Adding a C# REPL Script to Windows Live Writer

Let’s give Windows Live Writer 'Copy and Paste of images' feature a test-drive by documenting how to inject a C# REPL script into it

Using the latest (4.5.2) version of the O2 Platform 

click on the Find an O2 Script  search for Inject O2

and invoke/execute the Util - Inject O2 into other processes.h2 script which looks like this when opened:

 .

Select the WindowsLiveWriter    process

This will open the  C# REPL script editor in the selected process, which at the moment is the Live Writer instance that I’m writing this blog post on :) )



Since the C# script is running in the same process (and CLR) than LiveWriter, we can use

return Application.OpenForms;

to get a reference to the currently opened Forms (the first is LiveWriter, the 2nd is the O2 C# REPL Editor )

 

We can use

var form = (Form)Application.OpenForms.first();

return form;

to get strongly typed reference to LiveWriter Form object



which we can use to (for example) change the Form’s title using the PropertyGrid (note the extra AAAAA on the title):



The title can also be changed programmatically using:

var form = (Form)Application.OpenForms.first();

form.set_Text("We can set the Form title from here too");

return form;

Which when executed will also change the Live Writer title



We can find the full name of the Form type:

var form = (Form)Application.OpenForms.first();

return form.GetType().FullName;

And its Assembly

var form = (Form)Application.OpenForms.first();

return form.GetType().Assembly.ToString();

With this info we can better cast of the OpenForm object:

var form = (PostEditorForm)Application.OpenForms.first();

return form;

//using WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor.dll 

But before we add a couple more dependencies needed to compile the script:



Which when added:

var postEditorForm = (PostEditorForm)Application.OpenForms.first();

return postEditorForm;

//using WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.ApplicationFramework.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.CoreServices.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.Controls.dll

will compile OK and give us an instance of the PostEditorForm class:



Another example of what we can do is to access the MainMenu (note that we have access to the entire GUI and its objects)

var postEditorForm = (PostEditorForm)Application.OpenForms.first();

return postEditorForm.mainMenu().items();

//using WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.ApplicationFramework.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.CoreServices.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.Controls.dll

Note how (in the screenshot below) the Help menu was hidden (by setting the Visible property to false)



We can add a new top-level menu

var postEditorForm = (PostEditorForm)Application.OpenForms.first();

postEditorForm.mainMenu()

    .add_Menu("O2")

        .add_MenuItem("Say hello", ()=> "Hello".alert())

        .add_MenuItem("REPL this form", ()=> postEditorForm.script_Me());

return "done";

//using WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.ApplicationFramework.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.CoreServices.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.Controls.dll

which can be used



say Hello



or open a C# REPL



with the instance of the PostEditorForm class:



Note that this REPL will also need the extra compile references:

return postEditorForm;

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.ApplicationFramework.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.CoreServices.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.Controls.dll

Here is the code snippet to access all controls that current exist in this form:

return postEditorForm.controls(true);

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.ApplicationFramework.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.CoreServices.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.Controls.dll

And batch change the background of all those controls to pink:



A final example is to add an C# REPL script to the actual GUI (at the bottom) which can be done using:

postEditorForm.insert_Script();

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.PostEditor.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.ApplicationFramework.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.CoreServices.dll

//O2Ref:WindowsLive.Writer.Controls.dll

Giving us a faster way to write the C# scripts: