I'm trying to run less.js in a C# application. I tried running the default distro using JavaScript but I'm getting window is undefined error. I think that is caused due to this not being run in a browser but on a JS engine. Is there any workaround / any pointers to resources that can help?

I'm trying to run less.js in a C# application. I tried running the default distro using JavaScript but I'm getting window is undefined error. I think that is caused due to this not being run in a browser but on a JS engine. Is there any workaround / any pointers to resources that can help?

• javascript
• c#
• v8
• javascript

• IIRC, less.js is the module that allows you to use somewhat different syntax in your stylesheets. If you don't have a page to style...? – Robert Harvey Commented Jul 14, 2010 at 16:04
• I'm trying to convert a less file to css programatically. Should have mentioned that above. – Dogbert Commented Jul 14, 2010 at 16:07
• Accept, or ment if the answers is unsatisfactorily – Lasse Espeholt Commented Jul 22, 2010 at 8:25
• It looks like less.js (looking at the source) should allow you to pass in an undefined window reference, can you tell us what line the window is undefined is happening on? – Bob Fincheimer Commented Jul 22, 2010 at 12:59

3 Answers 3

You should probably run .Less instead. If I understand correctly, you are trying to run less.js on the server through a Javascript interpreter. Why not just skip the interpreter and run LESS conversion using all .NET code? Way less pain and overhead.

Less.js indicates that it's intended to be run under Node.js. Because it sounds like you're writing a .NET app, why not see if Node will help you?

This is more a guess: according to the documentation (I have never worked with Javascript) the following is valid:

// Initialize the context
JavascriptContext context = new JavascriptContext();

// Setting the externals parameters of the context
context.SetParameter("console", new SystemConsole());
context.SetParameter("message", "Hello World !");
context.SetParameter("number", 1);

// Running the script
context.Run("var i; for (i = 0; i < 5; i++) console.Print(message + ' (' + i + ')'); number += i;");

// Getting a parameter
Console.WriteLine("number: " + context.GetParameter("number"));

Maybe you should set the window as a parameter to the context ala this:

context.SetParameter("window", new YourWindow());

And insure the window your providing have the same attributes/methods/etc. as the standard browser window.

Addition You could try and implement a simple window which just writes to the console whenever some function is called on it. Unless of cause, Javascript.Net gives you a window wrapper (does not seem like it though)