How can I allow users to script an ASP.NET web application?

Question

The web application my organization has written to perform customer care functions doesn't have this ability. I know there are Firefox plugins to automate the browser, but what I'd like to do is provide a framework and facility to manage and execute scripts through our web application.

The user would write scripts that checked on commissions for their sales, perhaps alerted them to orders that were pending after a certain length of time, or automated common comments that policy requires them to attach to each order. I used to do this sort of thing in Reflection, accessing a CCA application on a mainframe when I was a CSR.

Where should I start? How do I keep it secure? Can I provide script-authoring functionality right in the browser? What parts of the object model do I expose, or do I craft a script-accessible layer just for this? What language(s) should/can I support?

EDIT: "Don't do that!" is not a helpful answer.

I don't quite understand your requirements. Correct me if I'm wrong. You want to create a web application which allows users to create/edit scripts which can be executed to perform some business tasks? Are your users programmers or just anybody? — o.k.w
– o.k.w, Commented Sep 17, 2009 at 15:14
My users are just anybody. Think Office automation. I had a lead-in paragraph with more requirements, let me add it back in... — Chris McCall
– Chris McCall, Commented Sep 17, 2009 at 15:23
Correction: not just anybody, also programmers that want a shortcut to adding a new feature that doesn't require a presentation component, to just script it and give the user the script. — Chris McCall
– Chris McCall, Commented Sep 17, 2009 at 15:26
I see, so can I say that one of your main concerns is that the 'power' given to the users at script level might cause security breaches or illegal system operations etc? — o.k.w
– o.k.w, Commented Sep 17, 2009 at 15:30

ultravelocity · Accepted Answer · 2009-09-23 16:48:06Z

4

Take a look at Jint:

Jint is a script engine based on the Javascript language. Using Jint, developers can provide fully scriptable applications, execute .NET code without compiling, or create external configuration logic, using the most used script language.

answered Sep 23, 2009 at 16:48

ultravelocity

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Noon Silk · Accepted Answer · 2009-09-17 15:34:21Z

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Firstly, let me tell you, from experience with similar requests, this will not be used the way you want; inevitably you will end up writing these functions for them, or correcting mistakes that they make.

These people are not programmers - you are a programmer. You are the scripting interface. They can request programs by asking you, and you will implement them (correctly).

Do not provide a scripting language interface. Do not go and write a custom DSL using boo or a similar 'cool' language.

Take a reasonable approach; take a sensible approach, and write these things for them.

answered Sep 17, 2009 at 15:34

Noon Silk

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2 Comments

o.k.w Over a year ago

My thoughts are quite aligned with silky. This sounds challenging as a colleage project, but realistically speaking, it can come back and bite you before you knew it.

Chris McCall Over a year ago

I don't see a significant difference between this functionality and user-generated reporting. Many shrinkwrapped applications support scripting. Lots of web applications expose an API.

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