LotusScript

LotusScript is an embedded object-oriented Basic-like language.

It was used by Lotus Development Corporation (later IBM) as the default scripting language for their software products. The language has in particular a large number of objects available for use with Lotus Notes, Lotus Word Pro and Lotus 1-2-3, but it is also used on other Lotus SmartSuite products and software that commonly interfaces with Lotus Notes such as Domino Server and Domino Designer.

The core language itself has great similarities to Visual Basic and VisualAge for Basic and may even be considered a variation of those, but the object model and the available objects have been adapted to fit the application domain rather than general programming tasks.

Releases

• Release 1 in Improv
• Release 2 in Lotus Forms and Notes ViP
• 3.0 - Freelance Graphics
• 3.1 - 1-2-3, Approach, Word Pro

Development Environment

Editor support

• jEdit - Java based editor - LotusScript syntax highlighting available as a separate download

Publications

• Rob Beyer, Roland Houle, Robert Perron: 60 Minute Guide to LotusScript 3 Programming for Notes 4 - IDG 1996, ISBN 1-56884-779-3
• James G. Meade: LotusScript for Dummies - IDG Books 1997, ISBN 1-56884-638-X
• William Thompson: LotusScript: Accelerated Lotus Study Guide - McGraw-Hill 1999, ISBN 0-07-134561-2
• Joe McGinn: Inside LotusScript - Manning 1998, ISBN 1-884777-48-1
• Anthony Patton: Practical LotusScript - Manning 1999, ISBN 1-884777-76-7
• Normunds Kalnberzins: LotusScript to Lotus C API Programming Guide - 2003, ISBN 9984-19-492-2
• LotusScript for Visual Basic Programmers - IBM Redbook SG24-4856
• LotusScript Language Guide Version 7 - Note this is for a newer version of LotusScript than is supplied with most OS/2 products, but is still a useful reference.
• Julian Robichaux: The unfinished LotusScript Book - As it is unfinished it is not really usable as a tutorial but useful as a huge source of tips.
• Paul Ray: A Developer’s Guide to Programming the Notes C API from LotusScript - THE VIEW Jul/Aug 2001

Links

• Gary Devendorf: LotusScript: Not Just Another Macro Language - Lotus Notes Advisor (Jul/Aug 1996)

Tips and code snippets

• A collection of LotusScript Tips - Again primarily intended for Notes but portions should usable for Smartsuite development.
• Calling the Notes C API from LotusScript - Presentation from 2006 by Bill Buchan
• Tips for Top-Quality LotusScript - By Charles Connell

Code

• A large collection of scripts - From John Brown's Lotus Approach FAQ
• LotusScript Gold Collection - An open source collection of code, primarily intended for Notes but portions usable for Smartsuite development.
• LotusScript.doc - From Archive.org - Note that while most of the pages are missing from the archive the code download still works. - A tool to create HTML documentation similar to what Javadoc does for Java.