EJS-code syntax

EJS (Express.js) is a web application framework for Node.js. In BILLmanager EJS is implemented with the /usr/local/mgr5/etc/scripts/template_ejs.js script. For correct operation, the incoming XML-file is converted to a JSON file. 

The EJS language describes document and message templates in BILLmanager. To add or edit templates, navigate to Settings → Document templates.

Comments and tags

There are two ways to add comments to templates: 

1. Use  "/* <Comment text> */". Characters /* define the beginning of the comment,  characters */ define its end. A single construction can contain multiple text strings. 
2. Use   "// <Comment text>". A comment is a text after //, the comment ends with a line break. 

In the template code, JavaScript expressions, HTML, and comments are put into special tags.

Variables

A variable declaration starts with the keyword var followed by the variable name, e.g. :

var myVariable;

The variable declaration ends with a semi-colon. The names of the variables in EJS-templates are case-sensitive: myVariable and myvariable are different variables. 

Variable data type is defined bases on the value (optional): 

var myText = 'Text variable'; //A string is put into single quotes. 
var myNumber = 10; // Numeric data type. The value is specified without quotes. 
var myBoolean = true; // Booling data type. true and false are key words, they are not put into quotes. 
var myObject = document.querySelector('h1'); // This variable is used for saving the objects. It can keep any object of the billing system. 
var myArray = [1, 'Payer', 2, 'Provider']; //Data array. It allows to keep many elements. 

Contents

In  EJS-template the information can be represented with the help of several elements: 

• formatting blocks. The are specified with the tags  <div> (...) </div>;
• tables. The are specified with the tags <table> (...) </table>;
• lists. The are specified with the tags <ul> (...) </ul>;
• links to images. The are specified with the tag <img src=(...)/>.  

Document print layout is based on the elements and their formatting parameters described in the code. 

For more information, please refer to the article Contents EJS-code. 

Logical operators

Conditions in an EJS-template enable to check if a statement is true and execute a code fragment depending on its result. 

For example, if the payer type is "Company", the system must show a  VAT number in the printing document. 

For more information about how to use logical operators in EJS-templates, please refer to the article Logical operators. 

Functions

Functions allow using a  certain piece of code multiple times without the need to write it again. You need to add a function only once and call the function in the code by its name. 

For example, in the "date' function a developer described a piece of code to change the numerical value of a month into the letter symbols. This function can be used in the invoice name and payment purpose. You will only need to specify a function name. 

For more information, please refer to the article Functions EJS-code.