Last updated: 9/10/2026
You write the script in the text editor of the Data load editor or Script. Here you can make manual changes to the LOAD or SELECT statements you have generated when selecting data, and type new script.
The script, which must be written using Qlik script syntax, is color coded to make it easy to distinguish the different elements. Each script line is numbered.
There are a number of functions available in the editor to assist you in developing the load script, and they are described in this section.
Code assistance
Accessing syntax help for commands and functions
There are several ways to access syntax help for a Qlik syntax keyword.
Hovering over keywords
You can hover over script functions and keywords in the script to learn more about formatting syntax, and to access help resources.
You need to turn on Enable new code editor experience. See Working with the next-gen script editor.
Accessing the help portal
You can access detailed help in the help portal in the following ways:
-
Click
in the toolbar to enter syntax help mode.
In syntax help mode you can click on a syntax keyword (marked in blue and underlined) to access syntax help. -
Place the cursor inside or at the end of the keyword and press Ctrl+H.
-
If you have Enable new code editor experience activated, hover over a keyword and click the help link if available. See Hovering over keywords.
Using the auto-complete function
If you start to type a Qlik script keyword, you get an auto-complete list of matching keywords to select from. The list is narrowed down as you continue to type, and you can select from templates with suggested syntax and parameters. A tooltip displays the syntax of the function, including parameters and additional statements, as well as a link to the help portal description of the statement or function.
You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Space to show the keyword list, and Ctrl+Shift+Space to show a tooltip.
Code navigation
Accessing syntax help for commands and functions
There are several ways to access syntax help for a Qlik syntax keyword.
Hovering over keywords
You can hover over script functions and keywords in the script to learn more about formatting syntax, and to access help resources.
You need to turn on Enable new code editor experience. See Working with the next-gen script editor.
Accessing the help portal
You can access detailed help in the help portal in the following ways:
-
Click
in the toolbar to enter syntax help mode.
In syntax help mode you can click on a syntax keyword (marked in blue and underlined) to access syntax help. -
Place the cursor inside or at the end of the keyword and press Ctrl+H.
-
If you have Enable new code editor experience activated, hover over a keyword and click the help link if available. See Hovering over keywords.
Definition and reference links
You can use the right-click menu or keyboard shortcuts to navigate between related script elements (such as specific tables or variables).
The following options are available:
-
Go to Definition (Ctrl + F12): Go to the location where a script construct is defined.
-
Go to References (Ctrl + F12): Go to the location where a script construct is referenced. If multiple references exist, you can choose which reference to go to.
-
Peek options (Alt + F12): View definitions and references as pop-ups below the code you are currently inspecting.
You need to turn on Enable new code editor experience. See Working with the next-gen script editor.
Code folding
You can expand and collapse blocks of script code, improving flexibility and readability during editing.
You need to turn on Enable new code editor experience. See Working with the next-gen script editor.
To fold code blocks, hover in the margin next to a block that supports folding and click 
. You can unfold code by clicking 
on collapsed blocks.
The Command Palette also offers advanced options for code folding. See Command Palette.
Minimap
The minimap offers a visual representation of the current script section. It is located beside the editor, offering a view of the entire section at a glance. The minimap is interactive—you can use it to scroll through the section to find specific code.
You need to turn on Enable new code editor experience. See Working with the next-gen script editor.
Code editing
Inserting a prepared test script
You can insert a prepared test script that will load a set of inline data fields. You can use this to quickly create a data set for test purposes.
Do the following:
- Press Ctrl + 00.
The test script code is inserted into the script.
Indenting code
You can indent the code to increase readability.
Do the following:
- Select one or several lines to change indentation.
-
Click
to indent the text (increase indentation) or, click 
to outdent the text (decrease indentation).
You can also use keyboard shortcuts:
Tab (indent)
Shift+Tab (outdent)
Searching and replacing text
You can search and replace text throughout script sections.
Searching for text
Do the following:
-
Click
in the toolbar.
The search drop-down dialog is displayed.
-
In the search box, type the text you want to find.
The search results are highlighted in the current section of the script code. Also, the number of text instances found is indicated next to the section label.
- You can browse through the results by clicking
and . -
Click in the toolbar to close the search dialog.
Replacing text
Do the following:
-
Click
in the toolbar.
The search drop-down dialog is displayed.
- Type the text you want to find in the search box.
- Type the replacement text in the replace box and click Replace.
-
Click
to find next instance of search text and do one of the following:- Click Replace to replace text.
- Click to find next.
-
Click in the toolbar to close the search dialog.
Alternative methods
You can also use other methods to search and replace text.
You need to turn on Enable new code editor experience. See Working with the next-gen script editor.
The following other methods are available:
-
Change All Occurrences: Available from the right-click menu and via keyboard shortcut Ctrl + F2. This finds and replaces all matching text in the current script section.
-
Command Palette: You can perform find-and-replace actions using the embedded Command Palette. See Command Palette.
Commenting in the script
You can insert comments in the script code, or deactivate parts of the script code by using comment marks. All text on a line that follows to the right of // (two forward slashes) will be considered a comment and will not be executed when the script is run.
The toolbar contains a shortcut for commenting or uncommenting code. The function works as a toggle. That is, if the selected code is commented out it will be commented, and vice versa.
Commenting
Do the following:
- Select one or more lines of code that are not commented out, or place the cursor at the beginning of a line.
-
Click
, or press Ctrl + K.Information noteIf you have Enable new code editor experience turned on, you can also use Ctrl + /.
The selected code is now commented out.
Uncommenting
Do the following:
- Select one or more lines of code that are commented out, or place the cursor at the beginning of a commented line.
-
Click
, or press Ctrl + K.Information noteIf you have Enable new code editor experience turned on, you can also use Ctrl + /.
The selected code will now be executed with the rest of the script.
There are more ways to insert comments in the script code:
- Using the Rem statement.
- Enclosing a section of code with /* and */.
Example:
Rem This is a comment ;
/* This is a comment
that spans two lines */
// This is a comment as wellFor more information about Rem, see Rem.
Selecting all code
You can select all code in the current script section.
Do the following:
- Press Ctrl + A.
All script code in the current section is selected.
Multi-cursor selection
With multi-cursor selection, you can select code from multiple different script lines at a time.
You need to turn on Enable new code editor experience. See Working with the next-gen script editor.
Do one of the following:
-
Press Ctrl + Alt + arrow up/down to select multiple parallel lines vertically at once.
-
Press Alt + Shift and then drag your cursor in any direction to select adjacent code together.
Command Palette
The Command Palette is embedded into the script editor, making it easier to perform advanced operations on script code. The Command Palette also supports several options for enhancing the look and feel of the editor.
You need to turn on Enable new code editor experience. See Working with the next-gen script editor.
Examples of uses for the Command Palette include:
-
Find and replace
-
Advanced code folding
-
Code indentation
-
Advanced text processing
-
Customizing editor interface, such as font size, word wrapping, and more
For examples of specific workflows, see Example workflows: Command Palette.
Do one of the following:
-
In the editor, right-click and select Command Palette....
-
Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + P.
For some actions, you might have to select the text on which to perform the operation. For others, this is not needed.
After opening the Command Palette, you can search for available commands and view keyboard shortcuts for these commands.
Code refactoring
With Enable new code editor experience turned on, you can refactor recognized Qlik script constructs. For example, you can rename all instances of a table in the script.
You need to turn on Enable new code editor experience. See Working with the next-gen script editor.
Do the following:
-
Place your cursor on a script construct that you want to rename, or highlight the construct in full.
-
Right-click and select Rename Symbol, or use the keyboard shortcut F2.
The construct is renamed across the script.
Limitations
With Enable new code editor experience turned on, some interface elements, such as right-click options, Command Palette, and hover help, are not translated in Swedish and Dutch.