Windows Script Host

by Aitken, Peter G.

• ISBN13: 9780130287014
• ISBN10: 0130287016
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-01-01
• Publisher: Prentice Hall

Summary

Windows Script Host (WSH) gives anyone, from intermediate users to experienced systems administrators, the ability to save time and reduce errors by automating many system, application, and file-related tasks in Windows 9x, Windows ME, and Windows 2000. In this book, expert developer and best-selling author Peter G. Aitken offers in-depth coverage of Windows scripting with both VBScript and JScript. Master the Windows file system and scripting object models; learn the most effective ways to run, schedule, and distribute scripts; and discover practical techniques for scripting virtually every aspect of the Windows environment. For all intermediate to advanced-level Windows users, including both administrators and power users.

Table of Contents

Introduction	xix
Who This Book Is For	xix
What You Need	xx
Resources	xx
Windows Script Host Fundamentals	1	(10)
Background	1	(2)
Unix Scripting	2	(1)
The DOS Batch Language	2	(1)
Windows Scripting	3	(1)
How WSH Works	3	(2)
What Can WSH Do?	3	(1)
WSH Operation	4	(1)
Scripting Technology	5	(4)
Two Scripting Utilities	6	(3)
WSH Languages	9	(1)
WSH and Objects	10	(1)
Overview	10	(1)
The WSH Object Model	11	(45)
Objects	11
Object References	12	(1)
Object Properties	13	(4)
Object Method	S14
Collections	17	(1)
The WshCollection Object	17	(1)
The FileSystemObject	18	(1)
The Dictionary Object	19	(3)
The Wscript Object	22	(8)
Obtaining Host Information	24	(1)
Script Interactivity	25	(1)
Terminating a Script	26	(1)
Setting a Timeout	26	(1)
Working with Objects	27	(3)
The WshShell Object	30	(19)
The WshEnvironment Object	31	(1)
The WshSpecialFolders Object	32	(3)
Working with Shortcuts	35	(4)
Displaying Popup Messages	39	(3)
Working with the Registry	42	(4)
Running Programs	46	(3)
The WshNetwork Object	49	(6)
Obtaining User Information	49	(2)
Working with Printers	51	(2)
Managing Network Drives	53	(2)
Overview	55	(1)
Creating, Running, and Scheduling Scripts	56	(9)
Creating Your Scripts	56	(1)
Online Documentation	57	(1)
Running Scripts	58	(6)
Script Shortcuts	59	(1)
Scheduling Scripts	60	(4)
Overview	64	(1)
Working with Script Arguments, .WSH Files, and Web Scripting	65	(18)
Script Arguments	65	(3)
WSH Files	68	(2)
WSH and Web Scripting	70	(1)
Overview	71	(1)
Testing and Debugging Your Script	s72
Catching Script Errors	72	(4)
Syntax Errors	72	(2)
Run-Time Errors	74	(1)
Bugs	75	(1)
Debugging Your Scripts	76	(6)
The Script Debugger	76	(1)
Using the Debugger	77	(5)
Overview	82	(1)
VBScript: Syntax, Data Storage, and Operators	83	(17)
Introduction to VBScript	83	(1)
Comparison with Visual Basic	84	(1)
Syntax Fundamentals	84	(1)
Comments	85	(1)
Line Continuations	85	(4)
Data Storage	86	(3)
Object References	89	(1)
Determining Data Type	89	(1)
Arrays	90	(4)
Static Arrays	90	(2)
Dynamic Arrays	92	(2)
Variant Arrays	94	(1)
Operators	94	(4)
Assignment Operator	94	(1)
Arithmetic Operators	95	(1)
String Operators	95	(1)
Comparison Operators	96	(1)
Logical Operators	97	(1)
Operator Precedence and Parentheses	98	(1)
Overview	99	(1)
VBScript: Program Control and Procedures	100	(15)
Conditional Statements	100	(4)
If...Then...Else	101	(1)
Select Case	102	(2)
Loop Statements	104	(5)
For...Next	104	(1)
For Each...Next	105	(1)
Do...Loop	106	(2)
While...Wend	108	(1)
Infinite Loops	108	(1)
Procedures	109	(5)
Types of Procedures	109	(1)
Defining a Procedures	110	(1)
Passing Arguments to Procedures	110	(2)
Variables in Procedures	112	(1)
Calling Procedures	113	(1)
Overview	114	(1)
VBScript: Working with Text, Numbers, Dates, and Times	115	(20)
Text Manipulation	115	(12)
Asc	116	(1)
Chr	116	(1)
Filter	117	(2)
InStr, InStrRev	119	(1)
InStrRev	119	(1)
Join	119	(1)
LCase, UCase	120	(1)
Left, Mid, Right	120	(1)
Len	121	(1)
LTrim, RTrim, Trim	121	(1)
Mid (function)	121	(1)
RegExp	121	(5)
Right	126	(1)
RTrim	126	(1)
Space	126	(1)
Split	126	(1)
String	126	(1)
StrComp	127	(1)
Trim	127	(1)
UCase	127	(1)
Working With Numbers	127	(1)
Using Dates and Times	128	(6)
Date and Time Representation	129	(1)
Getting the Current Date and Time	129	(1)
Creating Dates and Times	129	(1)
Adding and Subtracting Dates and Times	130	(1)
Getting Date and Time Information	131	(2)
Formatting Dates and Times	133	(1)
Overview	134	(1)
VBScript: User Interaction, Error Handling, And Miscellaneous Topics	135	(8)
Interacting with the User	135	(3)
The MsgBox Function	135	(2)
InputBox	137	(1)
Error Handling	138	(2)
Other Topics	140	(2)
Eval	141	(1)
Execute and ExecuteGlobal	141	(1)
Overview	142	(1)
JScript: Basic Syntax, Data Storage, and Operators	143	(14)
Introduction to JScript	143	(2)
Comparison with Java	144	(1)
Syntax Fundamentals	144	(1)
Comments	145	(1)
Data Storage	145	(6)
Constants	145	(2)
Variables	147	(1)
Data Types and Coersion	148	(1)
Object References	149	(1)
Arrays	150	(1)
JScript Operators	151	(5)
The Assignment Operators	151	(1)
The Arithmetic Operators	152	(1)
The Increment and Decrement Operators	152	(1)
The Comparison Operators	153	(1)
The Logical Operators	154	(1)
String Operators	155	(1)
Conditional Expressions	155	(1)
Operator Precedence and Parentheses	156	(1)
Overview	156	(1)
JScript: Conditional Statements, Loops, and Functions	157	(12)
Conditional Statements	157	(4)
If...Else	157	(3)
Switch	160	(1)
Loop Statements	161	(3)
For	161	(1)
While	162	(1)
Do...While	163	(1)
The Continue Statement	163	(1)
The With Statement	164	(1)
Functions	164	(4)
Defining a Function	165	(1)
Variables in Functions	166	(1)
Calling a Function	167	(1)
OverView	168	(1)
JScript: Strings, Numbers, Math, Dates, and Times	169	(12)
The String Object	169	(5)
The Split Method	172	(1)
Working with Regular Expressions	172	(2)
The Number Object	174	(2)
The Math Object	176	(1)
Dates and Times	176	(4)
Overview	180	(1)
JScript: Built-in Objects, User Interaction, and Error Handling	181	(11)
JScript Objects	181	(5)
The Boolean Object	182	(1)
The Enumerator Object	182	(1)
The Function Object	183	(1)
The VBArray Object	184	(2)
User Interaction	186	(2)
Error Handling	188	(3)
The Error Object	188	(1)
Try.. . C	188	(2)
The Throw Statement	190	(1)
Overview	191	(1)
WSH 2.0 and WSF Files	192	(8)
Using WSF Files	192	(1)
XML and WSF Files	193	(4)
The <script> Tag	193	(1)
The <job> and <package> Tags	194	(1)
The <object> Tag	195	(1)
The <reference> Tag	195	(1)
Importing Files	196	(1)
XML Compliance	197	(1)
XML Errors and Debugging	198	(1)
Overview	199	(1)
File Access and Management	200	(24)
The Scripting Run-time Library	200	(2)
File Management	202	(16)
Copying and Moving Files	202	(2)
Copying and Moving Folders	204	(1)
Creating Folders	205	(1)
Deleting Files and Folders	205	(1)
Seeing if a Drive, Folder, or File Exists	205	(1)
Obtaining Object References	206	(1)
Working with the Drives Collection and Drive Object	206	(3)
Working with the Folders Collection and Folder Object	209	(4)
Working with the Files Collection and File Object	213	(4)
Other FileSystemObject Methods	217	(1)
File Access	218	(5)
The TextStream Object	218	(3)
A TextStream Demonstration	221	(2)
Overview	223	(1)
Creating Windows Script Components	224	(12)
Defining a Class	224	(8)
Creating Class Instances	225	(1)
Defining Class Properties	225	(1)
Defining Class Methods	226	(2)
Defining Private Class Information	228	(1)
Procedural Class Properties	228	(3)
Defining a Default Class Property	231	(1)
Using a Class in Multiple Scripts	232	(1)
A Class Example	233	(2)
Overview	235	(1)
Database Access with Scripting	236	(23)
Database Fundamentals	236	(3)
Database Technologies	239	(1)
Active Data Objects	240	(1)
Creating a Connection	241	(6)
Creating a Connection String	243	(2)
Recordsets	245	(2)
Creating a Recordset	247	(4)
Working with Recordsets	251	(7)
Accessing Field Data	251	(1)
Moving through a Recordset	252	(3)
Modifying Recordset Data	255	(3)
Overview	258	(1)
Scripting Microsoft Office Components	259	(27)
The Office Object Model	259	(2)
The Word Object Model	261	(10)
The Document Object	261	(2)
Manipulating Document Content	263	(7)
Other Document Properties and Methods	270	(1)
The Excel Object Model	271	(14)
The Workbook Object	272	(2)
The Worksheet Object	274	(11)
Validating Object References	285	(1)
Overview	285	(1)
Messaging With WSH	286	(21)
Scripts and Messaging	286	(2)
Some E-mail Background	288	(1)
Scripting CDO	289	(5)
Sending a Message with CDO	289	(3)
Reading Mail with CDO	292	(2)
Scripting Microsoft Outlook	294	(12)
The NameSpace Object	295	(1)
Manipulating Folders and Items	295	(2)
Working with Mail Messages	297	(9)
Overview	306	(1)
Using WSH For Administrative Tasks	307	(12)
Mapping Network Drive	s307
Automating LogOn Scripts	310
Updating File	s312
Creating Folders	315	(3)
Overview	318	(1)
A Script Programmer's Library	319	(13)
Installing Files from a CD	319	(5)
Obtaining Information about a Database	324	(5)
Printing from a Script	329	(3)
Appendix A VBScript Constants	332	(4)
Color Constant	S332
Comparison Constants	332	(1)
Date and Time Constants	333	(1)
Date and Time Format Constants	333	(1)
Miscellaneous Constants	334	(1)
MsgBox Constants	334	(1)
String Constants	335	(1)
Appendix B VBScript Keywords	336	(2)
Appendix C ASCII Character Codes	338	(3)
Appendix D VBScript Error Codes	341	(2)
Appendix E JScript Reserved Words	343	(2)
Current Reserved Words	343	(1)
Future Reserved Words	343	(1)
Words to Avoid	344	(1)
Appendix F JScript Error Codes	345	(2)
Appendix G WSH Resources on the Internet	347	(2)
Index	349

Excerpts

IntroductionThe Windows Script Host, or WSH, is a wonderful tool that is available to all users of the Windows operating system. In a nutshell, WSH is used to create scripts that automate operating system-related tasks. Which tasks are these? Anything you do with the Windows operating system, as opposed to an application program, falls into this category. Examples include copying and deleting files, logging onto network drives and printers, and executing programs. But WSH is not limited to operating system tasks - thanks to Microsoft's Component Object Model, scripts can also control many applications programs, such as Word and Excel. Almost anything you can do sitting at your computer's keyboard, you can also program a script to do for you.So, what's the big deal? There are two factors: Saving time. With a couple of clicks, you can execute a script that carries out a complex series of action that would take a considerable time to perform manually. Preventing errors. Once tested and debugged, a script will carry out a precise sequence of actions error-free every time. Few people can say the same thing about their keyboard skills!Either of these factors by itself would make a strong argument for scripting. Together, they are overpowering. Any Windows user who has gone beyond casual computing is a candidate to benefit from using WSH. Network administrators and other computer professionals can derive even more benefit. Who This Book Is ForThe intended audience for this book is anyone who wants to automate repetitive or time-consuming tasks under the Windows operating system. This includes both computer users, for whom the computer is a tool, as well as network professionals and systems administrators, who are responsibile for maintaining computer systems used by others. I assume no prior knowledge on the part of the reader beyond a reasonable familiarity with Windows. Specifically, no programming experience is needed. If, however, you do have some programming experience, certain parts of the book will likely go faster for you. What You NeedThe requirements for using this book are quite simple: a computer running Windows 95, 98, ME, NT 4.0, or 2000. As you will learn in Chapter 1, WSH is installed along with some of these operating systems, but must be installed separately with others (Windows 95 and NT). Details on obtaining the free install are also included in Chapter 1. ResourcesYou will find my Web page for this book at this URL: http://www.pgacon.com/scripthost.htmThis page lets you download a compressed archive containing all of the book's scripts, and there is also a link for reporting any errors, problems, or suggestion. I will also post a list of corrections and updates as they become available. Additional Internet resources for the Windows Script Host programmer can be found in Appendix 7. Peter G. Aitken Chapel Hill, North Carolina January 2001