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Scripting Guide > Introduction > Basic JSL Syntax
Publication date: 04/30/2021

Basic JSL Syntax

A JSL script is a series of expressions. Each expression is a section of JSL code that accomplishes a task. JSL expressions hold data, manipulate data, and send commands to objects.

Many expressions are nested message names. Message contents are enclosed in parentheses:

Message Name ( argument 1, argument 2, ... );

The meaning of JSL names depends on the context. The same name might mean one thing in a data table context and something entirely different in a function context. See Rules for Name Resolution in the JSL Building Blocks section.

Almost anything that follows certain punctuation rules, such as matching parentheses, is a valid JSL expression. For example:

win = New Window( "Window Example",
	<<Modal,
	Text Box( "Hello, World" ),
	Text Box( "-----" ),
	Button Box( "OK" )
);

Notes:

Names can have embedded spaces. See Names in the JSL Building Blocks section.

Message contents are enclosed in parentheses, which must be balanced. See Parentheses in the JSL Building Blocks section.

Items are separated by commas. See Commas in the JSL Building Blocks section.

JSL is not case sensitive; you can type “text box();” or “Text Box()”.

Messages are commonly nested inside other messages.

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