If you are on windows you may have access problems while writing into the root of system drive.

 I suggest you:

  • Provide filename pointing to your desktop directory (C:\Users\eduard\Desktop\1.xls for me, for example)
  • Instead of w ##class... save the status and decode it into a more readable form:
set sc = ##class(Utils.XLS).generateFileFromSQL(...)
write $System.Status.GetErrorText(sc)

Yes. You can use cursors for that. In the following example rowlist contains list of affected ids. You can get it all at the end or get individual ids right before or after the update, or even decide on the update based on id/val values:

Class User.NewClass1 Extends %Persistent
{

Property val;

/// do ##class(User.NewClass1).Test()
ClassMethod Test()
{
   do ..%KillExtent()
   
   &sql(INSERT INTO NewClass1 SET val = 0)
   &sql(INSERT INTO NewClass1 SET val = 3)
   
   set rowlist = ""
   &sql(DECLARE NewClass1 CURSOR FOR
        SELECT %ID,val
        INTO :id, :val
        FROM NewClass1)
   
   &sql(OPEN NewClass1)
   for {
       &sql(FETCH NewClass1)
       quit:SQLCODE'=0
       set val2 = val*2
       write "Processing id: ", id,!
       set rowlist = rowlist _ $lb(id)
       &sql(UPDATE NewClass1 SET val = :val2 WHERE CURRENT OF NewClass1)
   }
   &sql(CLOSE NewClass1)
   
   zw rowlist
}
}

It would output in a terminal:

>do ##class(User.NewClass1).Test()
Processing id: 1
Processing id: 2
rowlist=$lb("1","2")

Documentation:

Here's an example:

Class User.NewClass1 Extends %Persistent
{

Property streams As list Of %Stream.GlobalCharacter;

ClassMethod Test()
{
    do ..%KillExtent()
    
    set obj = ..%New()
    set stream1 = ##class(%Stream.GlobalCharacter).%New()
    do stream1.WriteLine("Hi")
    set stream2 = ##class(%Stream.GlobalCharacter).%New()
    do stream2.WriteLine(123)
    
    do obj.streams.Insert(stream1)
    do obj.streams.Insert(stream2)
    write $System.Status.GetErrorText(obj.%Save())
    
    kill
    
    set obj = ..%OpenId(1)
    for i=1:1:obj.streams.Count() {
        write "Stream #", i, ": ", obj.streams.GetAt(i).Read($$$MaxCacheInt)
    }
}
}

Great article, however, I strongly disagree on the testing tools choice. Curl is not really the option, as CLI tools are really not the best for json editing. Upon the rest of your testing suggestions, I think there are better alternatives, such as:

  • REST clients: “Advanced REST Client” for Chrome and “REST Client” for Firefox, some are also available as a standalone applications
  • Debugging web proxies: Charles, Filddler etc. for the rare cases where REST clients do not offer enough information