Limitations of Execute?

[JRowe]

I'm trying to understand the limitations of Execute().

I can store functions to variables easily enough, and execute them:

$TestFunction = MsgBox(0,"", "Easy Enough")
Execute($TestFunction)

I can also format strings as executable functions:

$TestFunction = 'MsgBox(0,' & '" ' & '"' & ', ' &'"'&'message'& '' &'"'& ')'
Execute($TestFunction)

I would like to be able to store arbitrary code to a string and then execute it. Includes obviously have to be done at the beginning of the program, in any case, but other than that, I think I'm just having problems with formatting.

How would I format the following as a string, usable by the Execute() function?

GUICreate("Test GUI",200,100)
GUISetState() 
While 1
    $msg = GUIGetMsg()
    Select
        Case $msg = $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            ExitLoop
    EndSelect
Wend

I've been trying to use @CR and @LF without success, although that could be the answer.

Thanks!

[JRowe]

A bit of clarification...

It's not for anything malicious: I'm working on a script designer, and I want to be able to execute user defined code after it's been parsed and sanitized. I'm trying to figure out how to do it generically before I get into the formatting.

I want to not have to launch autoit scripts directly, but have the sanitized functions read from a database and executed by a separate process. The ultimate goal would be scripts easily traded between user with no fear of malicious misuse, which is unfortunately the case with raw AutoIt.

[martin]

I'm trying to understand the limitations of Execute().

I can store functions to variables easily enough, and execute them:

$TestFunction = MsgBox(0,"", "Easy Enough")
Execute($TestFunction)

I can also format strings as executable functions:

$TestFunction = 'MsgBox(0,' & '" ' & '"' & ', ' &'"'&'message'& '' &'"'& ')'
Execute($TestFunction)

I would like to be able to store arbitrary code to a string and then execute it. Includes obviously have to be done at the beginning of the program, in any case, but other than that, I think I'm just having problems with formatting.

How would I format the following as a string, usable by the Execute() function?

GUICreate("Test GUI",200,100)
GUISetState() 
While 1
    $msg = GUIGetMsg()
    Select
        Case $msg = $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            ExitLoop
    EndSelect
Wend

I've been trying to use @CR and @LF without success, although that could be the answer.

Thanks!

I think you are not quite right with what Execute is doing.

When you do this

$TestFunction = MsgBox(0,"", "Easy Enough")
Execute($TestFunction)

you are just evaluating the return from MsgBox because I suppose the variable $TestFunction is converted to a string when it is passed to Execute which then returns the value.

If you do this

$TestFunction = 'MsgBox(0,"", "Easy Enough")'
Execute($TestFunction)

then the MsgBox appears when Execute is called.

To execute a several lines you would need to save them as an AutoIt script, say temp.au3, then run it using

Run('"' & @ProgramFilesDir & '\AutoIt3.exe "' & ' "' & @ScriptDir & '\temp.au3"')

[JRowe]

I think that there is a way to achieve what I'm trying to do without resorting to using Run().

I might have to design a whole set of generic functions and use parameters and calls, but I'd prefer to just be able to execute arbitrary sanitized autoit code within an existing process.

[crashdemons]

try this:

Func _ExecuteScript($ScriptString)
    Local $ScriptArray, $LastLine, $i
    $ScriptArray=StringSplit(StringStripCR($ScriptString),@LF)
    $LastLine=UBound($ScriptArray)-1; because I don't trust $array[0]
    For $i=1 To $LastLine
        Execute($ScriptArray[$i])
    Next
EndFunc

Example:

$Script="MsgBox(0,'','huh?')"&@CRLF&"MsgBox(0,'','ohhh...')"&@CRLF&"MsgBox(0,'','Right, Must be a multi-line script!!!')"
_ExecuteScript($Script)

Func _ExecuteScript($ScriptString)
    Local $ScriptArray, $LastLine, $i
    $ScriptArray=StringSplit(StringStripCR($ScriptString),@LF)
    $LastLine=UBound($ScriptArray)-1; because I don't trust $array[0]
    For $i=1 To $LastLine
        Execute($ScriptArray[$i])
    Next
EndFunc

Note: if using strings like "$a=1" wont set $a to 1, you may have to use "Assign('a', 1)"

Edited May 27, 2008 by crashdemons

[JRowe]

Awesome.

Is it possible to do this?

Nothing seems to break, but neither does it work as intended.

;Define the script to be executed
$Script="$a = 0"&@CRLF&"While $a <= 10"&@CRLF&"MsgBox(0, 'Value of $a is:', $a)"&@CRLF&"$a = $a + 1"&@CRLF&"WEnd"


;Check to see what's in the $ScriptVariable
MsgBox(0,"What's in $Script?", $Script)

;Execute the Script
_ExecuteScript($Script)


Func _ExecuteScript($ScriptString)
    Local $ScriptArray, $LastLine, $i
    $ScriptArray=StringSplit(StringStripCR($ScriptString),@LF)
    $LastLine=UBound($ScriptArray)-1; because I don't trust $array[0]
    For $i=1 To $LastLine
        Execute($ScriptArray[$i])
    Next
EndFunc

[Confuzzled]

Nothing seems to break, but neither does it work as intended.

Congratulations, I think you just became the first nomination at http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=72196

[JRowe]

Lmao. I suppose that could have been worded better.

There are no overt errors being reported, but its not behaving the way I would expect it to.

[Confuzzled]

There are no overt errors being reported, but its not behaving the way I would expect it to.

Sounds like a Microsoft RTM release. Second nomination...

[Richard Robertson]

The problem is that Execute is made for individual function calls. It cannot be used to perform loops, flow statements, or function definitions.

[crashdemons]

I didnt intend my function for loops - but simply multilined function calls.

if you need a loop to be initialized from inside an execute, consider using the AdlibEnable function on a predefined function

Edited May 27, 2008 by crashdemons

[Richard Robertson]

I was speaking to the OP.

[JRowe]

Excellent. Thanks for the information, guys

Wish I had known that before... Looks like I have a boatload of custom functions to make, so that they can be used with parameters, and in that way have user defined scripts.

[martin]

Excellent. Thanks for the information, guys

Wish I had known that before... Looks like I have a boatload of custom functions to make, so that they can be used with parameters, and in that way have user defined scripts.

I don't understand the approach or the logic here. You are saying that you don't want to use "Run" to run a script, so instead you are going to be running a script which will do it for you. If one script runs ok then what is going to be the problem running another one? Or to put it another way, if one script runs ok then it will be able to run another one.

The example you gave in the first post is

GUICreate("Test GUI",200,100)
GUISetState()
While 1
    $msg = GUIGetMsg()
    Select
        Case $msg = $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            ExitLoop
    EndSelect
Wend

To write functions to deal with this type of situation plus the other logic need to make it useful, is impractical IMO without actually producing or creating a script and running it. You can't do it with crashdemons' function.

I have written scripts which create and run other scripts and I don't see the problem.

[Richard Robertson]

Martin, I believe the user was looking more for an alternative to runtime specified #includes in a way.