Use the ExecuteTemplate property to returns the result of executing a template file. Use the Template property to execute a template without returning any result. Use the ExecuteTemplate property to execute code by passing instructions as a string ( template string ).

For instance,  the following sample adds a few items, displays the context menu and returns the selected identifier :

Set n = New EXCONTEXTMENULib.ExContextMenu
Debug.Print (n.ExecuteTemplate("Items.ToString = `Item A[id=1001],Item B,Item C,Item D`;Select()"))

The Template or x-script is composed by lines of instructions. Instructions are separated by "\n\r" ( newline characters ) or ";" character. The ; character may be available only for newer versions of the components.

The Template/x-script syntax in BNF notation is defined like follows:

<x-script> := <lines>
<lines> := <line>[<eol> <lines>] | <block>
<block> := <call> [<eol>] { [<eol>] <lines> [<eol>] } [<eol>]
<eol> := ";" | "\r\n"
<line> := <dim> | <createobject> | <call> | <set> | <comment>
<dim> := "DIM" <variables>
<variables> := <variable> [, <variables>]
<variable> := "ME" | <identifier>
<createobject> := "CREATEOBJECT(`"<type>"`)"
<call> := <variable> | <property> | <variable>"."<property> | <createobject>"."<property>
<property> := [<property>"."]<identifier>["("<parameters>")"]
<set> := <call> "=" <value>
<property> := <identifier> | <identifier>"("[<parameters>]")"
<parameters> := <value> [","<parameters>]
<value> := <boolean> | <number> | <color> | <date> | <string> | <createobject> | <call>
<boolean> := "TRUE" | "FALSE"
<number> := "0X"<hexa> | ["-"]<integer>["."<integer>]
<digit10> := 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
<digit16> := <digit10> | A | B | C | D | E | F
<integer> := <digit10>[<integer>]
<hexa> := <digit16>[<hexa>]
<color> := "RGB("<integer>","<integer>","<integer>")"
<date> := "#"<integer>"/"<integer>"/"<integer>" "[<integer>":"<integer>":"<integer>"]"#"
<string> := '"'<text>'"' | "`"<text>"`"
<comment> := "'"<text>

where:

<identifier> indicates an identifier of the variable, property or method, and should start with a letter.
<type> indicates the type the CreateObject function creates, as a progID
<text> any string of characters

An x-script instruction/line can be one of the following:

• Dim list of variables Declares the variables. Multiple variables are separated by commas. ( Sample: Dim h, h1, h2 )
• variable = property( list of arguments ) Assigns the result of the property to a variable. The "variable" is the name of a declared variable. The "property" is the property name of the object in the context. The "list or arguments" may include variables or values separated by commas.  ( Sample: h = InsertItem(0,"New Child") )
• property( list of arguments ) = value Changes the property. The value can be a variable, a string, a number, a boolean value or a RGB value.
• method( list of arguments ) Invokes the method. The "list or arguments" may include variables or values separated by commas.
• { Beginning the object's context. The properties or methods called between { and } are related to the last object returned by the property prior to { declaration.
• } Ending the object's context
• object. property( list of arguments ).property( list of arguments ).... The .(dot) character splits the object from its property. For instance, the Columns.Add("Column1").HeaderBackColor = RGB(255,0,0), adds a new column and changes the column's header back color.

The x-script may uses constant expressions as follow:

• boolean expression with possible values as True or False
• numeric expression may starts with 0x which indicates a hexa decimal representation, else it should starts with digit, or +/- followed by a digit, and . is the decimal separator. Sample: 13 indicates the integer 13, or 12.45 indicates the double expression 12,45  
• date expression is delimited by # character in the format #mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss#. Sample: #31/12/1971# indicates the December 31, 1971
• string expression is delimited by " or ` characters. If using the ` character, please make sure that it is different than ' which allows adding comments inline. Sample: "text" indicates the string text.

Also , the template or x-script code may support general functions as follows:

• Me property indicates the original object.
• RGB(R,G,B) property retrieves an RGB value, where the R, G, B are byte values that indicates the R G B values for the color being specified. For instance, the following code changes the control's background color to red: BackColor = RGB(255,0,0)
• LoadPicture(file) property loads a picture from a file or from BASE64 encoded strings, and returns a Picture object required by the picture properties.
• CreateObject(progID) property creates and retrieves a single uninitialized object of the class associated with a specified program identifier.