options.

session.GetPDFExportOptions(): obj

    Dim expSettings As Object, msg As String, key As String, optLabels As Variant
    expSettings = session.GetPDFExportOptions()
    optLabels = expSettings.Keys
    For Each key in optLabels
        msg = msg + key & ": " & expSettings.Item(key) & Chr(10)
    Next key
    MsgBox msg
    ' Zoom: 100
    ' Changes: 4
    ' Quality: 90
    ' ...
  

This method is only available for Basic scripts.

HasUnoMethod

Returns True if an UNO object contains the given method. Returns False when the method is not found or when an argument is invalid.

session.HasUnoMethod(unoobject: uno, methodname: str): bool

unoobject: The object to inspect.

methodname: the method as a case-sensitive string

    Dim a As Variant
    a = CreateUnoService("com.sun.star.sheet.FunctionAccess")
    MsgBox session.HasUnoMethod(a, "callFunction") ' True
  

    bas = CreateScriptService("Basic")
    a = bas.CreateUnoService("com.sun.star.sheet.FunctionAccess")
    result = session.HasUnoMethod(a, "callFunction")
    bas.MsgBox(result) # True
  

HasUnoProperty

Returns True if a UNO object has the given property. Returns False when the property is not found or when an argument is invalid.

session.HasUnoProperty(unoobject: uno, propertyname: str): bool

unoobject: The object to inspect.

propertyname: the property as a case-sensitive string

    Dim svc As Variant
    svc = CreateUnoService("com.sun.star.sheet.FunctionAccess")
    MsgBox session.HasUnoProperty(svc, "Wildcards")
  

    bas = CreateScriptService("Basic")
    a = bas.CreateUnoService("com.sun.star.sheet.FunctionAccess")
    result = session.HasUnoProperty(a, "Wildcards")
    bas.MsgBox(result) # True
  

OpenURLInBrowser

Open a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) in the default browser.

session.OpenURLInBrowser(url: str)

url: The URL to open.

    ' Basic
    session.OpenURLInBrowser("help.libreoffice.org/")
  

    # Python
    session.OpenURLInBrowser("help.libreoffice.org/")
  

RunApplication

Executes an arbitrary system command and returns True if it was launched successfully.

session.RunApplication(command: str, parameters: str): bool

command: The command to execute. This may be an executable file or a document which is registered with an application so that the system knows what application to launch for that document. The command must be expressed in the current SF_FileSystem.FileNaming notation.

parameters: A list of space separated parameters as a single string. The method does not validate the given parameters, but only passes them to the specified command.

    session.RunApplication("Notepad.exe")
    session.RunApplication("C:\myFolder\myDocument.odt")
    session.RunApplication("kate", "/home/user/install.txt") ' GNU/Linux
  

    session.RunApplication("Notepad.exe")
    session.RunApplication(r"C:\myFolder\myDocument.odt")
    session.RunApplication("kate", "/home/user/install.txt") # GNU/Linux
  

SendMail

Send a message - with optional attachments - to recipients from the user's mail client. The message may be edited by the user before sending or, alternatively, be sent immediately.

session.SendMail(recipient: str, cc: str = '', bcc: str = '', subject: str = '', body: str = '', filenames: str = '', editmessage: bool = True)

recipient: An email address (the "To" recipient).

cc: A comma-separated list of email addresses (the "carbon copy" recipients).

bcc: A comma-separated list of email addresses (the "blind carbon copy" recipients).

subject: the header of the message.

body: The contents of the message as an unformatted text.

filenames: a comma-separated list of file names. Each file name must respect the SF_FileSystem.FileNaming notation.

editmessage: When True (default), the message is edited before being sent.

    session.SendMail("someone@example.com" _
        , Cc := "b@other.fr, c@other.be" _
        , FileNames := "C:\myFile1.txt, C:\myFile2.txt")
  

    session.SendMail("someone@example.com",
                     cc="john@other.fr, mary@other.be"
                     filenames=r"C:\myFile1.txt, C:\myFile2.txt")
  

SetPDFExportOptions

Modifies the PDF export settings defined in the PDF Options dialog, which can be accessed by choosing File - Export as - Export as PDF.

Calling this method changes the actual values set in the PDF Options dialog, which are used by the ExportAsPDF method from the Document service.

This method returns True when successful.

Read the PDF Export wiki page to learn more about all available options.

session.SetPDFExportOptions(pdfoptions: obj): bool

pdfoptions: Dictionary object that defines the PDF export settings to be changed. Each key-value pair represents an export option and the value that will be set in the dialog.

The following example changes the maximum image resolution to 150 dpi and exports the current document as a PDF file.

    Dim newSettings As Object, oDoc As Object
    Set oDoc = CreateScriptService("Document")
    Set newSettings = CreateScriptService("Dictionary")
    newSettings.Add("ReduceImageResolution", True)
    newSettings.Add("MaxImageResolution", 150)
    session.SetPDFExportOptions(newSettings)
    oDoc.ExportAsPDF("C:\Documents\myFile.pdf", Overwrite := True)
  

This method is only available for Basic scripts.

UnoMethods

Returns a list of the methods callable from an UNO object. The list is a zero-based array of strings and may be empty.

session.UnoMethods(unoobject: uno): str[0..*]

unoobject: The object to inspect.

    Dim svc : svc = CreateUnoService("com.sun.star.sheet.FunctionAccess")
    Dim methods : methods = session.UnoMethods(svc)
    Dim msg as String
    For Each m in methods
        msg = msg & m & Chr(13)
    Next m
    MsgBox msg
  

    bas = CreateScriptService("Basic")
    a = bas.CreateUnoService("com.sun.star.sheet.FunctionAccess")
    methods = session.UnoMethods(a)
    msg = "\n".join(methods)
    bas.MsgBox(msg)
  

UnoProperties

Returns a list of the properties of an UNO object. The list is a zero-based array of strings and may be empty.

session.UnoProperties(unoobject: uno): str[0..*]

unoobject: The object to inspect.

    Dim svc As Variant
    svc = CreateUnoService("com.sun.star.sheet.FunctionAccess")
    MsgBox SF_Array.Contains(session.UnoProperties(svc), "Wildcards") ' True
  

    bas = CreateScriptService("Basic")
    svc = bas.CreateUnoService("com.sun.star.sheet.FunctionAccess")
    properties = session.UnoProperties(a)
    b = "Wildcards" in properties
    bas.MsgBox(str(b)) # True
  

UnoObjectType

Identify the type of a UNO object as a string.

session.UnoObjectType(unoobject: uno): str

unoobject: The object to identify.

    Dim svc As Variant, txt As String
    svc = CreateUnoService("com.sun.star.system.SystemShellExecute")
    txt = session.UnoObjectType(svc) ' "com.sun.star.comp.system.SystemShellExecute"
    svc = CreateUnoStruct("com.sun.star.beans.Property")
    txt = session.UnoObjectType(svc) ' "com.sun.star.beans.Property"
  

    bas = CreateScriptService("Basic")
    svc = bas.CreateUnoService("com.sun.star.system.SystemShellExecute")
    txt = session.UnoObjectType(svc) # "com.sun.star.comp.system.SystemShellExecute"
    svc = bas.CreateUnoService("com.sun.star.beans.Property")
    txt = session.UnoObjectType(svc) # "com.sun.star.beans.Property"
  

WebService

Get some web content from a URI.

session.WebService(uri: str): str

uri: URI address of the web service.

    session.WebService("wiki.documentfoundation.org/api.php?" _
        & "hidebots=1&days=7&limit=50&action=feedrecentchanges&feedformat=rss")
  

    session.WebService(("wiki.documentfoundation.org/api.php?" 
                       "hidebots=1&days=7&limit=50&action=feedrecentchanges&feedformat=rss"))
  

All ScriptForge Basic routines or identifiers that are prefixed with an underscore character "_" are reserved for internal use. They are not meant be used in Basic macros or Python scripts.