Microsoft® Windows® Script Host 2.0 Developer's Guide

Author Gunter Born Pages 528 Disk 1 Companion CD(s) Level Intermediate Published 08/16/2000 ISBN 9780735609310 ISBN-10 0-7356-0931-4 Price(USD) $49.99 To see this book's discounted price, select a reseller below.	More Information About the Book Table of Contents Sample Chapter Related Series Related Books About the Author Support: Book & CD Rate this book

Table of Contents

Introduction	xv
PART I   INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD OF SCRIPT PROGRAMMING
Chapter 1   Introduction to Windows Script Host	3
What You Can Do with WSH Scripts	4
A Few Remarks About VBScript and JScript	5
Upgrading to WSH 2	5
Creating and Using Scripts	7
Creating Your First Script in VBScript	7
Creating the Same Script in JScript	9
Executing WSH Scripts	10
Submitting Arguments to a Script	14
The New .wsf File Format	19
Including External Files	20
Using Type Libraries	20
Debugging Features	21
Chapter 2   Development Tools and Techniques	23
Creating Scripts	23
Using Script Templates	24
Editing Scripts	26
Invoking Script Editors	26
Installing and Uninstalling ActiveX Controls	34
Registering a Control	34
Uninstalling a Control	35
Debugging Scripts	36
Tracing Your Programs	37
Chapter 3   Introduction to Programming with Objects	45
Objects	45
A Simple Object	46
The Object Model	46
Collections	47
Methods	48
A Practical Example	49
Available Objects	49
Getting Information About Objects, Methods, and Properties	50
Chapter 4    Introduction to VBScript	51
Basic Features	51
Statements, Continued Lines, and Comments	51
Constants and Variables	54
Operators	63
Control Structures	67
Loops	69
Functions and Procedures	71
Advanced Features	80
Error Handling	80
Regular Expressions (in VBScript 5.0 and Later)	82
Classes (in VBScript 5.0)	85
Using the With Statement (in VBScript 5.0)	89
Chapter 5   Introduction to JScript	91
What Is JScript?	91
The Structure of a JScript Program	92
Comments	93
Statements	93
Constants	94
Variables	94
Operators	99
Control Structures	104
if Statement	104
Conditional Operator	105
for Loop	105
for...in Loop	107
while Loop	107
do...while Loop	108
switch Statement	109
break and continue Keywords	110
Functions and Objects	110
User-Defined Functions	110
Built-In Functions	111
Objects	111
Arrays	112
PART II  INTERACTIVE SCRIPTING
Chapter 6   Creating Simple Dialog Boxes in WSH	117
Using the Echo Method	117
Using Echo in VBScript	118
Using Echo in the Command Prompt Window	119
Using Echo in JScript	120
Using a Line Feed with Echo	121
Using the MsgBox Function in VBScript	122
Defining the Icon and Buttons in a Dialog Box	125
Setting the Focus on a Button	127
Determining Which Button Was Used to Close a Dialog Box	128
Example: A Welcome Login Message in VBScript	130
Using the Popup Method	134
Using Popup in VBScript	137
Chapter 7   Working with WSH Objects	141
Using the WScript Object	141
Retrieving WSH and Script Properties	142
Retrieving Language Engine Properties	145
Accessing Script Arguments	147
Accessing Environment	152
Accessing Environment Variables in a Script	152
Creating and Releasing Objects	165
CreateObject vs. GetObject	167
Using DisconnectObject	168
Launching Other Programs from a Script	170
Launching Notepad from VBScript	173
Launching Calculator from JScript	174
Paths Containing Blanks	175
The Quit Method	176
Chapter 8   Retrieving User Input in WSH Scripts	183
Invoking an Input Dialog Box in VBScript	183
Invoking an Input Dialog Box in JScript	186
A WSH 2 Solution: Combining VBScript and JScript	186
Chapter 9   Working with Forms	195
Using Internet Explorer to Create an About Dialog Box	195
Using the showModalDialog Method to Display an HTML File	196
Displaying the About Dialog Box Using VBScript	199
Displaying the About Dialog Box Using JScript	201
Using Internet Explorer and WSH to Create a Form	202
HTML Code for the Form	202
Displaying the Form	203
A JScript WSH Script for Displaying the Form	207
Displaying a File Selection Dialog Box	209
Part III  POWER SCRIPTING
Chapter 10  Creating Shortcuts	225
Shortcut Basics	225
Using the CreateShortcut Method	226
Shortcuts: Beyond the Basics	231
Using the SpecialFolders Object	231
Creating a Shortcut on the Desktop	238
Creating a Shortcut on the Start Menu	242
Creating a Shortcut Using Arguments	248
Reading Shortcut Properties	253
Updating a Shortcut	259
Creating a Shortcut to a Web Site	263
Chapter 11  Using Advanced WSH Features	267
Retrieving the User, Domain, or Computer Name	267
The JScript Implementation	269
Connecting to a Network Printer	270
Printer Mapping Using AddWindowsPrinterConnection	271
Printer Mapping Using AddPrinterConnection	272
Removing a Printer Mapping	276
Listing All Mapped Printers	278
Setting the DefaultPrinter	279
Mapping Network Drives	281
The JScript Implementation	284
Logon Scripts	286
Accessing the Windows Registry	286
Accessing the Registry in WSH	288
Accessing the Registry in VBScript	290
Run-Time Error Handling for Registry Access	293
Checking the Existence of a Key	296
Techniques for Registry Access in WSH	299
Enumerating Registry Keys and Values	305
Accessing the Registry Remotely	307
Changing the Windows 98 Installation Path	309
Hiding the Last User Name at Logon	311
Retrieving the Workgroup Name in Windows 98	312
Chapter 12   Using File System and I/O Commands	317
The FileSystemObject Object Model	317
Creating a FileSystemObject Object	318
Methods of the FileSystemObject Object	319
Accessing Drives	320
Listing All Drives on a Machine	320
Showing Drive Properties	325
Accessing Files and Folders	331
Listing All Subfolders in a Folder	332
Creating, Moving, Renaming, and Deleting Folders	335
Listing All Files in a Folder	343
Retrieving File Attributes and Dates	347
Copying and Deleting Files	355
Backing Up Folders	359
Accessing Text Files	365
Reading from a Text File	365
Pitfalls of Using Dialog Boxes and Browser Windows to View Text Files	368
Writing to a Text File	376
Appending New Text to an Existing File	380
Replacing Text in a File	382
Using the Browse For Folder Dialog Box	385
Using BrowseForFolder to Select Folders	386
Chapter 13   Controlling Windows and Applications from Scripts	397
Delaying Script Execution	397
Using the Sleep Method to Reduce the CPU Load	398
Using a Delay to Solve a Problem with Asynchronous Processes	399
Activating an Application Using the AppActivate Method	401
Pitfalls of Using the AppActivate Method	404
Using the SendKeys Method to Simulate Keystrokes	406
Using SendKeys in WSH 2	406
Customizing Windows Using Logon Scripts	413
Setting Up a LogonScript	413
Using Global Logon and Logoff Scripts	415
Using Startup and Shutdown Scripts	416
Chapter 14   Programming Techniques and Tips	419
Run-Time Errors	419
Handling Run-Time Errors in VBScript	419
Handling Run-Time Errors in JScript	420
Paths and Dates	421
Getting the Script’s Path	421
Getting the Current Directory	422
Setting the Default Folder	423
Getting the Current Drive Name	423
Calculating Date Differences	424
Long Filenames, the At Command, and System Calls	425
Using the Windows NT Scheduler to Execute WSH Scripts	425
Using Long Filenames in Scripts	425
Using the Run Method to Execute System Calls	426
Locking a Windows 2000 Workstation	429
Invoking the Copy Disk Dialog Box	430
Invoking the Format Dialog Box	431
Invoking the Screen Saver Property Page	432
Calling Control Panel Modules	432
Using the Run Method to Handle Network Mappings	434
User Dialog Boxes and Output	434
Using Tabs and Line Feeds	434
Displaying Console Input and Output	435
Writing to a Line and Reading from It	437
Piping Program Output	439
Using Files for Streaming	440
Logging Script Output	443
File Handling	447
Checking Whether a File or Folder Exists	447
Checking Whether a Folder is Empty	448
Checking Whether an Access Database Is in Use	448
Copying a File	449
Renaming a File orFolder	450
Searching for a File	452
Listing All Shortcut Files	452
Playing Sound	454
Using Internet Explorer to Play Sound	455
The Windows Shell	457
Testing the Shell Version	458
Arranging the Desktop Windows	459
Opening Folder Windows	461
Accessing Windows Shell Dialog Boxes	462
Calling a DUN Connection	465
PART IV  APPENDIXES
APPENDIX A  WSH Resources on the Internet	469
APPENDIX B  Script Security	471
Partially Disabling WSH	471
Preventing Automatic Execution of WSH Scripts	472
Security Settings for WSH Scripts	475
Concluding Remarks	479
Index	481