Using the Orchestrator API

The Orchestrator API exposes as JavaScript objects and methods all of the objects and functions of the technologies that Orchestrator accesses through its plug-ins.

For example, you can access JavaScript implementations of the vCenter Server API through the Orchestrator API, to include vCenter operations in scripted elements that you create. You can also access JavaScript implementations of objects from all of the other plug-ins you install in the Orchestrator server. If you create a custom plug-in to a third-party application, you map the objects from its API to JavaScript objects that the Orchestrator API then exposes.

Procedure

1	Access the Scripting Engine from the Workflow Editor The Orchestrator scripting engine uses the Mozilla Rhino 1.6 JavaScript engine to help you write scripts for scripted elements in workflows. You access the scripting engine for scripted workflow elements from the Scripting tab in the workflow editor.
2	Access the Scripting Engine from the Action or Policy Editor The Orchestrator scripting engine uses the Mozilla Rhino JavaScript engine to help you write scripts for actions or policies. You access the scripting engine for actions and policies from the Scripting tabs in the action and policy editors.
3	Access the Orchestrator API Explorer Orchestrator provides an API Explorer that you can use to search the Orchestrator API and see the documentation for JavaScript objects that you can use in scripted elements.
4	Use the Orchestrator API Explorer to Find Objects The Orchestrator API exposes the API of all plugged-in technologies, including the entire vCenter Server API. The Orchestrator API Explorer helps you find the objects you need to add to scripts.
5	Writing Scripts The Orchestrator scripting engine helps you to write scripts. Automatic insertion of functions and automatic completion of lines of scripting accelerates the scripting process and minimizes the potential for writing errors in scripts.
6	Add Parameters to Scripts The Orchestrator scripting engine helps you to import available parameters into scripts.
7	Accessing the Orchestrator Server File System from JavaScript and Workflows Orchestrator limits access to the Orchestrator server file system from JavaScript and Workflows to specific directories.
8	Accessing Java Classes from JavaScript By default, Orchestrator restricts JavaScript access to a limited set of Java classes. If you require JavaScript access to a wider range of Java classes, you must set an Orchestrator system property to allow this access.
9	Accessing Operating System Commands from JavaScript The Orchestrator API provides a scripting class, Command, that runs commands in the Orchestrator server host operating system. To prevent unauthorized access to the Orchestrator server host, by default, Orchestrator applications do not have permission to run the Command class.