Reference Section

Literal code syntax appears in Bold font:

.getContext()

Placeholders for variable elements in code syntax appear as words in Italic font. These words are made up of lowercase letters and hyphens only, for example, keep-open in:

.acceptLookupValue( options )

options  :=  {

     keepOpen:  keep-open  

,    success:  success-function

,    error:  error-function

}

Placeholders for required elements are shown in Bold font. Placeholders for optional elements are in Normal font. In this example, sql-statement is required but options is mandatory:

.executeSQLStatement( sql-statement, options )

options  :=  {

    hostvars:  hostvars

,   async:  async

,   hostvars:  hostvars

,   success:  success-function

,   error:  error-function

}

The syntax notation does not show datatypes. To get type information, read the explanatory text immediately following the code syntax, or alternatively, use example code as a model. Example code is normally supplied at the end of the help topic. For example,

{ next | previous | index }

probably means that you can choose between the string values 'next' and 'previous', which must be surrounded by single quotes, and any integer denoting an index position and not requiring single quotes, but you need to read the explanation or look at code examples to be sure.

The ':=' symbol means 'is defined as'. To its left, this symbol has a placeholder. To its right, it has some formal syntax instruction that specifies how the placeholder must be replaced or expanded by more specific elements.

In this example, the mode placeholder must be replaced either by the word 'edit' or by the word 'search':

mode  :=  { edit | search }

Curly braces are used for 2 completely different purposes. When they do NOT contain a pipe symbol ('|'), they represent literal JavaScript code. When used like this, the curly braces typically appear on different lines. For example:

.logout( options )

options  :=  {

    page:  page

,   success:  success-function

}

When a pair of curly braces DOES contain one or more pipe symbols, a list of alternatives is presented from which you must choose exactly one. When used like this, the curly braces typically appear on the same line. The syntax prescription:

.checkRecords( options )

options  :=  {

    double:  double

}

double  :=  { all | current }

is matched by exactly 1 of the following 2 realizations (assuming that the values for double are strings, and therefore must be surrounded by single quotes):

.checkRecords( { double: 'all' } )

.checkRecords( { double: 'current' } )

In curly braces with one or more pipe symbols, it is possible for exactly one of the values to be underlined. This means that the underlined value is the default value. It implies that the item that has the value is in fact optional, and that cases where it does not appear are equivalent to cases where it appears with the default value. Thus, given the prescription:

.checkRecords( options )

options  :=  {

    double:  double

}

double  :=  { all | current }

the following 2 code snippets are equivalent matches:

.checkRecords()

.checkRecords( { double: 'all' } )

If the ending brace is immediately preceded by a pipe symbol, then other values besides the enumerated values are also allowed:

{ next | previous | }

The following means that the value 'edit' applies if you do not specify the item at all. If you do specify the item, it may have any value:

{ edit | }

The ellipsis symbol consists of 3 full stops NOT immediately preceded by a comma (,) or semicolon (;). It denotes some unspecified snippet of code, which might also be optional (be empty). In the following example, the ellipsis symbol stands for some unspecified code that could appear between the curly braces after if (struct):

$.udb.getMenu({
   menuName: menuName,

   success: function() {

       var struc = $.udb.menus.menu(menuName);

       if (struc) {

           ...

       }

   }

});

The 'list of similar items' symbol consists of 3 full stops preceded by a comma (,) or a semicolon (;) which acts as a separator symbol. It represents the possibility to add another like item. It implies that any number of items are allowed to be added in this way, each separated from the previous item by the separator symbol:

hostvars  :=  { name : value, ... }

A valid code realization of this would be:

{ first-name: 'ERIC', family-name: 'DUMOULIN', status: 'MEMBER' }

In places in code syntax where string elements are expected, the empty string ('') is supposed to be valid unless otherwise stated. The empty string is represented by two consecutive single quotes, not by the absence of tokens.

Undefined and the absence of a value are both supposed to be different from the empty string. Undefined is represented by the string

undefined

(without quotes). An absence of value may be implied by the use of Normal font for optional element, as opposed to Bold font for required element.