Editing scripts

You can perform standard editing tasks in the Script view
using the Edit menu, the popup menu in the Script view, or the PainterBars.
There are shortcuts for many editing actions.

Setting up shortcuts In a painter with a Script view, select Tools>Keyboard
Shortcuts. Expand the Edit menu to view existing shortcuts and set
up your own shortcuts.

Printing scripts

You can print a description of the object you are editing,
including all its scripts, by selecting File>Print from
the menu bar. To print a specific script, select
File>Print Script.

Pasting information into scripts

You can paste the names of variables, functions, objects,
controls, and other items directly into your scripts. (You can also
use AutoScript. See “Using AutoScript”.) If what you paste includes commented
text that you need to replace, such as function arguments or clauses
in a statement, you can use Edit>Go To>Next Marker
to move your cursor to the next commented item in the template.

Undoing a paste If you paste information into your script by mistake, click
the Undo button or select Edit>Undo from the menu bar.

Some of these techniques are explained in the sections that
follow.

Using the System Tree

To paste the name of a PowerBuilder object, or of any of its
properties, functions, or events, select the item you want to paste
on the Workspace tab of the System Tree and drag it into your script.

Using the Browser

You can use the Browser to paste the name of any property,
data type, function, structure, variable, or object in the application.

Most tab pages in the Browser have two panes:

The left pane displays one type of object, such as window
or menu. The right pane displays the properties, events, functions,
external functions, instance variables, shared variables, and structures
associated with the object.

Getting context-sensitive Help in the Browser To get context-sensitive Help for an object, control, or function,
select Help from its popup menu.

To use the Browser to paste information into the
Script view:

1. Click the Browser button in the PowerBar.

   or

   Select Tools>Browser.

2. Select the PowerScript target you want to browse.
   Select the appropriate tab and then the object in the left pane.
   Select the category of information you want to display by expanding
   the appropriate folder in the right pane.

3. Select the information and click Copy.

4. In the Script view, move the cursor where you
   want to paste the information. Select any text you want replaced
   by the pasting.

5. Select Paste from the popup menu.

   PowerBuilder displays the information at the insertion point
   in the script, replacing any selected text.

For information about using the Browser to
paste OLE object information into a script, see Application
Techniques
.

Pasting statements

You can paste a template for all basic forms of the following
PowerScript statements:

• IF…THEN
• DO…LOOP
• FOR…NEXT
• CHOOSE CASE
• TRY…CATCH… FINALLY

When you paste these statements into a script, prototype values
display in the syntax to indicate conditions or actions.

To paste a PowerScript statement into the script:

1. Place the insertion point where you want
   to paste the statement in the script.

2. Select the Paste Statement button from the PainterBar.

   or

   Select Edit>Paste Special>Statement
   from the menu bar.

3. Select the statement you want to paste from the
   cascading menu.

   The statement prototype displays at the insertion point in
   the script.

4. Replace the prototype values with the conditions
   you want to test and the actions you want to take based on the test
   results.

For more about PowerScript statements, see
the PowerScript Reference
.

Pasting SQL

You can paste a SQL statement into your script instead of
typing the statement.

To paste a SQL statement:

1. Place the insertion point where you want
   to paste the SQL statement in the script.

2. Click the Paste SQL button in the PainterBar.

   or

   Select Edit>Paste Special>SQL from
   the menu bar.

3. Select the type of statement you want to insert
   from the cascading menu by double-clicking the appropriate button.

   The appropriate dialog box displays so you can create the
   SQL statement.

4. Create the statement, then return to the Script
   view.

   The statement displays at the insertion point in the workspace.

For more about embedding SQL in scripts, see
the PowerScript Reference
.

Pasting functions

You can paste any function into a script.

To paste a function into a script:

1. Place the insertion point where you want
   to paste the function in the script.

2. Click the Paste Function button in the PainterBar.

   or

   Select Edit>Paste Special>Function
   from the menu bar.

3. Choose the type of function you want to paste:
   built-in, user-defined, or external.

4. Double-click the function you want from the listbox
   that displays.

   PowerBuilder pastes the function into the script and places
   the cursor within the parentheses for you to define any needed arguments.

For more about pasting user-defined functions, see “Pasting user-defined functions”. For more
about external and built-in functions, see Application
Techniques
.

Pasting contents of files

If you have code that is common across different scripts,
you can keep that code in a text file, then paste it into new scripts
you write. For shorter snippets of code, you can also use the Clip
window. See “The Clip window”.

To import the contents of a file into the Script
view:

1. Place the insertion point where you want
   the file contents pasted.

2. Select Edit>Paste Special>From
   File from the menu bar.

   The Paste From File dialog box displays listing all files
   with the extension SCR. If necessary, navigate to the directory
   that contains the script you want to paste.

3. Choose the file containing the code you want.
   You can change the type of files displayed by changing the file
   specification in the File Name box.

   PowerBuilder copies the file into the Script view at the insertion
   point.

Saving a script to a file To save all or part of a script to an external text file,
select the code you want to save and copy and paste it to the file
editor. Use the extension .SCR to identify it as PowerScript code.
You may want to use this technique to save a backup copy before
you make major changes or so that you can use the code in other
scripts.

Reverting to the unedited version of a script

You can discard the edits you have made to a script and revert
to the unedited version by selecting Edit>Revert Script
from the menu.

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