---
title: "runScript"
description: "Runs a single line of Python code as an expression."
---

# runScript

> Runs a single line of Python code as an expression.

**This function is used by Ignition's Expression language.** 

## Description
Runs a single line of Python code as an expression. If a poll rate is specified, the function will be run repeatedly at the poll rate. This is a very powerful way for you to add extensions to the expression language. For example, one could write a project script module function called shared.weather.getTempAt(zip) that queried a web service for the current temperature at a given zipcode, and then bind the value of a label to the return value of that function.

The **scriptFunction** is a entered as a **string** and the **pollRate** is in **milliseconds**. You can optionally add any function arguments after the poll rate.

:::info runScript Polling in Tags
The runScript function can be used in expression tags, but the poll rate doesn't work exactly the same as in an expression binding. All Tags have a Scan Class that dictates the minimum amount of time between each evaluation. The runScript poll rate only polls **up to** the rate of the scan class set on the tag.

For example, if an Expression Tag is configured with runScript to run at a poll rate of 60 seconds and is using the "default" (1 second) scan class, the Tag's Expression will still execute every 1 second. So a scan class rate of 60 seconds will be necessary for a runScript expression to poll at any rate between 0 and 60 seconds.
:::

## Syntax
` runScript(scriptFunction[, pollRate][, args...])`

- Parameters

    - string **scriptFunction** - A single line of python code. Typically the path to a script module.

    - int **pollRate** - Optional. The poll rate of the script.

    - object **args** - Optional. Any number of argument objects that will be passed into the given script.

- Results
    - object - The return value of the specified function.

## Examples
Here is our scripting function we are going to run that is located in a shared script called textScript.

```python title="Code Snippet" - Python Function
def myFunc(text="Hello World!"):
    return text
```

```python title="Code Snippet"
// run a shared function with this expression
runScript("shared.textScript.myFunc()", 0) //This would run the script and return "Hello World!".
```

```python title="Code Snippet"
// run a shared function dynamically with this expression
// using string concatenation. A poll rate is unnecessary, as it will refresh when the tag value changes.
runScript("shared.textScript.myFunc('" +{_gensim_/Writeable/WriteableString1} + "')", 0) // This would run the function and pass in the value of the WriteableString1 tag.
```

```python title="Code Snippet"
// run a shared function dynamically with this expression
// using optional arguments. A poll rate is unnecessary, as it will refresh when the tag value changes.
// Note the missing "()" at the end of the scriptFunction string
runScript("shared.textScript.myFunc", 0, {_gensim_/Writeable/WriteableString1})
```