Creating Python Scripts with ScriptForge
Differences between Basic and Python
The ScriptForge library is available both for Basic and Python. Most services, methods and properties work identically in both programming languages. However, due to differences in how each language works, ScriptForge users must be aware of some characteristics of the library when using Python:
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Methods and Property names: In Python, all methods and properties can be used in lowercased, ProperCased or camelCased formats.
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Arguments: All keyword arguments passed on to methods are lowercased.
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Dates: All date objects are passed and returned as datetime.datetime native Python objects.
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Arrays: One-dimensional arrays are passed and returned as tuples (which is an immutable object). Two-dimensional arrays are passed and returned as tuples of tuples.
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None: Python's None keyword is equivalent to Basic's Null, Empty or Nothing.
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UNO objects: All UNO structures are exchanged between Basic and Python without any changes.
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Debugging: Whenever an error occurs in Python scripts that use ScriptForge, the error message provided by the Python execution stack displays the line of code that triggered the error. In Basic error messages do not display this information.
Visit LibreOfficeDev Python Scripts Help for more information on Python scripting using LibreOfficeDev.
Editing Python scripts in IDEs
Python typing hints - relating to ScriptForge services public methods and properties - can be obtained from IDEs that support such facility. Visually, while editing a user script:
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hovering an object instance, a method or a property displays its detailed description.
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a "." after an object instance displays a drop-down box listing all available interfaces.
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brackets after a method-name start code-completion by displaying its arguments.
Typing hints are displayed when editing methods and properties with propercase letters.
