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 s

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

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

Sleep()

Pauses script execution for x number of seconds

Terminate()

Stops a process started by Exec()

Write()

Places a string in the output stream

WriteBlankLines()

Places a blank in the output stream

WriteLine()

Places a string in the output stream