C# Script: The Missing Puzzle Piece

Using a script to write to the Hosts richtextbox.

20:38 25 Sep '09

Hello 755239, Sorry for the late rsponse: I was away the last week. You need to have a look at the TextProcessor tutorial (http://csscript.net/help/Text_processor.html[^]). I also composed for you extremely simple example here: http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/956512/755239/755239.7z[^] Cheers, Oleg
Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink

G Murray

6:21 7 Sep '09

Hi Oleg

Thanks for creating C# Script.
I'm basically trying get it to do the job of LabView. I've used LabView a lot
I'm trying to attach the script engine in to a logging application that I've had running for a couple of years.
I'v emanaged to get it to interact with public variables in my class but I'm unable to have it pass data to a rich text box and a MessageBox.
For both MessageBox.Show and LogToScreen calls I get :
error CS0103 : The name MessageBox does not exist in the current context.
error CS0103 : The name LogToScreen does not exist in the current context.

Here is an example I've created to illustrate my problem.
Form 1 has a single button and a single richtextbox.

I'd be very grateful if you could tell me where I'm going wrong.

Thanks in advance

Gerry Murray
Glasgow
Scotland

code :

using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Windows;
using CSScriptLibrary;

namespace ScriptEngineTest
{

public partial class Form1 : Form
{
static public uint a = 5;
static public uint b = 7;

public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
}

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
LogToScreen("richtextbox1 visible from here!\n");

var code = @"using System;
using System.Windows;
using ScriptEngineTest;

public class Script : MarshalByRefObject
{
public void RunActions(string passtring)
{
MessageBox.Show((Form1.a * Form1.b).ToString());
LogToScreen(Form1.a.ToString() + Form1.b.ToString());
}
}";
try
{
var script = CSScript.LoadCode(code)
.CreateInstance("Script")
.AlignToInterface<IScript>();
script.RunActions("Hello RichTextBox1");

}
catch (Exception ex)
{
MessageBox.Show(ex.Message.Trim());
}

}

public interface IScript
{
void RunActions(string passtring);
}

public void LogToScreen(string msg)
{
richTextBox1.AppendText(msg);
}

}

static class Program
{

/// <summary>
/// The main entry point for the application.
/// </summary>
[STAThread]
static void Main()
{
Application.EnableVisualStyles();
Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
Application.Run(new Form1());
}
}

}

Re: Using a script to write to the Hosts richtextbox.

Re: Using a script to write to the Hosts richtextbox.

15:56 7 Sep '09

Hi Gerry,

There are a few tiny mistakes in your code that prevent it from working.
- In your script code you are using MessageBox but there is no using statement for System.Windows.Forms
- You are trying to call LogToScreen without specifying object instance (LogToScreen is an instance method). Also you are not passing that instance from the host.
- IScript interface should not be a nested class.

The working code looks like this:

public interface IScript
{
    void RunActions(string passtring, Form1 f);
}

namespace ScriptEngineTest
{
    public partial class Form1 : Form
    {
        public uint a = 5;
        public uint b = 7;

        public void LogToScreen(string msg)
        {
            instance.richTextBox1.AppendText(msg);
        }

        private void button1_Click_1(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            LogToScreen("richtextbox1 visible from here!\n");

            var code = @"using System;
                         using System.Windows.Forms;
                         using ScriptEngineTest;

                         public class Script
                         {
                             public void RunActions(string passtring, Form1 f)
                             {
                                 MessageBox.Show((f.a * f.b).ToString());
                                 f.LogToScreen(f.a.ToString() + f.b.ToString());
                             }
                         }";
            try
            {
                var script = CSScriptLibrary.CSScript.LoadCode(code)
                                            .CreateInstance("Script")
                                            .AlignToInterface<IScript>(true);

                script.RunActions("Hello RichTextBox1", this);
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                MessageBox.Show(ex.Message.Trim());
            }
        }



Please note that I removed MarshalByRefObject as it is not needed within current context and also added true to the AlignToInterface to allow the script and the host application to share the same assembly set.

Let me know if you still experience problems and I will send you the whole Form1.cs file.

Cheers,
Oleg

G Murray

1:45 8 Sep '09

Hi Oleg

Thank you for the quick reply.
You're right about the MessageBox. I missed that one.

Unfortunately, there are still a couple of issues. Mainly brought about by my lack of C# knowledge and how to use CS-Script in my context.
I'm not a newbie by any means but passing around object references is a struggle for me, similar to the problems I had getting my head around pointers in 'C' 15 years ago.

The problems I'm still having are :

1.
My richtextbox is designed and placed on the form designer rather than instantiated explicitly in Form1 at runtime so I'm not sure how I would get a reference to it to pass to my script.

2.
The 'instance' object reference you use in the line : 'instance.richTextBox1.AppendText(msg);', I'm not sure how that instance is declared and where since it's not referred to anywhere else in your reply.
This means that I can't call 'LogToScreen' from the script.

3.
Placing the ISCript interface outside of 'namespace ScriptEngineTest' means that it doesn't have visibility of 'Form1' and so the program doesn't compile.

Changing it to 'void RunActions(string passtring, Form f);' allows it to compile but then the script call to 'MessageBox.Show((f.a * f.b).ToString());' results in :
error CS1061 : System.Windows.Forms.Form' doesn't contain a definition for 'a'. I understand why this is, it's because I'm referring to a generic form rather than my specific 'Form1'

When I change my script call to refer to 'Form1' specifically, I get error CS0176: Member 'ScriptEngineTest.Form1.a' cannot be accessed with an instance reference; qualify it with a type name instead.
Giving it a type name takes me back to CS1061.

Yes, I'd readily admit that I may be missing something obvious.

Bottom line is: yes please, can you send me Form1.cs? Wink

Thanks in advance.

Gerry Murray

Re: Using a script to write to the Hosts richtextbox.

Debugging when invoked from the lib

2:48 8 Sep '09

Hi Gerry,

>1. My richtextbox is designed and placed on the form designer rather than instantiated explicitly in Form1 at runtime so I'm not sure how I would get a reference to it to pass to my script.
Put //css_include Form1.designer.cs; at the top of your Form1.cs.

>2. The 'instance' object reference you use in the line : 'instance.richTextBox1.AppendText(msg);', I'm not sure how that instance is declared and where since it's not referred to anywhere else in your reply.
It was a typo please remove 'instance' and the dot after it.

>3.Placing the ISCript interface outside of 'namespace ScriptEngineTest' means that it doesn't have visibility of 'Form1' and so the program doesn't compile.
It does not have to be outside of namespase (though it can). It just has to be plain not nested type.

However the best way of handling this is to work with the original code. Please respond to this post with direct email with attached not working script(s) and I will fix it up for you and send back.

Cheers,
Oleg

Re: Debugging when invoked from the lib

0:10 25 Aug '09

I'm using the CSScriptLibrary.dll assembly, version 2.5.2 from cs-script\Lib\Bin\NET 3.5\

I invoke CS-Script as you suggested with


using CSScriptLibrary;

...

                CSScript.ShareHostRefAssemblies = false;
                var masterScript = new StringBuilder();

                var scripts = Directory.GetFiles(scriptDir,
                                                 "*.cs",
                                                 SearchOption.AllDirectories);

                foreach (var file in scripts)
                    masterScript.AppendFormat("//css_import {0};\n", file);

                string asmFileTypedTableBase = Assembly.GetAssembly(typeof(System.Data.TypedTableBase<DataRow>)).Location;
                string[] assemblies = { ".\\CSScriptLibrary.dll", ".\\MyClient.exe", asmFileTypedTableBase };

                MzExportInterface exportObj = CSScript.LoadCode(masterScript.ToString(), assemblies)
                                                        .CreateObject("MyClient.ExportTemplates." + exportTemplateName + "." + exportTemplateName)
                                                        .AlignToInterface<MzExportInterface>();

                exportObj.StartExport(scriptDir, exportDir);

However, I fail to debug my scripts. When I set breakpoints in the code, it never stops there. I've read http://csscript.net/help/Debugging.html, but it seems focused on debugging scripts that are launched standalone with cscs.exe (eg. use these command line switches)

And I don't quite get the debug samples...

Do you have any specific hints how to make the debugging work? I don't have any other process to attach to since CS-Script is loaded in process, and it's not CS-Script I want to debug but the script it executes.

Re: Debugging when invoked from the lib

1:40 25 Aug '09

LoadCode has another overloaded signature which accepts bool flag indicating if debug simbols for the script should be generated.

The code appropriate for debugging should look like following:


 MzExportInterface exportObj = CSScript.LoadCode(masterScript.ToString(), null, true, assemblies)
                                       .CreateObject("MyClient.ExportTemplates." + exportTemplateName + "." + exportTemplateName)
                                       .AlignToInterface<MzExportInterface>();

Cheers,
Oleg

Re: Debugging when invoked from the lib

12:51 25 Aug '09

Thanks! And for others reading this: Remember to put the breakpoint in the correct script file if you, just like me, have the script being copied to the bin folder. Having a System.Diagnostics.Debug.Assert(false); in the code works fairly well as well.
Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink

CoolSpin

7:34 29 Aug '09

You can also use Debugger.Break()[^] in System.Diagnostics. No need to check the IsAttached[^] property, as the Break() checks this itself.
Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink

Signed assemblies

10:58 16 Aug '09

Hello again!

My work is going forward with a good pace, and CS-Script is working excellently!

However, I was wondering if you could please sign the assemblies (CSScriptLibrary.dll) that come as part of the binary package, so that I can sign my application.

I could download the source and compile/sign it myself, but I feel that that is undesirable since I'd rather not handle the CS-Script source code myself just to sign it.

I'm not in any hurry, but perhaps something to consider for the next release.

Re: Signed assemblies

Dynamic typing - how does it work actually?

14:43 16 Aug '09

kittelmann wrote: I was wondering if you could please sign the assemblies (CSScriptLibrary.dll) Certainly.
Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink

Member 881719

11:38 15 Aug '09

Hi, How do i use the dynamic typing feature in cs-script? Documentation describes about using the Object as the default type and box/unbox it. Can you give me an example for it? Thanks.
Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink

19:30 15 Aug '09

Hi there,

Yes, this is what documentation says:

Script language is type safe:
strong typing is a luxury not available in most of the scripting languages. Dynamic typing is also available: use Object as a default type and do boxing/unboxing all the time.

This sort of dynamic typing is (and always was) available in C# and as such this feature has no relation to the scripting nature of CS-Script.

This is a pseudo code example:

static public void Main()
{
    object result = Add(1,2);

    Console.WriteLine(result);
}

static object Add(object a, object b)
{
    return (int)a + (int)b;
}

But honestly, why would any one do anything like that? Strong typing offers not only safer but also more readable/maintainable code.

Of course with C# 4.0 actualy dynamic typing can be really useful:

dynamic calc = GetCalculator();
int sum = calc.Add(10, 20);

instead of reflection based equivalent in C# 3.0:

object calc = GetCalculator();
object res = calc.GetType().InvokeMember("Add",
                                         BindingFlags.InvokeMethod, null,
                                         new object[] { 10, 20 });
int sum = Convert.ToInt32(res);

Cheers,
Oleg

Member 881719

23:48 15 Aug '09

Thanks for the info. The documentation suggested that it really added functionality to support dynamic typing. But it is default c# behavior, but that is not what i needed.
Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink

2:30 16 Aug '09

>The documentation suggested that it really added functionality to support dynamic typing.

Initially I disagreed. Documentation never suggested that neither strong nor dynamic typing is a feature of the CS-Script engine. That is why I quoted the documentation in my previous post. In fact that quote was taken from the CS-Script Help section describing the advantages of any scripting system based on C#, not only CS-Script.

However...

On the CS-Script home page the very same documentation statement was splet into two separate sentences, what indeed made an impression that CS-Script has its own feature associated with dynamic typing.

I apologise for any confusing. To avoid any further misinterpretation this statement about dynamic typing has been already completely removed from the CS-Script home page.

This statement will be reinstated only when MS releases its dynamic typing support for C# 4.0. And an appropriate explanation will be supplied.

------------------------------------------------

However there is a real CS-Script specific feature associated with dynamic typing - DuckTyping.

It is not what you asked about (boxing/unboxing) but it is about generating strong types dynamically from the script.

It offers dynamic typing but without complitelly surrendering the type safty (as in case of C# 4.0). You can find details here: http://csscript.net/help/Script_hosting_guideline_.html#_interfaceAlignment[^]

Regards,
Oleg

Member 881719

3:41 16 Aug '09

No problem. I really like CS-script as it is now. Great tooling. Wondering when Microsoft is going to release C# 4.0. Thanks for the link about ducktyping. Maybe it can help me to get to my goals. Thanks again en good luck with further development. Arjen
Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink

Host running script that spans multiple files

14:02 16 Aug '09

Member 881719 wrote: Wondering when Microsoft is going to release C# 4.0. I think it is October/November this year.
Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink

Re: Host running script that spans multiple files

1:34 14 Aug '09

My scenario is as follows:
I have an application, and users will be able to write small plugins to it, or modify existing plugins.
The plugins will be written/coded i CS-Script.
The size of the plugins will vary a lot. Some will be very small, while others will be large.
The users and plugin writers might not have access to a compiler, that's why I'm using CS-Script.

So, some scripts will be rather large, have multiple classes, and be split in several files. I have decided that the scripts will be placed in one directory per plugin.

So, I discover that I have a plugin directory, and what I want to do then is to load all *.cs files in there and execute one method in one of the files (I know which class/file that starting method is in).
I can include other files by using the //css_import statement, but preferably I'd like the users to not have to worry about which files to include. (I'd rater like them to not have to worry about any css directive at all).

Is it possible to do multiple CSScript.Load(file1) for one AsmHelper and thus load all files present without using //css_import ?

I have tried to merge all files into one string, but that fails since using statements should come before the rest of the code.

Do you have any idea if this is possible?

InvokeInst and namespaces gives exception

3:18 14 Aug '09

Yes it is possible. And you will be surprised how this actually is:
(the whole example can be downloaded from here http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/956512/kittelmann/LoadDir/LoadDir.7z[^])

public interface IScript
{
    void Print(string msg);
}

...

var masterScript = new StringBuilder();

var scripts = Directory.GetFiles(Environment.CurrentDirectory,
                                 "*.cs",
                                 SearchOption.AllDirectories);

foreach (var file in scripts)
    masterScript.AppendFormat("//css_inc {0};\n", file);

IScript script = CSScript.LoadCode(masterScript.ToString())
                         .CreateObject("Plugins.Script")
                         .AlignToInterface<IScript>();

script.Print("Hello World!");

Re: InvokeInst and namespaces gives exception

10:22 13 Aug '09

Namespaces in the script doesn't work when invoking an instance method.
Namespaces does seem to work when invoking a static method.
This applies to versin 2.5.0, and I have only tesed it within another C# application.

Working code:


string scriptCode = "using System;\n                       " +
                                    "public class Calc                     " +
                                    "{                                     " +
                                    "   public int Subtract(int a, int b)  " +
                                    "   {                                  " +
                                    "      return a - b;                   " +
                                    "   }                                  " +
                                    "}";

            CSScript.ShareHostRefAssemblies = false;
            AsmHelper helper = new AsmHelper(CSScript.LoadCode(scriptCode, null, false, ".\\CSScriptLibrary.dll", ".\\MyClient.exe"));

            object calc = helper.CreateObject("Calc");
            int c = (int)helper.InvokeInst(calc, "Subtract", 5, 3);

Non-working code:


string scriptCode = "using System;\n                       " +
                                    "namespace testspace{                   " +
                                    "public class Calc                     " +
                                    "{                                     " +
                                    "   public int Subtract(int a, int b)  " +
                                    "   {                                  " +
                                    "      return a - b;                   " +
                                    "   }                                  " +
                                    "}}";

            CSScript.ShareHostRefAssemblies = false;
            AsmHelper helper = new AsmHelper(CSScript.LoadCode(scriptCode, null, false, ".\\CSScriptLibrary.dll", ".\\MyClient.exe"));

            object calc = helper.CreateObject("testspace.Calc");
            int c = (int)helper.InvokeInst(calc, "Subtract", 5, 3);

The exception is:
ApplicationException: Method Calc.Subtract(System.Int32, System.Int32) cannot be found.
at:


   at CSScriptLibrary.AsmBrowser.FindMethod(String methodName, Object[] list)
   at CSScriptLibrary.AsmBrowser.Invoke(Object obj, String methodName, Object[] list)
   at CSScriptLibrary.AsmHelper.InvokeInst(Object obj, String methodName, Object[] list)
   ...

Re: InvokeInst and namespaces gives exception

18:32 13 Aug '09

Yes this particular scenario exposes the defect in AsmHelper.InvokeInst.

I have fixed the problem and the fix will be published tomorrow. In a mean time I will send you the binaries by email.

However I want to draw you attention that using Reflection based calls (AsmHelper.InvokeInst in your example) is not necessarily the best approach (though there is nothing wrong with this).

Arguable the better choice is CS-Script DuckTyping. Advantages: more readable, strongly typed code, your example will work with just out of box CS-Script v2.5.

using CSScriptLibrary;

...

public interface ICalc
{
    int Subtract(int a, int b);
}

...

static void Test()
{
    string scriptCode = @"using System;

                          namespace testspace
                          {
                              public class Calc
                              {
                                  public int Subtract(int a, int b)
                                  {
                                      return a - b;
                                  }
                              }
                          }";

    CSScript.ShareHostRefAssemblies = false;
    var script = CSScript.LoadCode(scriptCode,
                                   Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location, //your client.exe
                                   typeof(CSScript).Assembly.Location);      //CSScriptLibrary.dll

    ICalc calc = script.CreateObject("testspace.Calc")
                       .AlignToInterface<ICalc>();    //DuckTyping

    int c = calc.Subtract(5, 3);
    Console.WriteLine(c);
}

Cheers

Duplicate mscorlib loaded when loading CSScript

1:13 14 Aug '09

That seems like an excellent solution, because what I really want is not for the script to say that it implements my script-interface, but to actually enforce it from the host side.
Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink

Re: Duplicate mscorlib loaded when loading CSScript

12:16 6 Aug '09

Hello!

CSScript seems like a very nice script engine, and I though I'd give it a try for my application.

However, I just can't make it work. Sigh

I'm not if it's related to that I'm using Visual Studio 2010 Beta 1 with .NET Framework 4 Beta.

The code I'm using is:

TestScript.cs:

using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;

class TestScript
{
    public void ShowString(string message)
    {
        MessageBox.Show(message);
    }
}

MzOptions.cs (a part of my application, compiled and working save for this issue):

private void button3_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    //Run the script
    AsmHelper helper = new AsmHelper(CSScript.Load("ExportTemplates\\TestScript.cs"));
    helper.Invoke("TestScript.ShowString", "Hello World");
}

And the Load call throws the following exception:
(0,0): error CS1703: An assembly with the same identity 'mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089' has already been imported. Try removing one of the duplicate references.

in:


   at csscript.CSExecutor.Compile(String scriptFileName)
   at csscript.CSExecutor.Compile(String scriptFile, String assemblyFile, Boolean debugBuild)
   at CSScriptLibrary.CSScript.Load(String scriptFile, String assemblyFile, Boolean debugBuild, String[] refAssemblies)
   at CSScriptLibrary.CSScript.Load(String scriptFile)
   at MazermindClient.MzOptions.button3_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e) in D:\Data\Projects\Mazermind2\Source\MazermindClient\Forms\MzOptions.cs:line 78
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)

...

   at System.AppDomain._nExecuteAssembly(RuntimeAssembly assembly, String[] args)
   at System.AppDomain.ExecuteAssembly(String assemblyFile, Evidence assemblySecurity, String[] args)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.HostingProcess.HostProc.RunUsersAssembly()
   at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(Object state)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean ignoreSyncCtx)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
   at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()

Do you have any suggestion to what I can change to fix it?

Thanks in advance!