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--- action:Execute_a_JavaScript_For_Automation [2015/07/15 02:56]
peternlewis created
+++ action:Execute_a_JavaScript_For_Automation [2023/09/12 22:49]
peternlewis [Script Results]
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The //Execute a JavaScript For Automation action// executes a specified JavaScript, either from a file or text.
+====== Execute JavaScript for Automation Action ======
+The //Execute a JavaScript For Automation action// executes the specified script, either from a file or text.
+===== Script Results =====
 The results of the script can be:
@@ Line 12: / Line 16: @@
   *Asynchronously ignored — the action runs while the macro continues on.
-JavaScript For Automation scripts are executed in the background via osascript. This means they are not allowed to do user interaction. You can work around this by asking an application like System Events to do the user interaction for you.
+By default, errors are not included in the output, and the output is trimmed of white space. These can be adjusted in the action (gear) ⚙ menu.
+===== Modern Syntax =====
+In version 11.0, scripts default to Modern Syntax, which essentially wraps the script in:
+```javascript
+(function () {
+…
+})()
+```
+This helps keep your script from interacting with the web page in unexpected ways. A result of this is that you need to return values to the action using the `return` syntax. So a trivial action would be:
+```javascript
+return "Hello";
+```
+You can turn Modern Syntax on or off in the popup menu next to the script.
+===== Get/Set Keyboard Maestro Variables =====
+==== Global Variables ====
+** Example JXA Script shows how to Get/Set Keyboard Maestro //Global// Variables, and Get/Set the System Clipboard.**
+```javascript
+'use strict';
+(function run() {      // this will auto-run when script is executed
+  // --- SET CURRENT APP VARIABLE NEEDED FOR DIALOGS & StandardAdditions.osax ---
+  var app = Application.currentApplication()
+  app.includeStandardAdditions = true
+  // --- SET KME APP VARIABLE NEEDED TO GET/SET KM VARIABLES ---
+  var kme = Application("Keyboard Maestro Engine");
+  //--- GET A KM VARIABLE ---
+  //    Returns empty string if it doesn't exist
+  var someVarNameStr = kme.getvariable("KMVarNameToGet") || 'Default Value if NOT Found';
+  console.log("someVarNameStr: " + someVarNameStr)
+  var someNewDataStr = "Text to be set to a KM var";
+  //--- SET A KM VARIABLE ---
+  //      Creates the Variable if it doesn't exist
+  //      Verify Variable in the KM App Preferences
+  kme.setvariable("KMVarNameToSet", { to: someNewDataStr });
+  //--- GET TEXT ON CLIPBOARD ---
+  var clipboardStr = app.theClipboard()
+  console.log("clipboardStr: " + clipboardStr)
+  var someDataStr = "Example text to put on clipboard"
+  //--- COPY TO CLIPBOARD ---
+  //      Verify using KM Clipboard History Viewer
+  app.setTheClipboardTo(someDataStr)
+}  // END of function run()
+)();
+```
+Local and Instance variables are available (as described below), but Password variables are not.
+==== Local & Instance Variables ====
+**How To Get/Set Keyboard Maestro Local & Instance Variables**
+Keyboard Maestro Ver 8 introduced [[manual:Variables#Instance_Variables_v8|Local and Instance Variables]].  In order to get or set these, you need to use different parameters in the JXA get/set methods.  Here is an example.
+```javascript
+var app = Application.currentApplication()
+app.includeStandardAdditions = true
+var kmInst = app.systemAttribute("KMINSTANCE");
+var kmeApp = Application("Keyboard Maestro Engine")
+var myLocalVar = kmeApp.getvariable("Local__MyVar",  {instance: kmInst});
+kmeApp.setvariable("Local__FromJXA", {instance: kmInst, to: "Set in JXA Script"})
+```
+===== Displaying User Dialogs =====
+JavaScript For Automation scripts are executed in the background via osascript. In order to have user interaction in the script, you will need to use a reference to the "current application".  For example:
+```javascript
+'use strict';
+(function run() {      // this will auto-run when script is executed
+// --- SET CURRENT APP VARIABLE NEEDED FOR DIALOGS & StandardAdditions.osax ---
+var app = Application.currentApplication()
+app.includeStandardAdditions = true
+var MsgStr  = "This is an example of JXA Display Dialog"
+var TitleStr  = "Dialog Title"
+var AnswerStr = "NONE"
+app.beep()
+var oAns = app.displayDialog(MsgStr,
+            {
+              withTitle:      TitleStr
+              ,withIcon:      "caution"
+              ,buttons:       ["Cancel","OK"]
+              ,defaultButton: "OK"
+              ,cancelButton:  "Cancel"
+            })
+//--- Script is stopped here if user chooses "Cancel" ---
+var BtnStr = oAns.buttonReturned
+return ("Btn: " + BtnStr)
+}  // END of function run()
+)();
+```
-JavaScript For Automation scripts can access variables by using environment variables) or by [talking to the Keyboard Maestro Engine](http://forum.keyboardmaestro.com/t/using-km-variables-in-yosemite-javascript-for-applications-jxa/889)
-There is lots of good information on, and examples for, JavaScript For Automation on the forum, for example in the topic [Learning & Using AppleScript & JavaScript for Automation (JXA)](http://forum.keyboardmaestro.com/t/learning-using-applescript-javascript-for-automation-jxa/1545)
+**For more information, see:**
+  * [[::JavaScript for Automation]] Wiki Discussion
+  * [Forum Topics tagged with "JXA"](https://forum.keyboardmaestro.com/tags/jxa)
+  * [Learning & Using AppleScript & JavaScript for Automation (JXA)](http://forum.keyboardmaestro.com/t/learning-using-applescript-javascript-for-automation-jxa/1545)

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