Working with scripts

Analytics scripts are written in plain text in the Script Editor, which is part of Analytics. Like any plain text content, you can copy-and-paste text freely between the Script Editor and other plain text sources.

Scripts in the Analytics user interface

Scripts are visualized individually in the Overview tab of the Navigator. Although the scripts are visualized individually, all scripts in an Analytics project are contained within the single Analytics project file (*.acl).

If required, you can export an individual script as a separate .aclscript file saved outside the Analytics project. A script exported as a separate file can later be imported into any Analytics project.

The main Analytics user interface below shows a number of scripts in the Navigator, with the first script open in the Script Editor.

Scriptwriting tools

You have a number of tools to choose from when you create, edit, or debug scripts. Some of the tools allow you to automatically create ACLScript syntax without requiring that you know the syntax in advance.

You can use the tools individually, or in combination, to create new scripts or to modify existing scripts.

Tool Description

Script Editor

Author or edit scripts by typing ACLScript syntax.

Command log

Automatically create ACLScript syntax by selecting entries in the command log, which retains a record of all the commands that have been executed in a project.

Script Recorder

Automatically create ACLScript syntax by recording any ACLScript commands that you execute while script recording is enabled.

Syntax capture

Automatically create ACLScript syntax by recording any ACLScript commands that you access in the Analytics user interface while syntax capture is enabled. The commands are not actually executed.

Table history

Automatically create ACLScript syntax from the table history of any Analytics table that has been created as the output of an ACLScript command or series of commands.

ScriptHub

Import scripts or snippets from ScriptHub, a web-based library of Analytics scripted items.

Debugging features

Set break points, or step through scripts one line at a time, to test or debug scripts.