Context information

The PowerBuilder context feature allows applications to access certain host (non-PowerBuilder) services. This is a PowerBuilder implementation of functionality similar to the COM QueryInterface. PowerBuilder provides access to the following host services:

PowerBuilder creates service objects appropriate for the current execution context (native PowerBuilder, PowerBuilder window plug-in, PowerBuilder window ActiveX, transaction server). This allows your application to take full advantage of the execution environment. For example, in a PowerBuilder window plug-in, your application can access parameters specified in the Embed element. Additionally, when running the PowerBuilder window ActiveX under Internet Explorer, your application can access the ActiveX automation server, which allows your program to access and control the Internet browser.

The context feature uses seven PowerBuilder service objects: ContextInformation, ContextKeyword, CORBACurrent, ErrorLogging, Inet, SSLServiceProvider, and TransactionServer; it also uses the InternetResult object. (The context feature is sometimes called the Context object, but it is not a PowerBuilder system object.)

For more information about these objects, see Objects and Controls or the PowerBuilder Browser.

Enabling a service

Before you use a service, you instantiate it by calling the GetContextService function. When you call this function, PowerBuilder returns a reference to the instantiated service. Use this reference in dot notation when calling the service’s functions.

To enable a service:

Establish an instance variable of the appropriate type:

ContextInformation icxinfo_base

ContextKeyword     icxk_base

CORBACurrent       corbcurr_base

ErrorLogging       erl_base

Inet               iinet_base

SSLServiceProvider sslsp_base

TransactionServer  ts_base

Instantiate the instance variable by calling the GetContextService function:

this.GetContextService("ContextInformation",  &
   icxinfo_base)

this.GetContextService("ContextKeyword", icxk_base)

this.GetContextService("CORBACurrent", &

   corbcurr_base)

this.GetContextService("ErrorLogging", erl_base)

this.GetContextService("Internet", iinet_base)

this.GetContextService("SSLServiceProvider", &

   sslsp_base)

this.GetContextService("TransactionServer",ts_base)

Using a CREATE statement

You can instantiate a service object with a PowerScript CREATE statement. However, this always creates an object for the default context (native PowerBuilder execution environment), regardless of where the application is running.