WSH

Microsoft Stuff

3/13/26

WSH

Home

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/batch-windows-scripting-host-tutorial/

SS64

How To's

Misc

Available languages include JScript, VBA, and VBscript.

Networking

It's also possible to write scripts in Perl, Python, PHP, Ruby or even Basic

Windows

if you have the right implementation with the right scripting engine.

Glossary

Excell

helloworld.vbs

Examples

wscript.echo "Hello World"

Outlook

wscript.quit

Paint Shop Pro

Skype

For the most flexibility, place <job> and <script language="VBScript"> (or whatever language you choose)

WSH

around each segment of code in your file, and save it as a .wsf file.

see Hello_World.wsf

DOS

This way, so long as you enclose the code in the defined script language tags, you can use multiple languages in the same file.

https://flylib.com/books/en/2.442.1/

Part I - Introducing the WSH and VBScript

Getting Started with the WSH and VBScript

WSH Scripting Engines

VBScript

JScript

3rd Party

WSH Script Execution Host

CScript.exe

Wscript.exe

WSH Core Object Model

provides VBScript with direct access to Windows resources.

( WSH.OSX )

Exposes the Win OS objects in a format that allows scripts to view, access, and manipulate

Windows Resources (objexts)

The Windows operating system can be viewed as a collection of objects

Windows desktop

Windows Start Menu

Win OS:

Objects >

file

Windows applications

disk drive

Windows file system

printer

Windows Quick Launch Toolbar

any resource that is part of the computer

Network printers

Network drives

Windows registry

Objects >

Have associated properties and methods that scripts can then use to interact with an object,

as well as affect its behavior or status.

Object

Properties

Methods

properties (attributes

an object-specific attribute

file

name

copy

methods (actions)

built-in functions that your scripts can execute to perform an action on an object

file ext.

move

Overview of the

Working with objects

Many Windows applications, including Microsoft Office applications, expose their own object models, allowing VBScript to programmatically manipulate them.

In addition, other VBScript execution hosts, such as Internet Explorer, provide VBScript with access to other object models.

The WSH core object model is quite complex and may at first seem rather daunting

Object Model

is a representation of a number of related objects that provide a script or program with the ability to view and interact with each of the objects (files, disks, printers, and so on) represented in the object model.

The Core Object Model

The WSH core object model provides programmatic access to Windows resources.

There are 14 objects in the WSH core object model

Each of these objects provides access to a particular category of Windows resources.

Wscript object ("top level", or root)

It is from this object that all other objects are instantiated

Is automatically established during the startup of the execution host and can therefore be referenced without first being instantiated within your scripts.

Provides access to a number of very useful methods ---->

CreateObject(). Establishes an instance of the specified object.

DisconnectObject(). Prevents a script from accessing a previously instantiated object.

Echo(). Displays a text message in the Windows Console or as a popup dialog depending on which execution hosts runs the script

Quit(). Terminates a script's execution.

Sleep(). Pauses the execution of a script for a specified number of seconds.

Instantiation

A term that describes the process of creating a reference to an object.

In order to work with an object you must first create, or instantiate, a reference to it within your scripts.

Publice (Exposed) Objects

The WScript object (top level object) is referred to as a public or exposed object.

The WSH core object model has three other public objects ------>

Wscript

"top level (root) object"

Table 2.3: WSH OBJECT PROPERTIES

Table 2.4: WSH OBJECT METHODS

WshController

Each of these three objects must be instantiated within your scripts using the WScript object's CreateObject() method

WshShell,

Property

Description

Method

Description

WshNetwork

Arguments

Sets a pointer reference to the WshArguments collection.

AddPrinterConnection()

Creates printer mappings

AtEndOfLine

Returns either true or false depending on whether the end-of-line maker has been reached in the stream.

AddWindowsPrinterConnection()

Creates a new printer connection

All of the other objects in the WSH core object model can only be instantiated by using properties or methods associated with the WScript, WshController, WshShell, and WshNetwork objects.

AtEndOfStream

Returns either true or false depending on whether the end of the input stream has been reached.

AppActivate()

Activates the targeted application Window

Character

Identifies the specific character in a line of code where an error occurs.

Close()

Terminates an open data stream

Lower-Level Objects

Column

Returns the current column position in the input stream.

ConnectObject()

Establishes a connection to an object

Table 2.1: WORKING WITH LOWER-LEVEL WSH OBJECTS

WshArguments

ComputerName

Retrieves a computer's name.

Count

Retrieves the number of switches found in the WshNamed and WshUnnamed objects

WshNamed

CurrentDirectory

Sets or retrieves a script current working directory.

CreateObject()

Creates a new instance of an object

Object

Method of

WshUnnamed

Description

Retrieves the description for a specified shortcut.

CreateScript()

Instantiates a WshRemote object representing a script that is running remotely

WshArguments

WScript.Arguments

WshRemote

Environment

Sets a pointer reference to the WshEnvironment.

CreateShortcut()

Creates a Windows shortcut

WshNamed

WScript.Arguments.Named

WshRemoteError

Error

Provides the ability to expose a WshRemoteError object.

DisconnectObject()

Terminates a connection with an object

WshUnnamed

WScript.Arguments.Unnamed

WshShortcut

ExitCode

Returns the exist code from a script started using Exec().

Echo()

Displays a text message

WshRemote

WshController.CreateScript()

WshUrlShortcut

FullName

Retrieves a shortcut or executable program's path.

EnumNetworkDrives()

Enables access to network drives

WshRemoteError

WshRemote.Error

WshEnvironment

HotKey

Retrieves the hotkey associated with the specified shortcut.

EnumPrinterConnections()

Enables access to network printers

WshShortcut

WshShell.CreateShortcut()

WshSpecialFolders

IconLocation

Retrieves an icon's location.

Exec()

Executes an application in a child command shell and provides access to the environment variables

WshUrlShortcut

WshShell.CreateShortcut()

WshScriptExec

Interactive

Provides the ability to programmatically set script mode.

Execute()

Initiates the execution of a remote script object

WshEnvironment

WshShell.Environment

Item

Retrieves the specified item from a collection or provides access to items stored in the WshNamed object.

Exists()

Determines a specified key exists within the WshNamed object

WshSpecialFolders

WshShell.SpecialFolders

Length

Retrieves a count of enumerated items.

ExpandEnvironmentStrings()

Retrieves a string representing the contents of the Process environmental variable

WshScriptExec

WshShell.Exec()

Line

Returns the line number for the current line in the input stream or identifies the line number within a script on which an error occurred.

GetObject()

Retrieves an Automation object

Name

Returns a string representing the name of the WScript object.

GetResource()

Retrieves a resource's value as specified by the tag

Set

used to create a reference to a specified object

Number

Provides access to an error number.

LogEvent()

Writes a message in the Windows event log

concatenation character

Path

Returns the location of the folder where the CScript or WScript execution hosts reside.

MapNetworkDrive()

Creates a network drive mapping

The _ character is a continuation character and is used to indicate that a statement is continued on the next line.

ProcessID

Retrieves the process ID (PID) for a process started using the WshScriptExec object.

Popup()

Displays a text message in a popup dialog

ScriptFullName

Returns an executing script's path.

Quit()

Terminates, or ends, a script

Constant

a VBScript construct that contains information that does not change during the execution of a script

ScriptName

Returns the name of the executing script.

Read()

Retrieves a string of characters from the input stream

Source

Retrieves the identity of the object that caused a script error.

ReadAll()

Retrieves the s string that is made up of the characters in the input stream

built-in constants

VBScript provides a collection of built-in constants, such as the vbTab and vbCrLf constants

SourceText

Retrieves the source code that created the error.

ReadLine()

Retrieves a string containing an entire line of data from the input stream

SpecialFolders

Provides access to the Windows Start menu and desktop folders.

RegDelete()

Deletes a registry key or value

Status

Provides status information about a remotely executing script or a script starting with Exec().

RegRead()

Retrieves a registry key or value

Working with Object Methods

StdErr

Enables a script to write to the error output stream or provides access to read-only error output from an Exec object.

RegWrite()

Creates a registry key or value

StdIn

Enables read access to the input stream or provides access to the write-only input stream for the Exec object.

Remove()

Deletes the specified environmental variable

WshShell object

provides access to a number of Windows resources

StdOut

Enables write access to the output stream or provides access to the write-only output stream of the Exec object.

RemoveNetworkDrive()

Deletes the connection to the specified network drive

The Windows application log

TargetPath

Retrieves a shortcut's path to its associated object.

RemovePrinterConnection()

Deletes the connection to the specified network printer

The Windows registry

UserDomain

Retrieves the domain name.

Run()

Starts a new process

--->

Any Windows command-line command

?? could make "log" entries using this ??

UserName

Retrieves the currently logged-on user's name.

Save()

Saves a shortcut

Version

Retrieves the WSH version number.

SendKeys()

Emulates keystrokes and sends typed data to a specified window

WindowStyle

Retrieves a shortcut's window style.

SetDefaultPrinter()

Establishes a default Windows printer

Configuring WSH Execution Hosts

WorkingDirectory

Returns the working directory associated with the specified shortcut.

ShowUsage()

Retrieves information regarding the way that a script is supposed to be executed

Skip()

Skips x number of characters when reading from the input stream

SkipLine()

Skips an entire line when reading from the input stream

Customizing WScript Settings for Individual Desktop Scripts

Win - R (run)

Wscript

Sleep()

Pauses script execution for x number of seconds

Terminate()

Stops a process started by Exec()

Back to the Rock, Paper, and Scissors Game

'Time for the computer to randomly pick a choice

Randomize

Ensures that a random number is generated each time the script executes

GetRandomNumber = Int((3 * Rnd()) + 1)

Generate a number between 1 and 3.

( the Rnd() function generates a random number between 0 and 1 )

Write()

Places a string in the output stream

WriteBlankLines()

Places a blank in the output stream

Part II - Learning VBScript & WSH Scripting

WriteLine()

Places a string in the output stream

VBScript Basics

VBScript Syntax Rules

More than one VBScript statement can be placed on a single line by ending each statement with the : (colon) character.

You can enforce case-sensitivity by adding the Option Explicit statement to the beginning of your VBScripts.

By default, an error will halt the execution of any VBScript.

You can prevent error from terminating a VBScript's execution by adding the On Error Resume Next statement to your VBScripts.

Reserved Words

you cannot use them as variables, constants, or procedure names

Adding Comments

Rem

Also, you can add a comment to the end of any statement.

MsgBox "Thank you for playing" ' Display a thank you message

Mastering the VBScript Object Model

VBScript also provides two collections of objects that you can use in your scripts.

Table 3.3: VBSCRIPT CORE OBJECTS

Class

Dictionary

Err

FileSystemObject

provides a number of run-time objects

your scripts can use these objects and their properties and methods to interface with the Windows file system.

Match

Dictionary

Matches Collection

Drive

RegExp

Drives Collection

SubMatches Collection

File

Files Collection

FileSystemObject

Folder

Folders Collection

The WSH core object model provides access to a number of Windows resources. Absent from this model is a file system object.

To access system files from your VBScripts, you'll need to learn how to work with VBScript's FileSystemObject object.

With this object, your scripts will be able to:

Check for the existence of files and folders before attempting to work with them

Create and delete file and folders

Open and read files

Write or append to files

Close files

Copy and move files and folders

Properties

the VBScript run-time objects support a large number of properties

Methods

VBScript run-time objects also support a larger number of methods that you will find essential when working with the Windows file system.

Using VBScript Run Time Objects in Your Scripts

Examining Built In VBScript Functions

One of the real advantages of working with VBScript is having access to its large number of built-in functions.

For a complete list, refer to Appendix B, "Built-In VBScript Functions."

POPUP() Method (ie Response = WshShl1.Popup(…...) )

Displaying Script Output

Buttons

Icon

Return Values

WScript.Echo [Arg1] [,Arg2] ...

Displays

Button

WSH

Echo()

WScript.Echo "This message appears differently depending on the "

OK button

Stop icon

Popup()

Response = WScript.Popup(StrText,[TimeToWait],[TitleBarMsg],[DialogSettings])

OK + Cancel buttons

Question Icon

Cancel

Response = WshShl.Popup("This is a text message", ," Test Script", 5)

Abort, Retry, + Ignore buttons

Exclamation Icon

Abort

Yes, No, + Cancel buttons

Info Icon

Retry

VBScript

InputBox()

InputBox(StrText[, TitleBarMsg][, default][, xpos][, ypos][, helpfile, context])

Yes + No buttons

Ignore

MsgBox()

MsgBox(TextMsg[, buttons][, TitleBarMsg][, helpfile, context])

Retry + Cancel buttons

Yes

Twip stands for Twentieth of a Point and represents a value of 1/1440th of an inch.

Back to the Math Game

MSGBOX() Function

Key

SendKeys Code

Buttons

Icon

Return Values

SendKeys "string"

shift

Constant

Displays

Constant

Displays

Constant

User Clicked on

ALT

vbOKOnly

OK button

vbCritical

Critical Icon

vbOK

CTRL

vbOKCancel

OK + Cancel buttons

vbQuestion

Question Icon

vbCancel

Cancel

ENTER

vbAbortRetryIgnore

Abort, Retry, + Ignore buttons

vbExclamation

Exclamation Icon

vbAbort

Abort

vbYesNoCancel

Yes, No, + Cancel buttons

vbInformation

Info Icon

vbRetry

Retry

Sendkeys "%{F4} "

send the (ctnl- F4)

vbYesNO

Yes + No buttons

vbIgnore

Ignore

vbRetryCancel

Retry + Cancel buttons

vbYes

Yes

vbNo

Constants, Variables, and Arrays

Constants

Const cTitleBarMsg = "The Three Little Pigs"

Const cUpperLimit = 1000

Const cMyBirthday = #11-20-64#

you must use a pair of pound signs to store a date value within a constant

Date and Time Constants

String Constants

Constant

Value

Description

Constant

Value

Description

vbSunday

Sunday

vbCr

Chr(13)

carriage return

vbMonday

Monday

vbCrLf

Chr(13) + Chr(10)

carriage return and a line feed

vbTuesday

Tuesday

vbFormFeed

Chr(12)

form feed

vbWednesday

Wednesday

vbLf

Chr(10)

line feed

vbThursday

Thursday

vbNewLine

Chr(13) + Chr(10)

adds a newline character

vbFriday

Friday

vbNullChar

Chr(0)

create a 0 or null character

vbSaturday

Saturday

vbNullString

string with no value

creates an empty string

vbFirstFourDays

First full week with a minimum of 4 days in the new year

vbTab

Chr(9)

horizontal tab

vbFirstFullWeek

First full week of the year

vbVerticalTab

Chr(11)

vertical tab

vbFirstJan1

Week that includes January 1

UseSystemDayOfWeek

Day of week as specified by the operating system

Data Types

Variants

a type of variable that can contain any number of different types of data

Conversion Funtions

Subtype

Description

Asc()

Boolean

A variant with a value of True or False

Cbool()

Byte

An integer whose value is between 0 and 255

Cbyte()

Currency

A currency value between -922,337,203,685,477.5808 and 922,337,203,685,477.5807

Cbur()

Date

A number representing a date between January 1, 100 and December 31, 9999

Cdate()

Double

A floating-point number with a range of -1.79769313486232E308 and -4.94065645841247E-324 or 4.94065645841247E-324 and 1.79769313486232E308

CDbl()

Empty

A variant that has not been initialized

Chr()

Error

A VBScript error number

Cint()

Integer

An integer with a value is between -32,768 and 32,767

CLng()

Long

An integer whose value is between -2,147,483,648 and 2,147,483,647

CSng()

Null

A variant set equal to a null value

CStr()

Object

An object

Single

A floating-point number whose value is between -3.402823E38 and -1.401298E-45 or 1.401298E-45 and 3.402823E38

String

A string up to two billion characters long

guidelines that you should follow when working with variables:

Use the Option Explicit statement to enforce formal variable declaration.

Define your variables at the beginning of your scripts in one location.

Use the Dim statement to define each variable.

Variable Scope

scope refers to the ability to reference a variable and its assigned value from various locations within a script

VBScript supports two different variable scopes, global and local.

A variable with a global scope can be accessed from any location within the script.

A variable with a local scope can only be referenced from within the procedure that defines it.

Procedures

A procedure is a collection or group of statements that is executed as a unit.

VBScript supports two types of procedures, subroutines and functions

A variable defined outside of a procedure is global in scope

A variable that is local in scope is a variable that is defined within a procedure.

Operator

Order of Precedence

Expnentiation

Negation

Multiplication

Division

Integer division

Mod

Modulus

Addition

Subtraction

Using the WSH to Work with Environment Variables

There are two types of environment variables, user and computer.

User environment variables are created during user login and provide information specific to the currently logged on user.

only available when you're logged in to the computer.

Computer environment variables, on the other hand, are created based on what Windows learns about the computer;

available at all times

Working with Collections of Related Data

For Each i In GameArray

Message = Message & i & vbCrLf

WScript.Echo Message

ReDim Preserve TestArray(19)

Processing Data Passed to a Script at Run Time

argument

a piece of data passed to the script at the beginning of its execution

Designing Scripts That Accept Argument Input

Back to the story of Captain Adventure

Conditional Logic

Performing More Complex Tests with VBScript Operators

If LCase(AnswerOne) = "spock" Then

InStr() function

InStr([start, ]string1, string2[, compare])

If Instr(1, "kirkpicardsiscojanewayarcher", LCase(AnswerFive), 1) <> 0 Then

Start specifies the character position in the script, from left to right, where the search should begin

String1 identifies the string to be searched.

String2 identifies the text to search for,

compare specifies the type of search to be performed. A value of 0 specifies a binary comparison, and a value of 1 specifies a textual comparison.

Game Development Stage 2

Set FsoObject = WScript.CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

The format of the OpenTextFile() method

object.OpenTextFile(filename[, iomode[, create[, format]]])

Filename is the name and path of the file to be opened or created.

Iomode must be one of the following three constants: ForReading, a value of 1, ForWriting, a value of 2, or ForAppending, a value of 8

Set ScoreRpt = FsoObject.OpenTextFile("C:TempStarTrekQuiz.txt", 2, "True")

Create is optional. It specifies whether a new file will be created if one does not already exist.

Writing

ScoreRpt.WriteBlankLines(1)

Specify a value of True to create a new file, if necessary, or specify False to prevent a new file from being created.

ScoreRpt.WriteLine("Star Trek Game Quiz")

Format specifies one of the following values: True, False, or UseDefault.

ScoreRpt.Write("===================================================")

True saves the file in Unicode format

ScoreRpt.WriteLine("===================================================")

False saves the file in ASCII format

ScoreRpt.WriteBlankLines(2)

UseDefault stores the file using the operating system's default format.

FileSystemObject methods

Write BlankLines

Writes the specified number of blank likes to the file.

WriteLine

Writes the specified line of text to a file and performs a carriage return.

Write

Writes the specified line of text to a file but does not perform a carriage return.

ScoreRpt.Close()

to close the file

Reading a file

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3117121/reading-and-writing-value-from-a-textfile-by-using-vbscript-code

Read line by line

Processing Collections of Data

Exit For

The For Each Next Statement

Dim FsoObject, FolderName, Member, FileList, TargtFolder

For Each i In GameArray

Message = Message & i & vbCrLf

Set FsoObject = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

Set FolderName = FsoObject.GetFolder("C:Temp")

WScript.Echo Message

For Each Member in FolderName.Files

FileList = FileList & Member.name & vbCrLf

MsgBox FileList, ," List of files in " & FolderName

Do While

The Final Result

for the "Guess a Number" game

Creating Shortcuts for Your Game

Set WshShl = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

DesktopFolder = WshShl.SpecialFolders("Desktop")

TargetFolder = WshShl.SpecialFolders("Desktop")

Set NewShortcut = WshShl.CreateShortcut(DesktopFolder & "\

Set FsoObject = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

GuessANumber.lnk")

Set NewShortcut = FsoObject.GetFile(TargetFolder & "\GuessANumber.lnk")

NewShortcut.TargetPath = "c:GuessANumber.vbs"

NewShortcut.Delete

NewShortcut.Save()

A Complete Shortcut Script

Using Procedures to Organize Scripts

Part III - Advanced Topics

Handling Script Errors

Using the Windows Registry to Configure Script Settings

Combining Different Scripting Languages

Part IV - Appendices

Appendix A WSH Administrative Scripting

Appendix B Built-In VBScript Functions

Appendix C Whats on the CD-ROM?