(I'm just) thinking out loud

GlideStopWatch in ServiceNow

2024-12-19T07:56:00.000-08:00

Have you tried using GlideStopWatch in ServiceNow?

It's an incredibly handy tool for measuring execution time in your server-side scripts.

Whether you're optimizing performance or debugging, GlideStopWatch helps you pinpoint slowdowns with milliseconds precision.

ServiceNow Debugging with gs.trace

2024-12-15T22:04:00.000-08:00

Debugging in ServiceNow just got easier with gs.trace! This powerful tool helps you track every step of your server-side scripts in real time.

For example, let's say you're troubleshooting a complex Business Rule: When enabled, gs.trace generates detailed logs in the System Logs for every database operation, GlideRecord query, or function call, making it simple to identify bottlenecks or issues.

gs.trace(true);
var current = new GlideRecord("sys_user");
if (current.get("XXXXXX")){
    gs.info(current.getValue('name'));
}
gs.trace(false);

If you're not using gs.trace yet, give it a try—it's a must-have for streamlining debugging!

JavaScript variables - var, let and const

2022-12-07T23:32:00.005-08:00

Instead of using the var keyword when defining variables, use the let and const keywords. This is due to the fact that whereas var is function-scoped, let and const are block-scoped. This indicates that var variables can be accessed from anywhere within the enclosing function, but let and const variables can only be accessed within the block in which they are declared. You may avoid unexpected behaviour and make your code simpler to read and comprehend by using let and const.

Here is an example:

// Using `var` to declare a variable
var x = 10;
if (x > 5) {
  // `y` is accessible within the if block
  var y = 5;
}
// `y` is also accessible outside of the if block
console.log(y); // 5

// Using `let` to declare a variable
let x = 10;
if (x > 5) {
  // `y` is only accessible within the if block
  let y = 5;
}
// `y` is not accessible outside of the if block
console.log(y); // ReferenceError: y is not defined

As you can see, in the second example, the y variable is only accessible inside the if block and cannot be used outside of that block because let was used in place of var. This can make your code more readable and help prevent bugs.

Remove duplicates from a JavaScript Array

2022-12-07T21:37:00.007-08:00

In JavaScript, you may combine the indexOf() method and the filter() method to get rid of duplicates from an array

function removeDuplicates(arr) {
  return arr.filter((el, index) => arr.indexOf(el) === index);
}

let numbers = [1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5];
let uniqueNumbers = removeDuplicates(numbers);

console.log(uniqueNumbers); // [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

The removeDuplicates() function in this code accepts an array as an argument and produces a new array that is empty of duplicates. This is accomplished by creating a new array with the filter() method that only contains elements that are unique within the original array.

A callback function is provided as an argument to the filter() method, which is used to filter each element of the array. By comparing the current element's index to the output of executing indexOf() on the original array, the callback function determines if the current element exists only once in the array. The element is added to the new array if the two indices are equivalent, which indicates that it is not a duplicate of any other element.

Overview of Natural Language Processing (NLP)

2022-12-07T21:33:00.000-08:00

The study of the interaction between computers and human (natural) languages is known as natural language processing (NLP), and it is a subfield of computer science, artificial intelligence, and linguistics. Speech recognition systems, automatic translation tools, and virtual assistants are just a few examples of the applications that can grasp, interpret, and synthesise human language thanks to the employment of NLP technologies.

Human language is ambiguous and context-dependent, which makes it challenging for computers to effectively interpret and understand. This is one of the main issues of NLP. NLP algorithms and models use methods like statistical analysis, machine learning, and deep learning to analyse and comprehend the structure and meaning of natural language in order to get around this problem.

Language translation is one of the main uses of NLP, enabling people to communicate with one another in many languages. Text can be automatically translated from one language to another using NLP techniques, enabling nearly immediate communication across language speakers.

Speech recognition, which enables computers to translate spoken words into written text, is another significant application of NLP. Virtual assistants that can interpret spoken orders and requests, like Apple's Siri and Amazon's Alexa, utilise this technology.

Numerous other applications, such as text classification, sentiment analysis, and summarization, also make use of NLP. NLP algorithms can be used, for instance, to create summaries of larger documents or to automatically categorise materials according to topic or sentiment.

Overall, the discipline of natural language processing is quickly developing and is enabling computers to comprehend and engage with human language in increasingly complex ways. We may anticipate seeing even more applications that benefit from this potent technology as NLP technologies advance.

Basic XML Questions and Answers

2022-12-06T23:18:00.004-08:00

1. What is XML?
Answer: XML stands for Extensible Markup Language and is a markup language used to store and 
transport data.

2. What are the advantages of XML?
Answer: XML has numerous advantages, such as being platform-independent, self-descriptive, 
and extensible.

3. What is an XML element?
Answer: An XML element is a logical unit of XML that consists of a start tag, an end tag, 
and content in between.

4. What is an XML attribute?
Answer: An XML attribute is a name/value pair that is associated with an element 
and provides additional information about the element.

5. What is an XML document?
Answer: An XML document is a file that contains XML code and is used to store 
and transport data.

6. What is the difference between XML and HTML?
Answer: XML and HTML are both markup languages, but XML is used to store 
and transport data, while HTML is used to display data.

7. What is the purpose of namespaces in XML?
Answer: Namespaces are used in XML to provide a method of differentiating elements
and attributes from different XML vocabularies.

8. What is an XML Schema?
Answer: An XML Schema is a language for describing the structure of an XML document.

9. What is an XPath?
Answer: XPath is a language for navigating and selecting elements in an XML document.

10. What is an XSLT?
Answer: XSLT is a language for transforming XML documents into other formats, 
such as HTML or plain text.

Basic JSON Interview question and answers

2022-12-06T23:16:00.003-08:00

1. What is JSON?
Answer: JSON stands for JavaScript Object Notation. 
It is a lightweight data-interchange format used for exchanging and storing data.

2. What are the benefits of using JSON?
Answer: JSON is easy to read and understand, it is lightweight and can be parsed quickly, 
it is language-independent, and it is supported by many programming languages.

3. What are the main components of JSON?
Answer: The main components of JSON are objects, arrays, strings, numbers, 
booleans, and null.

4. How do you parse JSON data?
Answer: JSON data can be parsed using the JSON.parse() method in JavaScript.

5. How do you convert JSON data to a string?
Answer: JSON data can be converted to a string using the JSON.stringify() method in 
JavaScript.

6. What is the difference between JSON and XML?
Answer: JSON is simpler and more compact than XML. JSON does not require end tags and 
does not support attributes, while XML does.

7. How do you access JSON data?
Answer: JSON data can be accessed using the dot notation or bracket notation in JavaScript.

8. What is the syntax for creating a JSON object?
Answer: The syntax for creating a JSON object is { "key": "value" }.

9. What is the difference between JSON and JavaScript objects?
Answer: JSON is a text-based data format, while JavaScript objects are objects in the 
programming language.

10. How do you validate JSON data?
Answer: JSON data can be validated using various online tools such as JSONLint 
or using the JSON.parse() method in JavaScript.

Basic JavaScript Interview question and answers

2022-12-06T22:22:00.003-08:00

Q1. What is JavaScript?
A1. JavaScript is a scripting language used to create and control dynamic website content, 
such as forms, animations, and interactive elements.

Q2. What are the data types in JavaScript?
A2. The data types in JavaScript include: strings, numbers, booleans, 
objects, arrays, and functions.

Q3. How do you define a variable in JavaScript?
A3. Variables can be defined in JavaScript using the “var” keyword 
followed by the variable name.

Q4. What is the purpose of the “this” keyword in JavaScript?
A4. The “this” keyword is used to refer to the object that the current 
code is being executed in.

Q5. What is the difference between == and === in JavaScript?
A5. The “==” operator checks if two values are equal in value, while the “===” 
operator checks if two values are equal in value and type.

Q6. What is the purpose of the “undefined” keyword in JavaScript?
A6. The “undefined” keyword is used to denote a variable that has been declared, 
but not yet assigned a value.

Q7. What is the purpose of the “null” keyword in JavaScript?
A7. The “null” keyword is used to denote an empty value.

Q8. What is the purpose of a function in JavaScript?
A8. Functions are used to encapsulate code that can be reused throughout a program.

Q9. How do you define a function in JavaScript?
A9. Functions are defined using the “function” keyword followed by the function name, 
parameters, and code block.

Q10. What is the purpose of an array in JavaScript?
A10. Arrays are used to store multiple values in a single variable.

Q11. How do you create an array in JavaScript?
A11. Arrays are created using the “new Array()” constructor, or by using the square 
bracket notation.

Q12. What is the purpose of an object in JavaScript?
A12. Objects are used to store and organize data in a structured way.

Q13. How do you create an object in JavaScript?
A13. Objects are created using the “new Object()” constructor, or by using the object 
literal notation.

Q14. What is the purpose of a loop in JavaScript?
A14. Loops are used to repeat a set of instructions until a certain condition is met.

Q15. How do you create a loop in JavaScript?
A15. Loops are created using the “for”, “while”, or “do-while” statements.

Q16. What is the purpose of an if statement in JavaScript?
A16. If statements are used to execute code based on a certain condition.

Q17. How do you create an if statement in JavaScript?
A17. If statements are created using the “if” keyword followed by a condition.

Q18. What is the purpose of an event handler in JavaScript?
A18. Event handlers are used to execute code when a certain event occurs.

Q19. How do you create an event handler in JavaScript?
A19. Event handlers are created using the “on” keyword followed by the event name and 
code block.

Q20. What is the purpose of a try/catch block in JavaScript?
A20. Try/catch blocks are used to handle errors that occur in a program.

JavaScript Type Conversion Table

2022-04-04T00:31:00.000-07:00

The below table shows the conversion of various values to String, Number, and Boolean in JavaScript.

Value	String Conversion	Number Conversion	Boolean Conversion
1	"1"	1	`true`
0	"0"	0	`false`
"1"	"1"	1	`true`
"0"	`"0"`	0	`true`
"ten"	`"ten"`	`NaN`	`true`
`true`	"true"	1	`true`
`false`	"false"	0	`false`
`null`	"null"	0	`false`
`undefined`	"undefined"	`NaN`	`false`
''	""	0	`false`
' '	" "	0	`true`

JavaScript - Implict null to number conversion

2022-03-30T02:25:00.003-07:00

// null is 0 when used with number

let num;  

num = 4 + null; 
console.log(num);  // 4  

num = 4 - null; 
console.log(num);  // 4

JavaScript Implicit Boolean Conversion to Number

2022-03-28T06:13:00.002-07:00

In Boolean true is 1, false is 0

let num;

num = '4' - true;
console.log(num); // 3

num = 4 + true;
console.log(num); // 5

num = 4 + false;
console.log(num); // 4

JavaScript implict conversion to number

2022-03-28T06:08:00.002-07:00

You can implict convert a string to number using the following operators - , / , *

let num;

num = '6' - '4'; 
console.log(num); // 2

num = '4' - 2;
console.log(num); // 2

num = '4' * 2;
console.log(num); // 8

num = '4' / 2;
console.log(num); // 2

JavaScript Implict Conversion to String

2022-03-28T06:05:00.000-07:00

Implicit conversion is when JavaScript automatically converts one data type to another.


let str;

str = '1' + 2; 
console.log(str) // "12"

str = '1' + true; 
console.log(str); // "1true"

str = '1' + undefined; 
console.log(str); // "1undefined"

str = '1' + null; 
console.log(str); // "1null"

Swapping array elements in JavaScript

2022-03-09T00:47:00.003-08:00

Elements can be swapped using destructuring assignment expression


var numbers = [1,2,3];
[numbers[2], numbers[1]] = [numbers[1], numbers[2]];
console.log(numbers); // [1,3,2]

Without destructuring assignment, swapping two values requires a temporary variable

Ways to empty JavaScript array

2022-02-24T00:30:00.003-08:00

There are different ways to empty an array in Javascript.

By assigning an empty array


var numbers =[1,3,5,6];
numbers =[];

By assigning array length to 0.


var letters = ["a", "b", "c"];
letters.length = 0;

By poping the elements of the array.


var randomIntegers =[1,4,5,6];
while(randomIntegers.length > 0) {
    randomIntegers.pop();
}

By using .splice()

var cities =["Mumbai","Pune"];
cities.splice(0, cities.length)

Clone object in JavaScript

2022-02-24T00:20:00.005-08:00

Object.assign() is a method which is used for cloning an object in JavaScript. Here is an example

 
var person = { talk: "true" };
var male = Object.assign({}, person);

JavaScript variables cheatsheet

2021-12-14T02:31:00.006-08:00

Here are some different ways by which you can create variables in JavaScript

var a; // variable
var b = "init"; // string
var c = "Hi" + " " + "Joe"; // = "Hi Joe"
var d = 1 + 2 + "3"; // = "33"
var e = [2,3,5,8]; // array
var f = false; // boolean
var g = /()/; // RegEx
var h = function(){}; // function object
const PI = 3.14; // constant
var a = 1, b = 2, c = a + b; // one line
let z = 'zzz'; // block scope local variable

Delete Object property in Javascript

2020-09-20T21:45:00.007-07:00

You can remove properties from an object using the delete operator. The delete operator removed both the value and the property from the object.

Here is an example

ServiceNow Interview Questions

2020-09-17T04:31:00.003-07:00

What is sys_id?
Which protocal is used for create, update and delete incident through emails?
How do you reference a Request Item's variable pool from any table?
In a client script when should the call back option be used in 'getreference'
How are workflows captured in update sets?
How to flush out the servicenow instance chache?
What are the few 'best practice' client side technologies that can speed up form speed without affecting performance?
If you add a short description field to the task table? Does it also get added to child tables of the task table?
When Using "g_form.getReference()" what is best practice?
What would improve the performance of loading forms within ServiceNow?
Can you call a business rule with the help of a client script?
How Can You Cancel A Form Submission Through Client Script?
What happens when a user make some changes to the homepage ?
How you can remove Remember me check box from login page?
What is setWorkflow(e) function does?
What the setForceUpdate() function does?
Can you update a record without updating its system fields(like sys_updated_by, sys_updated_on)?
What happens if a Default update set is marked as complete?
Which method is used to get all the active/inactive records from a table?
In addition to "Current" and "Previous" what is a server side global object available?
What is the best practice to map roles to user?
What are things which are not captured in an update set?
Consider a SLA of 2 days with schedule of 9-5 weekdays (excluding holidays). And SLA starts at Thursday noon and when is expected expire?
How do you make a field unique?
When using a "before" business rule what should you avoid using that can impact form performance?
Which table is used for view History on incident, problem and change requests?

Types of business rules and Client script?
How can we know which version you are using?
Difference between Synchronous, asynchronous Glide ajax?
What is the use of display business rule?
How to define fields of incident table from business rules?
Tell me Business Rule predefined Parameters?
Difference between after business rule and asynchronous business rule?
Difference between catalog items and order guide?
Which one will execute first Client Script or UI policies?
Give any practical example of Workflow you have implemented in your organization?
How many ways we can trigger the notifications?
What is the Syntax to call to email notifications in business rules?
How to get current date and time in client script?
How to hide a field by using client script?
How many types of ACL's and What are the roles required to Create ACL?
Tell me about Glide record and glide secure API’s?
What is the use of the inherit checkbox in service catalog?
What are the multiple ways to keep data unique in import set other than coalesce?
What are the types of transfer map scripts, what is foreign insert?
What are the types of rest method and soap method?
What is SLA retroactive start and Where you can define SLA?
Set an SLA which should exclude 2nd & 4th Saturday & Sunday & the public holidays as well.
What is Update Set, what all activities are recorded in update set and " Are user creation & group creation recorded in Update set "?
List down the activities which are recorded in update set
What is the database view?
What will happen when we check on global check box in client script?
How can we enable the role?
Tell me onChange () client script predefined parameters?
Is it possible to move the non-staging table data into target table?
How to pass the dynamic values in Rest Web Service?
In integration how to move 100 incident records from third party to service now.
How to attach files like PDF and all in email notifications?
How to add CC or BCC in email notification
What is setWorkflow(true) and setWorkflow(false)?
What is client-side API and server-side API in Service now?
What is the record producer and how can we start the script in record producer?
What is the use of record producers and where and how to write code for the same?
Where you are using alerts?
What is the data dictionary?
What is coalesce explain with example?
What is a View and how we can create it?
What is Dictionary override?
Agile methodology you used while in service now development?
How the work or task assigned to you daily?
How the day start with?

Combine Python Lists

2020-08-07T09:07:00.004-07:00

Combine Python Lists using plus(+)


chars = ['a', 'b', 'c']

total_chars = chars + ['d', 'e']

print(total_items) # ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e']

Note: This approach not work for adding single item to the list, you can use .append(). Another approach to add one item is to create a new list with a single value and then use the plus symbol to add the list.

Pop from Python Dictionary

2020-08-07T08:33:00.001-07:00

.pop() Method in Python

We can use .pop() method to remove key-value pairs from Python dictionary. This method takes a key as an argument and removes it from the dictionary and it returns the value that it removed from the dictionary.


user = {'first_name': 'nishant', 'last_name': 'nigam', 'city': 'Indore'}

user.pop('city')

print(user) # {'first_name': 'nishant', 'last_name': 'nigam'}

Merge dictionaries in Python

2020-08-07T08:11:00.004-07:00

Merge dictionaries in Python with update()



address = {'street': 'MG Road', 'house': '123'}

contact = {'country': 'India', 'city': 'Indore', 'street': 'Ring Road'}

address.update(contact)

# Address dictionary will now have the updated data 

{'house': '123', 'country': 'India', 'city': 'Indore', 'street': 'Ring Road'}

We can use update() when we are required to merge two dictionaries in Python

address.update(contact), the key-value pairs of contact(dictionary2) will be written into the address(dictionary1).And for keys in both dictionary1 and dictionary2, the value in dictionary1 will be overwritten by the corresponding value in dictionary2

Remove falsy values from a JavaScript array using filter method

2020-05-05T01:10:00.000-07:00

Here are examples of Falsy values (Falsy values returns false on evaluation) in JavaScript:

undefined , null , NaN , 0 , "",  false

We can use the JavaScript filter method to remove such values from our array

var valueArray = ["Nishant", "IT", false, "India", 0, NaN, "JavaScript", undefined, null];

console.log(valueArray.filter(Boolean)); // returns ["Nishant", "IT", "India", "JavaScript"]

Truncate JavaScript array using length

2020-05-05T00:55:00.003-07:00

Here are few examples to truncate JavaScript array using length property

var chars = ["a", "w", "r", "t", "y", "y"];
console.log(chars); // ["a", "w", "r", "t", "y", "y"];

chars.length = 2; 
console.log(chars); // ["a", "w"];

chars.length = 0;
console.log(chars); // [];

Convert JS array to an object

2020-01-16T05:46:00.001-08:00



var languages = ["english", "hindi", "german", "spanish"];

var languagesObj = { ...languages };

console.log(languagesObj); // {0: "english", 1: "hindi", 2: "german", 3: "spanish"}