> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://developer.harness.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://developer.harness.io/sast-and-sca/ocular/cpgql-reference/execution-directives.md).
# Execution Directives
Execution Directives are CPGQL Directives which execute the traversals they suffix and return the result in a specific format. The most straightforward *Execution Directive* is `toList` which, as the name suggests, executes the CPGQL Query it suffixes and returns the results in a list:
### toList
```scala
ocular> cpg.call.name.toList
res0: List[String] = List(
"exit",
"printf",
"exit",
"fprintf",
".indirectIndexAccess",
"strcmp",
".equals",
".greaterThan",
".logicalAnd"
)
```
### l
`toList` has a shorthand named `l`:
```scala
ocular> cpg.call.name.l
res0: List[String] = List(
"exit",
"printf",
"exit",
"fprintf",
".indirectIndexAccess",
"strcmp",
".equals",
".greaterThan",
".logicalAnd"
)
```
### head
Executes the traversal and returns the first result
```scala
ocular> cpg.call.name.head
res0: List[String] = List(
"exit",
)
```
### size
`size` executes the traversal and returns the size of the result set
```scala
ocular> cpg.call.size
res0: Int = 9
```
### Execution Directives and the Ocular Interpreter
*Execution Directives* sit at the border between CPQGL Queries and the Ocular Interpreter, that is at the border between querying Code Property Graphs, and using the results of those queries for further processing using the Scala programming language. For example, say you'd like to take the results of a query execution and write them to a text file:
```scala
// first import the namespace for Java I/O
ocular> import java.io._
import java.io._
// afterwards open a file stream to a new file named `my-query-result.txt`
ocular> val pw = new PrintWriter(new File("./my-query-result.txt" ))
pw: PrintWriter = java.io.PrintWriter@fe4c8fc
// execute your query and store the results in a constant
ocular> val myQueryResult = cpg.call.size
myQueryResult: Int = 9
// cast myQueryResult to a string, and write it to the file stream
ocular> pw.write(myQueryResult.toString())
// close the file streasm
ocular> pw.close()
```
You'll see your results written to a file, ready for post-analysis:
```bash
cat my-query-result.txt
9
```
Writing the results of a query to a file can also be done in a more concise way using the `|>` operator provided by the Ocular Interpreter:
```scala
ocular> cpg.call.size.toString() |> "my-query-result.txt"
```
### p
`p` executes the traversal and pretty-prints the results:
```scala
ocular> cpg.call.p
res26: List[String] = List(
"(CALL,31): ARGUMENT_INDEX: 3, CODE: exit(0), COLUMN_NUMBER: 2, DISPATCH_TYPE: STATIC_DISPATCH, LINE_NUMBER: 11, METHOD_FULL_NAME: exit, NAME: exit, ORDER: 3, SIGNATURE: TODO assignment signature, TYPE_FULL_NAME: ANY",
"(CALL,29): ARGUMENT_INDEX: 2, CODE: printf(\"What is the meaning of life?\\n\"), COLUMN_NUMBER: 2, DISPATCH_TYPE: STATIC_DISPATCH, LINE_NUMBER: 10, METHOD_FULL_NAME: printf, NAME: printf, ORDER: 2, SIGNATURE: TODO assignment signature, TYPE_FULL_NAME: ANY",
"(CALL,27): ARGUMENT_INDEX: 2, CODE: exit(42), COLUMN_NUMBER: 4, DISPATCH_TYPE: STATIC_DISPATCH, LINE_NUMBER: 8, METHOD_FULL_NAME: exit, NAME: exit, ORDER: 2, SIGNATURE: TODO assignment signature, TYPE_FULL_NAME: ANY",
"(CALL,24): ARGUMENT_INDEX: 1, CODE: fprintf(stderr, \"It depends!\\n\"), COLUMN_NUMBER: 4, DISPATCH_TYPE: STATIC_DISPATCH, LINE_NUMBER: 7, METHOD_FULL_NAME: fprintf, NAME: fprintf, ORDER: 1, SIGNATURE: TODO assignment signature, TYPE_FULL_NAME: ANY",
"(CALL,18): ARGUMENT_INDEX: 1, CODE: argv[1], COLUMN_NUMBER: 25, DISPATCH_TYPE: STATIC_DISPATCH, LINE_NUMBER: 6, METHOD_FULL_NAME: .indirectIndexAccess, NAME: .indirectIndexAccess, ORDER: 1, SIGNATURE: TODO assignment signature, TYPE_FULL_NAME: ANY",
"(CALL,17): ARGUMENT_INDEX: 1, CODE: strcmp(argv[1], \"42\"), COLUMN_NUMBER: 18, DISPATCH_TYPE: STATIC_DISPATCH, LINE_NUMBER: 6, METHOD_FULL_NAME: strcmp, NAME: strcmp, ORDER: 1, SIGNATURE: TODO assignment signature, TYPE_FULL_NAME: ANY",
"(CALL,16): ARGUMENT_INDEX: 2, CODE: strcmp(argv[1], \"42\") == 0, COLUMN_NUMBER: 18, DISPATCH_TYPE: STATIC_DISPATCH, LINE_NUMBER: 6, METHOD_FULL_NAME: .equals, NAME: .equals, ORDER: 2, SIGNATURE: TODO assignment signature, TYPE_FULL_NAME: ANY",
"(CALL,13): ARGUMENT_INDEX: 1, CODE: argc > 1, COLUMN_NUMBER: 6, DISPATCH_TYPE: STATIC_DISPATCH, LINE_NUMBER: 6, METHOD_FULL_NAME: .greaterThan, NAME: .greaterThan, ORDER: 1, SIGNATURE: TODO assignment signature, TYPE_FULL_NAME: ANY",
"(CALL,12): ARGUMENT_INDEX: 1, CODE: argc > 1 && strcmp(argv[1], \"42\") == 0, COLUMN_NUMBER: 6, DISPATCH_TYPE: STATIC_DISPATCH, LINE_NUMBER: 6, METHOD_FULL_NAME: .logicalAnd, NAME: .logicalAnd, ORDER: 1, SIGNATURE: TODO assignment signature, TYPE_FULL_NAME: ANY"
)
```
### toJson
`toJson` executes the traversal and returns the results in a JSON string:
```scala
ocular> cpg.call.name.toJson
res28: String = "[\"exit\",\"printf\",\"exit\",\"fprintf\",\".indirectIndexAccess\",\"strcmp\",\".equals\",\".greaterThan\",\".logicalAnd\"]"
```
### toJsonPretty
`toJsonPretty` executes the traversal and returns the results in a pretty-printed JSON string:
```scala
ocular> cpg.call.name.toJsonPretty
res29: String = """[
"exit",
"printf",
"exit",
"fprintf",
".indirectIndexAccess",
"strcmp",
".equals",
".greaterThan",
".logicalAnd"
]"""
```
### size
`size` executes the traversal and returns the number of results:
```scala
ocular> cpg.call.size
res0: Int = 9
```
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