What is LotusScript ?

 What is LotusScript?
LotusScript is an embedded, BASIC scripting language with a powerful set of language extensions that enable object-oriented application development within and across Lotus software applications. LotusScript allows you to place more complex scripts in a greater variety of locations and events than traditional macros. LotusScript and its development toolset provide a common programming environment across Lotus applications on all platforms supported by Lotus software (such as Windows, AIX, Linux).

LotusScript offers a wide variety of features. Its interface to Lotus software is through predefined object classes. The products oversee the compilation and loading of user scripts and automatically include class definitions to allow more efficient coding. LotusScript extends the development capabilities of Lotus software by providing:

• The ability to place scripts in a variety of objects and events in many Lotus software applications. LotusScript has a set of extensions beyond Visual Basic, that provide additional power and utility when writing applications using Lotus software.
• A debugger and syntax-directed editor.
• Access to a broad range of product functions through the classes defined for each product.
• Access to external class libraries defined using the the LSX Toolkit.

The environment in which you write, debug, and run scripts depends on your Lotus software application. To learn about your product’s programming environment, see your product documentation. See Also

Introduction to LotusScript

LOTUSSCRIPT LANGUAGE

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Advantages of LotusScript
LotusScript offers the following advantages:

• Superset of BASIC

Since LotusScript is a superset of the BASIC language, it is easy to learn, especially for Visual Basic users. You can write sophisticated scripts using conditions, branches, subroutines, while loops, and other conventions.

• Cross-platform

LotusScript is a multi-platform BASIC-like scripting language. It works with platforms such as Windows, Macintosh, OS/2, UNIX, z/OS, and OS/400. Scripts developed on Windows execute unchanged on any other supported platform. This portability is important as desktop applications become workgroup-enabled and documents are e-mailed to or shared by users.

• Object-oriented

Lotus software provides Object Classes that are available to LotusScript. You can write scripts to access and manipulate these objects. The scripts are event-driven, such as by an action, clicking the object or button, opening a document, or opening a view. LotusScript gives you the ability to create your own classes and objects, and easily subclass these classes.

• Included in Lotus software applications

LotusScript is supported by Lotus software, so these products can access product classes using a product-supplied LotusScript extension. You can use one language to write scripts in different Lotus software applications.

• OLE support

Using LotusScript, you can create Notes containers for documents created with IBM Lotus SmartSuite applications and other OLE-enabled applications, such as Microsoft Office. You can use external OLE 2.0 automation objects by scripting them, such as 1-2-3 worksheet objects. Notes registers itself as an OLE automation server. External applications can use these objects in scripts to create and reference them. LotusScript can combine all the parts and provide the means for controlling and manipulating objects.

• Interoperability with other languages

You can call formula language and @functions from LotusScript. You can also call Java and JavaScript.

• Integrated Development Environment

The LotusScript Integrated Development Environment (IDE) provides an interface to create, edit, and debug scripts, and to browse variables and properties of classes. The IDE allows you to write more complex scripts in Notes.

• LotusScript libraries

You can create function and class libraries in the language and reuse them in other applications or Lotus software applications via the USE statement language extension.

• Extendable through Lotus Software Extensions (LSXs)

LotusScript allows users to create their own classes and objects, called Lotus software extensions (LSXs). LotusScript classes support single inheritance, constructors/destructors and method overriding. This functionality allows users to take advantage of object-oriented programming, and to rapidly prototype their own custom business objects. For more information about LSXs, visit the Lotus Developer Network at http://www.lotus.com/home.nsf/welcome/developernetwork. 

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They have made a large number of improvements since 8.x and with 8.5.1.

For example built in web services support (point to WSDL and LS code is made for you).
8.5.1 also has a lot of new designer features like Code Templates, auto-completion, LSDoc popup help on your own functions, etc.

You can code in LotusScript, yet you can also code in: Java, SSJS/DOJO (XPages), Javascript, @Formula language, Web Services (SOAP/REST), C-API, Eclipse Plugins(RCP). Output in JSON as well as XML.