Handy Library Manager, web search script functions

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Web Search, Scripting Language

Handy Library Manager uses scripts to extract text data from HTML pages returned by the ISBN web search.

Below is the scripting language's syntax and some general rules. You can also find a comprehensive list of all its functions.

first line should contain the declaration of variables, e.g.
def #title, #author, #isbn, #publisher
second line should contain the declaration of private variables, e.g.
def #n, #count
each variable name should start from # character
each function name should start from $ character
function parameters are enclosed in brackets, e.g.
#title=$rtrim(#title)
#title=$copyuntil(<)
a function parameter is either a variable or a string
a function returns the result always as a string
a function name is always in lower case

List of all functions:

$find(string) - find text in the source file and the cursor is set right after it
$uppercase(string) - convert a string to upper case
$lowercase(string) - convert a string to lower case
$gotop - go to beginning of the source file
$goend - go to end of the source file
$copyuntil(string) - the result is text from the current cursor position (e.g. set by $find) until the "string"; the cursor is set immediately after "string" returned
$copyuntilnewln - the result is text from the current cursor position until the end of the line; the cursor is set at the beginning of the next line. (removes all spaces and tabs from the beginning and end of the result)
$copyuntilnewln1 - the result is text from the current cursor position until the end of the line; the cursor is set at the beginning of the next line. (does not removes spaces and tabs)
$copycount(count) - the result is text from the current cursor position that has the length of count characters; the cursor is position after the last character returned.
$addnum(num1,num2) the result is the sum of two numbers; num1 and num2 can be integers in a string format or they can be variables containing integers.
$subtractnum(num1,num2) the result is the subraction of two numbers; num1 and num2 can be integers in a string format or they can be variables containing integers.
$struntil(string, str) - the result is text from the str string until the "string"
$strfromuntil(from_str, until_str, str) - the result is text from the str starting from from_str string until until_str
$strfromuntil2(from_str, until_str1, until_str2, str) - the result is text from the str starting from from_str string until until_str1 or until until_str2; if from_str is not found the result is an empty string (the same is true if both until_str1 and until_str2 not found);
$assignhex(hexvalue) - returns a HEX string, the string can be up to 8 chracters long and the result is up to 4 characters (bytes) long; for example '1E' converts to 1 character (#30).
$strdelmarc(subflddel,flddel,replacestr,str) - in string str replace with replacestr all occurrences of string subflddel plus 1 character until flddel; also, delete string flddel
$skiptonewline - skip to the next line
$skipby(count) - skip count characters from the current cursor position;
$rtrim(string) - remove spaces and tabs from the end of the string
$ltrim(string) - remove spaces and tabs from the beginning of the string
$exit - exit the script
$length(string) - return the number of characters in the string; the result has the string type
$substr(string,from,count) - return a substring of string beginning at from position; the length of the substring is specified by count; from and count can be numbers or variables e.g. $substr(#mytext,1,#var1)
$lastfound(0) - if the result is '1' the last $find function found the string, if the result is '0' the last $find function failed to find the string
$delstring(string,#param) - delete a substring from a variable
$strdelhtml(string) - delete html tags from a string variable
$replacestr(withstr,whatstr,string) - replaces the first occurence of whatstring in string with withstring
$replaceallstr(withstr, whatstr,string) - replaces all occurences of whatstring in string with withstring
$findstr(what,string) - if what is found in string the result is the index of the first character found; the result is 0 if the string is not found
$replacespecial(string) - replace html codes with special characters
&  =  &
>  =  >
<  =  <
$addstring(str1,str2) - the result is a string: str1 + str2
$break - break the script and do not close the input file; it is useful when you want to extract multiple records; when Process can be called in a loop until the end of file is reached or $finish function is called in the script.
$finduntil(string) - all following $find functions will stop searching on the first occurence of string; the cursor will be set just before this string
$eof - returns '1' if end of the text file
$setbookmark - save the current location in the source file (current line and character index)
$gotobookmark - go to the previously saved bookmark
$clearbookmark - clear previously saved bookmark
$date - returns the system(computer) date (e.g. #date=$date)
$time - returns the system(computer) time (e.g. #time=$time)
$writestr_out_file(string) - writes a string to OutputFile; (only used in Convert Marc File procedure)
$writeln_out_file - writes new line character to OutputFile; (only used in Convert Marc File procedure)

Assignment:

assignment: you can assign the result of a function to a variable, e.g.
#title=$rtrim(#title)
empty string assignment: "" means empty string, e.g.:
#str1="" (use this in the script)
{Title}="" (use this in the mapping window)

New Line:

declare a local variable. e.g.: #newline
assign $newline function to your local variable. e.g.:
#newln=$newline
Then, you can use #newln variable in any function. e.g.:
#subjects=$addstring(#subjects,#newln)

If statement.

it has the following format :
if (expression)
statements executed when expression is true
else
statements executed when expression is false
endif
the if expression can use: =,<,>,<> operators
example if statement:
if (#left=John)
#text=$copyuntil(&)
$gotop
else
#text=$copyuntil(a#)
endif