VB Script

VBScript Primer & Examples

History

• 3-10-2003: version 1.0.
• 3-11-2004: began "examples" section.
• 10-3-2007: converted to wiki.

Intro

This quick guide is meant to provide a "starting point" for writing useful scripts. My original references appear to have disappeared in the last few years, so I encourage you to search online for other references beyond the scope of this one.

Basics

Example code will be in typeset.

• If you know any BASIC or Visual BASIC, you're in the right territory. The scripting system is more or less a runtime version of BASIC without the full functionality of those languages, but far more useful than batch files & a good way to start programming (the ONLY advantages to regular BASIC are graphics support & the ability to build EXEs).
• VBScript files are written using .VBS files editable in any text editor. The files are executed using cscript.exe for Command-line output, and wscript.exe for Windows/GUI applications. Support is built into most versions of Windows beyond Windows 95: the latest functions are built-into Windows 2000 & XP; Internet Explorer 5 & up provides updated support for non-2000/XP systems.
• Variables are declared using Dim statements. There is some variable typing supported, but I have not used it much yet & it is beyond the scope of this document. If it's string, integer, or window object: a simple "Dim" will work.

    Dim strExample,intExample
    strExample = "This is a string!"
    intExample = 1000

• Looping: If-Then-Else; Select-Case; Do-While; Do-Until; and While-Wend are all supported.

    Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
    If (MsgBox("Do you want display the system folders?",_
    vbYesNo + vbQuestion, "Question") = vbYes) Then
    WshShell.Run"C:\Windows"
    WshShell.Run"C:\Windows\System32"
    End If

• GUI input & output are largely handled by "InputBox" & "MsgBox."

    Dim string
    string=InputBox("I hate ","Woohoo")
    If string <> "" Then MsgBox "I hate " + string,0,"Eeek"

• External commands can be built up into an string executed by the "WshShell.Run" method provided by "WScript.Shell".

    Dim strRunMe
    strRunMe = "notepad"
    Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
    WshShell.Run"C:\Windows\"+strRunMe+".exe"

• Files & folders can be copied, created, or destroyed with the "Scripting.FileSystemObject".

    On Error Resume Next
    Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    fso.createfolder "C:\Test"
    fso.copyfile "C:\*.txt","C:\Test"
    fso.deletefile "C:\Test\*.txt"
    fso.deletefolder "C:\Test"

• Simple error checking is possible with the "Err" object & "On Error" events: "On Error Resume Next" will run the program "over" errors & "On Error Goto 0" will ignore errors completely.

    On Error Resume Next
    Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    fso.deletefolder "C:\Test"
    If Err.Number <> 0 Then MsgBox "Folder does not exist",0,"Error"
    Err.Clear 'clear error object
    fso.createfolder "C:\Test"
    fso.copyfile "C:\*.txt","C:\Test"
    fso.deletefile "C:\Test\*.txt"
    fso.deletefolder "C:\Test"
    If Err.Number = 0 Then
     MsgBox "Done",0,"Completed"
    Else
     MsgBox Err.Description,0,"Problems"
    End If

Examples

• This script I threw together to make a .NET program run off a network share. It was very hard to find results online, and even this may only work for non-domain shares: I think some domain permissions still keep this from working right.

    'Variables
    Dim WshShell, proc,objFileSystem,strWinRootFldr
    Set objFileSystem = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    Set strWinRootFldr = objFileSystem.GetSpecialFolder(WindowsFolder)
    Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

    ' -url entry is the application folder or files: permissions
    ' are relaxed on that folder before program execution

    Set proc = WshShell.Exec(strWinRootFldr&"\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.1.4322\caspol
    -machine -addgroup PriceList -url file://mpadamscpu/temp/* FullTrust
    -polchgprompt off")

    ' Wait for application to exit
    Do While proc.Status = 0
          WScript.Sleep 1
    Loop

    'This is where you run the .NET program
    Set proc = WshShell.Exec("Pricebook.exe")

    ' Wait for application to exit
     Do While proc.Status = 0
         WScript.Sleep 1
     Loop
    WshShell.Exec(strWinRootFldr&"\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.1.4322\caspol
    -remgroup PriceList")

Tables

Methods covered in this document

MsgBox codes