Automating Workflows with AdvantageBuilder: UI Helpers, Database Access, ObjectStore, HTML Forms, and Macro Orchestration

#javascript #automation #productivity #discuss

Most scripting tools give you one language and a sandbox. AdvantageBuilder gives you three scripting engines, a shared object store, WinForms UI helpers, database execution, HTML form hosting, and macro orchestration — all wrapped in a macro system designed for real Windows automation.

AdvantageBuilder — The Universal Automation Platform

This article walks through a mix of actual AdvantageBuilder features, using only the wrapper functions defined in your setup scripts and helper modules.

Everything shown here is real AdvantageBuilder code.

1. Building WinForms UI with WinFormsHelper (PowerShell)

AdvantageBuilder includes a full WinForms helper module that lets you build Windows Forms without touching .NET boilerplate.

Here is what real AdvantageBuilder UI code looks like:

using module "[PSModuleLibrary]\WinFormsHelper.psm1"

$winformsHelper = [WinFormsHelper]::new()

$mainForm = $winformsHelper.CreateForm('Form Title')

$txtTextBoxName = $winformsHelper.AddTextBox($mainForm, "TextBox Label", "Joe")

$lstListBoxName = $winformsHelper.AddListBox($mainForm, "ListBox Label", @('Option 1','Option 2', 'Option 3'), "Option 2")
$lstListBoxName.SelectionMode = "MultiExtended"

$cboComboBoxName = $winformsHelper.AddComboBox($mainForm, "ComboBox Label", @('Option 1','Option 2', 'Option 3'), "Option 2")

$chkCheckBoxName = $winformsHelper.AddCheckBox($mainForm, "CheckBox Label", $false)

$txtMultiLineTextBoxName = $winformsHelper.AddTextBox($mainForm, "Paragraph")
$winformsHelper.SetToMultilineTextBox($txtMultiLineTextBoxName, 60, 120)

$rbRadioButtonName1 = $winformsHelper.AddRadioButton($mainForm, "RadioButton1 Label", $false)
$rbRadioButtonName2 = $winformsHelper.AddRadioButton($mainForm, "RadioButton2 Label", $false)
$rbRadioButtonName3 = $winformsHelper.AddRadioButton($mainForm, "RadioButton3 Label", $true)

$winformsHelper.FinaliseDialogForm($mainForm)

if($mainForm.ShowDialog() -eq [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::OK)
{

}

$winformsHelper.CleanUpForm($mainForm)

2. Executing Database Commands (JavaScript)

Your setup scripts expose database wrappers such as:

ExecuteDataset
ExecuteNonQuery
ExecuteDatasetXML
ExecuteBatchTran

Example:

var ds = ExecuteDataset("SELECT TOP 5 * FROM Customers");
writeln("Rows returned: " + ds.Tables[0].Rows.Count);

Updating data:

ExecuteNonQuery("UPDATE Customers SET Active = 1 WHERE CustomerID = 123");
alert("Customer activated.");

3. Sharing Data Between Engines (ObjectStore)

AdvantageBuilder’s ObjectStore lets JavaScript, PowerShell, and JScript.NET share values.

PowerShell:

$someVar = getFromObjectStore "hello"
"PowerShellScript: $someVar"

JavaScriptV8:

let jsTest = getFromObjectStore("hello");
writeln("JSV8: " + jsTest);

JScript.NET:

var jsTest = getFromObjectStore("hello");
writeln("JScript: " + jsTest);

These wrappers (addToObjectStore, getFromObjectStore) are part of your macro environment.

4. Hosting HTML Forms Inside Macros

Your setup scripts expose:

showHTMLForm
launchHTMLForm
loadHTMLDocument
Edge variants

Example:

var doc = showHTMLForm("Forms/CustomerForm.html");
alert("Form loaded: " + doc.title);

var doc2 = showHTMLForm("Forms/CustomerForm.html", { mode: "edit" });

This is unique to AdvantageBuilder — you’re hosting HTML UI inside a macro engine.

5. Macro Orchestration with callMacro

AdvantageBuilder’s macro orchestration is built around two functions:

callMacro(showResults, macroName, macroPath, parametersObject)
callMacroAsync(showResults, macroName, macroPath, parametersObject)

Where:

All macros ALWAYS return a value
showResults = true → macro prints its own output
showResults = false → macro does not print output
Return value is ALWAYS available, regardless of showResults

Example 1 — Macro prints its own output, but still returns a value

// Example 1: About to call the 'Get a shopping list' macro.

var result1 = callMacro(true, "Get a shopping list", "Hello World\\Helper Macros");


// After calling the 'Get a shopping list' macro.
writeln("Returned value:");
writeln(result1);

Example 2 — Macro does NOT print output, but returns the value

// Example 2: About to call the 'Get a shopping list' macro for the second time.


var result2 = callMacro(false, "Get a shopping list", "Hello World\\Helper Macros");

// After calling the 'Get a shopping list' macro for the second time.
writeln("Returned value:");
writeln(result2);

Example 3 — Passing parameters to macros

var param = new Object();
param.x = 4;
param.y = 5;
param.sum = null;

// Example 3: About to call the 'Calculate Sum' macro with parameters

var result3 = callMacro(false, "Calculate Sum", "Hello World\\Helper Macros", param);

// After calling the 'Calculate Sum' macro with parameters

write(param.x + " + " + param.y + " = " + param.sum);

writeln("Returned value:");
writeln(result3);