4.2.6.5. Scripting

Scripting interface is used to compile and load Java and Groovy classes dynamically (i.e. at runtime) as well as to execute Groovy scripts and expressions.

Scripting methods:

  • evaluateGroovy() – executes the Groovy expression and returns its result.

    cuba.groovyEvaluatorImport application property is used to define the common set of the imported classes inserted into each executed expression. By default, all standard application blocks import PersistenceHelper class.

    The compiled expressions are cached, and this considerably speeds up repeated execution.

    Example:

    @Inject
protected Scripting scripting;
...
Integer intResult = scripting.evaluateGroovy("2 + 2", new Binding());

Binding binding = new Binding();
binding.setVariable("instance", new User());
Boolean boolResult = scripting.evaluateGroovy("return PersistenceHelper.isNew(instance)", binding);

  • runGroovyScript() – executes Groovy script and returns its result.

    The script should be located either in application configuration folder or in classpath (the current Scripting implementation supports classpath resources within JAR files only). A script in the configuration folder overrides the script in classpath with the same name.

    The path to the script is constructed using separators /. The separator is not required in the beginning of the path.

    Example:

    @Inject
protected Scripting scripting;
...
Binding binding = new Binding();
binding.setVariable("itemId", itemId);
BigDecimal amount = scripting.runGroovyScript("com/abc/sales/CalculatePrice.groovy", binding);

  • loadClass() – loads Java or Groovy class using the following steps:

    1. If the class is already loaded, it will be returned.

    2. The Groovy source code (file *.groovy) is searched in the configuration folder. If it is found, it will be compiled and the class will be returned.

    3. The Java source code (file *.java) is searched in the configuration folder. If it is found, it will be compiled and the class will be returned.

    4. The compiled class is searched in classpath. If it is found, it will be loaded and returned.

    5. If nothing is found, null will be returned.

    The files in configuration folder containing Java and Groovy source code can be modified at runtime. On the next loadClass() call the corresponding class will be recompiled and the new one will be returned, with the following restrictions:

    • The type of the source code must not be changed from Groovy to Java;

    • If Groovy source code was once compiled, the deletion of the source code file will not lead to loading of another class from classpath. Instead of this, the class compiled from the removed source code will still be returned.

    Example:

    @Inject
protected Scripting scripting;
...
Class calculatorClass = scripting.loadClass("com.abc.sales.PriceCalculator");

  • getClassLoader() – returns ClassLoader, which is able to work according to the rules for loadClass() method described above.

Cache of the compiled classes can be cleaned at runtime using CachingFacadeMBean JMX bean.

See also ScriptingManagerMBean.