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--- JavaScript_for_Automation [2017/03/05 20:54]
peternlewis [Forum]
+++ JavaScript_for_Automation [2017/04/04 20:38]
JMichaelTX Revised title and outline to better reflect contents; Moved the KM stuff to top
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-====== Using JavaScript for Automation (JXA) with Keyboard Maestro ======
+====== JavaScript for Automation (JXA) Discussion ======
-===== Which Execute JavaScript Should You Use? =====
+===== Scope and Summary =====
+This Wiki article is a broad topic, which covers these major areas:
+  - Introduction to JXA
+  - Using JXA with Keyboard Maestro
+  - JXA Background
+  - Comparison with AppleScript
+===== Introduction =====
+Keyboard Maestro supports use of JavaScript in two basic ways:
+  - Execute JavaScript in a Browser
+  - Execute JavaScript for Automation (JXA)
+This article deals only with the latter, JavaScript for Automation (JXA).
 JavaScript, once a language which ran only in web browsers, can now be used in a variety of environments. From Keyboard Maestro you can:
@@ Line 9: / Line 26: @@
 . Run it in Custom HTML Prompt windows.
-[[https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/releasenotes/InterapplicationCommunication/RN-JavaScriptForAutomation/Articles/Introduction.html|JavaScript for Automation]] (JXA) is a more flexible alternative to AppleScript, with a richer set of default libraries for some basics like regexes and URL handling. Its equivalent of AppleScript 'records' is more forgiving and much easier to use. JXA is the same fast JavaScript Core language that Safari uses, but it is running in an osascript context:
+=====Using JXA with Keyboard Maestro=====
+==== JXA Scripts ====
+You can run a JXA script from Keyboard Maestro by either of these _Execute Script_ Actions:
+  * [[action:Execute_a_JavaScript_For_Automation]]
+    * The JXA script may be accessed as text in the Action, or from a file.
+  * [[action:Execute_a_Shell_Script|Execute a Shell Script]]
+    * The JXA script can be embedded in a Shell Script
+==== Accessing Keyboard Maestro Variables ====
+You can access Keyboard Maestro variables (7.1+) from JXA scripts using the Keyboard Maestro Engine application.
+<code javascript>
+//--- GET A REFERENCE TO THE KM ENGINE ---
+var kme = Application("Keyboard Maestro Engine");
+//--- GET A KM VARIABLE ---
+var myVar = kme.getvariable('My KM Var');
+//--- SET A KM VARIABLE ---
+//    - Using explicit text
+kme.setvariable('My Other KM Var', { to: "Set by JXA" });
+//    - Using a JavaScript Variable
+var scriptResults = "Text Determined by the script"
+kme.setvariable('My Other KM Var', { to: scriptResults });
+</code>
+JXA can get a list of all variables as described on the [forum](https://forum.keyboardmaestro.com/t/using-km-variables-in-yosemite-javascript-for-applications-jxa/889) and those methods also provide more convoluted ways to access variables for versions prior to 7.1.
+**For more info on using JXA with Keyboard Maestro, see:**
+  * [[manual:Scripting|Scripting]]
+===== JXA Background =====
+[[https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/releasenotes/InterapplicationCommunication/RN-JavaScriptForAutomation/Articles/Introduction.html|JavaScript for Automation]] (JXA) and AppleScript are the two primary languages Apple has provided for application automation.  While they both can generally achieve the same results, each language offers advantages and disadvantages.  JXA is very flexible providing a rich set of default libraries for some basics like character, date, and URL handling.  It also offers a very powerful Regular Expression engine built-in.  JXA is the same fast JavaScript Core language that Safari uses, but it is running in an osascript context:
 . With access to the functions and constants of an Automation object, and
-. with additional access to a lot of low-level Apple system functions through the ObjC object.
+. with additional access to a lot of low-level Apple system functions through the Objective-C object.
-The first script to try in JXA consists of just one word:
+You can view the built-in, default function provided by JXA by running this simple, one-word script:
 `this`
@@ Line 30: / Line 87: @@
 Keyboard Maestro’s [[action:Execute a JavaScript in Safari|Execute a JavaScript in Safari]] and [[action:Execute a JavaScript in Google Chrome|Execute a JavaScript in Google Chrome]] actions are for interacting with web pages, the [[action:Execute a JavaScript in Custom Prompt|Execute a JavaScript in Custom Prompt]] action is for interacting with Custom HTML Prompts, whereas JXA is for automating OS X and OS X Applications via the [[action:Execute a JavaScript For Automation|Execute a JavaScript For Automation]] action.
-=====The basics – AppleScript and JavaScript for Automation side by side=====
+=====Comparing JXA with AppleScript=====
 ====Evaluating simple expressions====
@@ Line 273: / Line 331: @@
 to follow ...
-=====Accessing Keyboard Maestro Variables=====
-You can access Keyboard Maestro variables (7.1+) from JXA scripts using the Keyboard Maestro Engine application.
-<code javascript>
-var kme = Application("Keyboard Maestro Engine");
-kme.getvariable('Var');
-kme.setvariable('Var', { to: "Hello World!" });
-</code>
-JXA can get a list of all variables as described on the [forum](https://forum.keyboardmaestro.com/t/using-km-variables-in-yosemite-javascript-for-applications-jxa/889) and those methods also provide more convoluted ways to access variables for versions prior to 7.1.
-=====The Automation interface=====
-===Using the Standard Additions library====
-to follow ...
-===Interacting with scriptable applications===
-to follow ...
-=====Using the Safari JSContexts Debugger (El Capitan onwards)=====
-to follow ...
-=====The ObjC interface=====
-to follow ...
-===Basic file functions===
-to follow ...
-===Clipboard functions===
-to follow ...
-===Reading the documentation for simple ObjC functions===
-to follow ...
 ===== See Also =====

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