Using meta-language

Sometimes you need getting more out your scripts with Sifon and that is the time where script meta-syntax comes into a play. Notice these triple-hash ('###') lines at the top.

Let's look at the working solution below, followed by an explanation on how it works:

### Name: Install Horizon for Sitecore 10.0
### Description: Installs Sitecore JSS along with CLI
### Compatibility: Sifon 1.01
### $SelectedFile = new Sifon.Shared.Forms.LocalFilePickerDialog.LocalFilePicker::GetFile("Sitecore license selector","Select Sitecore license in order to install Horizon:","License files|*.xml","OK")
### Display: Local
### Execution: Local

param(
    [string]$Webroot,
    [string]$Website,
    [string]$Prefix,
    [string]$SelectedFile
)

If(!(Test-Path -Path $SelectedFile))
{
    Write-Error "File $SelectedFile does not exist on your local machine"
    exit
}   

Please pay attention to the line number 4. Everything starting with # is ignored by PowerShell as being a comment, so it is a good opportunity to tell Sifon some necessary additional information, mandatory for a plugin to function. We do that by starting such lines with ### block and passing Sifon necessary instruction.

In the above example we pass a line that looks very similar to a PowerShell code:

### $SelectedFile = new Sifon.Shared.Forms.LocalFilePickerDialog.LocalFilePicker::GetFile("Sitecore license selector","Select Sitecore license in order to install Horizon:","License files|*.xml","OK")

What happens under the bonnet is Sifon finding such meta-syntax instructions executes them in a local context prior to running a script that could be run a remote context. In this example, it instantiates a LocalFilePicker form and calls its method GetFile() passing all the required parameters. This is the same class as shown in a previous PowerShell GUI example, that draws you a file selector form.

Once file get selected, it is being assigned to an input parameter $SelectedFile as declared. Please pay attention to the following:

• parameter $SelectedFile is below accepted as an income parameter to a script
• this parameter is not part of profile, but being added and assigned from the above meta-syntax line
• script may be executed in a remote machine context
• for remote scripts selected file is automatically copied to a target machine and resulted remote file path automatically assigned to a variable
• this path on remote machine will likely be different, as your local file is copied into Sifon working folder at the remote

To sum up - you as a script developer need to do:

1. using one-liner as above, declare a variable and assign it with an output from a locally running (not mandatory) GUI code or whatever you need
2. receive same variable within param(...) block and use it in you locally and remotely running script.

No need to mess up with establishing remote connection and copying the selected file there - Sifon will do it all for you and will assign your declared variable with a correct path!

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