Alex Rivera | Logout

Execute JavaScript from within a C# assembly

Asked 2008-09-15T22:50:40.390
21

I'd like to execute JavaScript code from within a C# assembly and have the results of the JavaScript code returned to the calling C# code.

It's easier to define things that I'm not trying to do:

  • I'm not trying to call a JavaScript function on a web page from my code behind.

  • I'm not trying to load a WebBrowser control.

  • I don't want to have the JavaScript perform an AJAX call to a server.

What I want to do is write unit tests in JavaScript and have then unit tests output JSON, even plain text would be fine. Then I want to have a generic C# class/executible that can load the file containing the JS, run the JS unit tests, scrap/load the results, and return a pass/fail with details during a post-build task.

I think it's possible using the old ActiveX ScriptControl, but it seems like there ought to be a .NET way to do this without using SilverLight, the DLR, or anything else that hasn't shipped yet. Anyone have any ideas?

update: From Brad Abrams blog

namespace Microsoft.JScript.Vsa
{
    [Obsolete("There is no replacement for this feature. " +
              "Please see the ICodeCompiler documentation for additional help. " +
              "http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=14202")]

Clarification: We have unit tests for our JavaScript functions that are written in JavaScript using the JSUnit framework. Right now during our build process, we have to manually load a web page and click a button to ensure that all of the JavaScript unit tests pass. I'd like to be able to execute the tests during the post-build process when our automated C# unit tests are run and report the success/failure alongside of out C# unit tests and use them as an indicator as to whether or not the build is broken.

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I don't know of any .NET specific way of doing this right now... Well, there's still JScript.NET, but that probably won't be compatible with whatever JS you need to execute :)

Obviously the future would be the .NET JScript implementation for the DLR which is coming... someday (hopefully).

So that probably leaves running the old ActiveX JScript engine, which is certainly possible to do so from .NET (I've done it in the past, though it's a bit on the ugly side!).

answered 2008-09-15T22:56:57.990

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