# Developing for Wolfram Engine with Workbench - File Type for Scripts?

**URL:** <https://community.wolfram.com/t/developing-for-wolfram-engine-with-workbench-file-type-for-scripts/17307>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Tags:** ui-ux-and-ide, wolfram-engine\
**Created:** [December 27, 2020, 5:11pm UTC](https://community.wolfram.com/t/developing-for-wolfram-engine-with-workbench-file-type-for-scripts/17307 "2020-12-27T17:11:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mikebesso](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/wolfram/user_avatar/community.wolfram.com/mikebesso/32/22282_2.png) [@mikebesso](https://community.wolfram.com/u/mikebesso)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2020, 5:11pm UTC](https://community.wolfram.com/t/developing-for-wolfram-engine-with-workbench-file-type-for-scripts/17307/1 "2020-12-27T17:11:12Z")

</div>

I am working on some proofs-of-concept to use the Wolfram Engine in the enterprise. I’ve created applications in Wolfram Workbench and for the most part, things work well when developing notebooks.

I’m also having some success developing unit testing framework.

However, I could not figure out how to run a file with a _wl_ extension, which I thought was the desired extension for scripts. Though, I’ve seen _wls_ as well (with Mathematica as the front end). In any event, Workbench limits me to _m_ and _wl_.

However, when I try to run a _wl_ file, I only get the option to run on server. I do not get an option to run locally as “Wolfram”.

So, I tried creating a script using the _mscrapbook_ extension (which is supported by Workbench. But, I cannot find much of anything using google on what this file type should be used for.

My end goal is to be able to use Workbench to develop hands-free scripts that can be deployed to run on a schedule using the Wolfram Engine.

Can someone point me in the right direction? Which file type should I use for scripts in the Wolfram Workbench?

Have a great and safe holiday.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jeffphenning](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/wolfram/user_avatar/community.wolfram.com/jeffphenning/32/23408_2.png) [@jeffphenning](https://community.wolfram.com/u/jeffphenning)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2021, 11:17am UTC](https://community.wolfram.com/t/developing-for-wolfram-engine-with-workbench-file-type-for-scripts/17307/2 "2021-03-06T11:17:04Z")

</div>

[@Mike Besso](https://community.wolfram.com/web/mikebesso) - I’ve been developing paclets in Workbench for the last few months so that I can create bundled documentation and test it in an IDE environment. Workbench is certainly behind the times on many new constructs. I’m guessing you just need the unit testing framework that Workbench provides. In my case, it’s documentations, but to get full paclet functionality, I eventually have to load it outside Workbench, save it to a _.paclet_ file (which Workbench has no clue about), and then re-install it for final testing outside of Workbench as a distributable paclet.

I’m guessing you probably have to do the same; develop and test as a _.m_ file. Then when you are ready, load it into Mathematica outside of the Workbench environment and Save As… a _.wl_ or _.wls_ script and test it manually.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mikebesso](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/wolfram/user_avatar/community.wolfram.com/mikebesso/32/22282_2.png) [@mikebesso](https://community.wolfram.com/u/mikebesso)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2021, 2:03pm UTC](https://community.wolfram.com/t/developing-for-wolfram-engine-with-workbench-file-type-for-scripts/17307/3 "2021-03-06T14:03:22Z")

</div>

Thanks Jeff. I will try as you suggest.
