Cannot get <iw_cscript&gt; to work

I'm trying to call a JavaScript function and pass a value from a DCR using <iw_cscript> (using the information from https://support.interwoven.com/library/devel/tst/pt/5_01/TeamSite__PT__iw_cscript.asp). This wasn't working so I thought I'd boil it down until I got to the point where a simple example would work. Even the simplest little piece of JavaScript will not work for me. Here's a snippet from my presentation template:

<iw_cscript language='js'>
<![CDATA[
window.alert("Got this far!");
]]>
</iw_cscript>

But nothing happens - no error, no message box. Is there something that has to be done to enable <iw_cscript>? Or can it not be used like this? Here's what I'd really like to do:

<iw_script language='js'>
<![CDATA[
ShowDiv("{iw_value name='dcr.termYear'/}");
]]>
</iw_script>

Where ShowDiv() is defined in another script block. I'm thinking maybe the fact that it's in a different script block might be a problem, but that doesn't explain why the window.alert() statement won't work.

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Comments

Migrateduser

My understanding is that CScript runs on the server when the presentation template is compiled against the DCR to generate content to include in the output file that is being generated. So this should create a popup box on the TeamSite server, but I doubt that would work.

I think what might work would be something more like:

document.write( 'window.alert("Got this far!"); ');

Of course I could be way off.

Note that each iw_script tag in a presentation template creates a temp file that is executed on the server, so if you have many of these your performance may suffer.

Lex

That really seems like it should work, or at least do *something*, but again there is absolutely no result. Hmmm, I'm doing this by previewing from the DCT. Something you said makes me think maybe I need to generate the file to see <iw_cscript> blocks actually take effect?

Lex

Nope. Generating didn't change anything.

Migrateduser

I wouldn't expect that to help - I think what preview really does is generate a temporary file and redirect to it, which is basically like generate. I really don't know CScript so this has gone beyond me. Maybe try writing a file that contains the code you want to run and executing it on the teamsite server using Windows Scripting Host (I wonder if maybe you don't have Windows Scripting Host installed on the server?).

I don't know if perldoc TeamSite: Smiley Tongue

T::iw_cscript would help, but looking at the souce code might.

IWHOME/iw-perl/site/5.00503/lib/TeamSite/PT/iw_cscript.pm

<iw_pt>
<iw_cscript language='js'>
<![CDATA[
//---------------------------------------------------
// Now for some in-line JavaScript !
//---------------------------------------------------
Welcome("{iw_value name='dcr.zzz'/}");

function Welcome(first_name)
{
WScript.Echo("Greetings", first_name );
}
//---------------------------------------------------
]]></iw_cscript>

That was fun!
</iw_pt>

JamJamT

Personally I write out all my scripting tags via perl code. So the following could work for you.

Using your alert example put the following in your header:
<script language="JavaScript">
function popup()
{
window.open('http://www.interwoven.com')
}
</script>

Call the function somewhere in the <body>:
<iw_perl>
<![CDATA[
iwpt_output ("<A href=\"#\" onClick=\"popup()\">Click me</A>");
]]>
</iw_perl>

james1

Here's how to think about iw_cscript: Whatever is inside your <iw_cscript> tags gets written to a temp file, and then the Windows "cscript" executable is called on that temp file. Whatever text is returned from "cscript" is inlined into your PT's output, where the <iw_cscript> tag is.

This should be obvious after careful reading of the documentation for <iw_cscript> at:

http://your_server/iw/help/tst/pt/TeamSite__PT__iw_cscript.html

So, I would not expect your window.alert() call to have any effect, since a server-side invocation of cscript should not open any window anywhere.

If you call ShowDiv() within an <iw_cscript> block, that JavaScript function must be defined within that block, or "cscript" will not know what it is.

Hope this helps.
-- James

--
James H Koh
Interwoven Engineering

Lex

Thanks, James. That does help. I think I was going about things in the wrong way with a basic misunderstanding of what <iw_cscript> is for. I figured out another way to do what I was after, but that led me to another question. Within a <script></script> block in a TPL there's no problem using <iw_value/> tags. However, if you try to throw an <iw_iterate> in there it chokes and dies. Why is this? (Should I start a new thread for this?)

james1

> Within a <script></script> block in a TPL there's no problem
> using <iw_value/> tags. However, if you try to throw an
> <iw_iterate> in there it chokes and dies. Why is this?

I don't know. Are you putting all of your HTML inside of CDATA sections? If not, then it might make the problem go away. But the problem probably shouldn't exist in the first place. Perhaps some of your JavaScript is confusing the PT compiler, and it would be happier if it was placed within a CDATA section.

-- James

--
James H Koh
Interwoven Engineering