CommandBox : CLI, Package Manager, REPL & More
6.0.0
6.0.0
  • Introduction
  • About This Book
  • Authors
  • Overview
  • Release History
    • 6.x Versions
      • What's New in 6.0.0
    • 5.x Versions
      • What's New in 5.9.1
      • What's New in 5.9.0
      • What's New in 5.8.0
      • What's New in 5.7.0
      • What's New in 5.6.0
      • What's New in 5.5.2
      • What's New in 5.5.1
      • What's New in 5.4.2
      • What's New in 5.4.1
      • What's New in 5.4.0
      • What's New in 5.3.1
      • What's New in 5.3.0
      • What's New in 5.2.1
      • What's New in 5.2.0
      • What's New in 5.1.1
      • What's New in 5.1.0
      • What's New in 5.0.0
    • 4.x Versions
      • What's new in 4.8.0
      • What's New in 4.7.0
      • What's New in 4.6.0
      • What's New in 4.5.0
      • What's New in 4.4.0
      • What's New in 4.3.0
      • What's New in 4.2.0
      • What's New in 4.1.0
      • What's New in 4.0.0
    • 3.x Versions
      • What's New in 3.9.0
      • What's New in 3.8.0
      • What's New in 3.7.0
      • What's New in 3.6.0
      • What's New in 3.5.0
      • What's New in 3.4.0
      • What's New in 3.3.0
      • What's New in 3.2.0
      • What's New in 3.1.1
      • What's New in 3.0.1
      • What's New in 3.0.0
    • 2.x Versions
      • What's New in 2.2.0
      • What's New in 2.1.1
      • What's New in 2.1.0
      • What's New in 2.0.0
    • 1.x Versions
      • What's in 1.0.0
  • Getting Started Guide
  • Setup
    • Requirements
    • Download
    • Installation
    • Light and Thin Binaries
    • Non-Oracle JREs
    • Upgrading
    • Common Errors
  • Usage
    • Execution
      • Recipes
      • CFML Files
        • Using a DB in CFML scripts
      • OS Binaries
      • CFML Functions
      • Exit Codes
    • Commands
    • Parameters
      • Escaping Special Characters
      • File Paths
      • Globbing Patterns
      • Piping into Commands
      • Expressions
    • Command Help
    • Environment Variables
    • System Settings
    • System Setting Expansion Namespaces
    • Ad-hoc Command Aliases
    • Default Command Parameters
    • REPL
    • Tab Completion
    • Interactive Shell Features
    • forEach Command
    • watch Command
    • jq Command
    • printTable Command
    • sql Command
    • Auto Update Checks
    • Bullet Train Prompt
    • 256 Color Support
    • A Little Fun
  • IDE Integrations
    • Sublime Text
    • Visual Studio Code
  • Config Settings
    • Module Settings
    • Proxy Settings
    • Endpoint Settings
    • Server Settings
    • JSON Settings
    • Misc Settings
    • Task Runner Settings
    • Setting Sync
    • Env Var Overrides
  • Embedded Server
    • Multi-Site Support
      • Defining Sites
      • Configuring Sites
      • Servlet Pass Predicate
      • Bindings
      • Multi-Site Examples
      • Pretty Diagrams
    • Multi-Engine Support
    • ModCFML Support
    • Server Versions
    • Start HTML Server
    • Offline Server Starts
    • Debugging Server Starts
    • Server Processes
    • Manage Servers
    • FusionReactor
    • Server Logs
    • Server Scripts
    • Configuring Your Server
      • Security
        • Basic Authentication
        • Client Cert Authentication
      • Server Profiles
      • Server Rules
        • Baked in Rules
        • Allowed Static Files
        • Rule Language
        • Rewrites Map
        • Custom Predicates/Handlers
        • Rule Examples
        • Debugging Server Rules
      • Bindings
        • Open Browser URL
        • Legacy Port & Host syntax
        • Legacy SSL Server Cert syntax
        • Legacy SSL Client Cert syntax
      • Proxy IP
      • HTTPS Redirect/HSTS
      • SSL Client Certs
      • URL Rewrites
      • Aliases
      • Custom Error Pages
      • MIME Types
      • Welcome Files
      • Custom Java Version
      • Adding Custom Libs
      • GZip Compression
      • REST Servlet
      • Performance Tuning
      • Undertow Options
      • Custom Tray Menus
      • JVM Args
      • Case Sensitivity of Web Server
      • Ad-hoc Env Vars
      • Ad-Hoc Java System Properties
      • server.json Env Var overrides
      • Server Home
      • web.xml Overrides
      • Console Log Layout
      • Resource Manager
      • Adobe CF Features
      • Experimental Features
    • External Web Server
    • Starting as a Service
    • Single Server Mode
    • Server.json
      • Working with server.json
      • Packaging Your Server
      • Using Multiple server.json Files
  • Package Management
    • Installing Packages
      • Installation Path
      • Installation Options
      • Advanced Installation
      • Debug Installation
    • Private Packages
    • System Modules
    • Code Endpoints
      • ForgeBox
      • HTTP(S)
      • File
      • Folder
      • Git
      • Java
      • S3
      • CFLib
      • Jar (via HTTP)
      • Lex (via HTTP or File)
      • Gist
    • Package Scripts
    • Dependencies
    • Semantic Versioning
    • Updating Packages
    • Creating Packages
      • Editing Package Properties
      • Publishing Lucee Extensions to ForgeBox
    • Artifacts
    • Box.json
      • Basic Package Data
      • Extended Package Data
      • Package URLs
      • Installation
      • Embedded Server
      • Dependencies
      • TestBox
    • Managing Version
  • Task Runners
    • Task Anatomy
    • BaseTask Super Class
    • Task Target Dependencies
    • Passing Parameters
    • Using Parameters
    • Task Output
      • Printing tables
      • Printing Columns
      • Printing Tree
    • Lifecycle Events
    • Threading/Async
    • Task Interactivity
    • Shell Integration
    • Downloading Files
    • Running Other Commands
    • Error Handling
    • Hitting Your Database
    • Sending E-mail
    • Interactive Jobs
    • Watchers
    • Property Files
    • Running other Tasks
    • Loading Ad hoc Jars
    • Loading Ad-hoc Modules
    • Cancel Long Tasks
    • Progress Bar
    • Installing Lucee Extensions
    • Caching Task Runners
  • Helpful Commands
    • Token Replacements
    • Checksums
    • Code Quality Tools
    • ask and confirm
  • Deploying CommandBox
    • Github Actions
    • Docker
    • Heroku
    • Amazon Lightsail
  • TestBox Integration
    • Test Runner
    • Test Watcher
  • Developing For CommandBox
    • Modules
      • Installation and Locations
      • Configuration
        • Public Properties
        • Configure() Method
        • Lifecycle Methods
      • Conventions
      • User Settings
      • Linking Modules
    • Commands
      • Aliases
      • Using Parameters
        • Using File Globs
        • Dynamic Parameters
      • Command Output
      • Tab Completion & Help
      • Interactivity
      • Watchers
      • Shell integration
      • Running Other Commands
      • Error handling
      • Watchers
      • Loading Ad hoc Jars
    • Interceptors
      • Core Interception Points
        • CLI Lifecycle
        • Command Execution Lifecycle
        • Module Lifecycle
        • Server Lifecycle
        • Error Handling
        • Package Lifecycle
      • Custom Interception Points
    • Injection DSL
    • Example Project
    • FusionReactor for the CLI
  • ForgeBox Enterprise
    • Introduction
    • Storage
    • Commands
      • List
      • Register
      • Login
      • Set Default
      • Remove
    • Usage
Powered by GitBook
On this page
  • Entire Parameter
  • Inside Parameters
  • Express Yourself

Was this helpful?

Edit on GitHub
Export as PDF
  1. Usage
  2. Parameters

Expressions

Parameter values passed into a CommandBox command don't have to be static. Any part of the parameter which is enclosed in backticks (`) will be evaluated as a CommandBox expression. That means that the enclosed text will be first executed as though it were a separate command and the output will be substituted in its place.

Any valid command can be used as an expression, including calls to native OS binaries, CFML functions, or REPL one-liners. Note that any text that a command immediately flushes to the console during its execution (like a download progress bar) will not be returned by the expression, though it will display on the console.

Entire Parameter

Take for instance, this simple command that prints out the contents of a file:

cat defaultServer.txt

It can be used as a dynamic parameter like so:

server start name=`cat defaultServer.txt`

In the example above, the contents of the defaultServer.txt file will be passed in as the value of the "name" parameter to the "server start" command. If the contents of the file was the text myServer, the equivalent final command would be:

server start name=myServer

Inside Parameters

There can be more than one expression in a single parameter value. Expressions can also be combined with static text and they will all be evaluated in the order they appear:

echo "Your CommandBox version is `ver` and this app is called '`package show name`'!!"

That would output something similar to:

Your CommandBox version is 3.0.0 and this app is called 'Brad's cool app'!

If you need to use an actual backtick in a parameter value, escape it with a backslash.

echo "Nothing to \`see\` here"

Which outputs

Nothing to `see` here

Express Yourself

This unlocks a new world of scripting potential when combined with other abilities like native OS binary execution and CFML functions from the CLI. Here's some examples to get your gears turning:

Set a package property in box.json equal to the current date passed through a CFML date mask

package set createdDate="'`#now | #dateformat mm/dd/yyyy`'"
Set createdDate = 1/1/2016

Set properties based on manipulations of previous values:

package set name=brad
Set name = brad
package set name="`package show name` wood"
Set name = brad wood

Perform CFML operations on local files:

Commandbox> #hash `cat pass.txt`

Execute environment-aware install scripts based on local files. (isProduction.txt would contain the text true or false in this ex.)

install id=coldbox production=`cat /home/user/isProduction.txt`
PreviousPiping into CommandsNextCommand Help

Was this helpful?