VBScript programmer's reference

The VBScript standard has changed over time, and several new things have been introduced since this book first published in 1999. The current standard for VBScript is 5.6. The script debugger, script control, and script encoder have all changed and the Windows Script Component Wizard, regular expressions, and remote scripting have been introduced. Windows Script Host technology has also matured over time and gained in both effectiveness and popularity.

VBScript Programmer's Reference, 2nd Edition begins with discussion of the general syntax, functions, keywords, style, error handling, and similar language-specific topics and then moves into an expanded reference section covering the object models in detail. The book combines a comprehensive overview of the VBScript technology and associated technologies with practical examples at every stage from beginner to advanced user.

Specific topics include the following:

Variables and Data Types Procedures Error Handling and Debugging Windows Script Components Script Encoding Remote Scripting Data Objects Coding Conventions

Author Notes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has made his living as a technology writer for the last six years, with many books and articles to his name. He can also be found teaching classes on the Web, where he has successfully taught technology skills to thousands of learners, with his own special brand of knowledge, experience, wit, and poor spelling.

Kathie Kingsley-Hughes has worked in IT training for many years. In addition to writing, she now works as a courseware developer and e-trainer, specializing in Internet technologies. She also runs a Web development company in the United Kingdom.

Daniel Reed is a software developer living and working in Atlanta, GA, USA. He currently works for Connecticut Inc., an Atlanta-based software consulting firm specializing in the insurance industry. Daniel also publishes and writes essays for chapters.*, a Web-based magazine for software professionals (DeveloperDotStar.com).

About the Authors	p. vii
Acknowledgments	p. xi
Introduction	p. xxv
Chapter 1 A Quick Introduction to Programming	p. 1
Overview	p. 1
Variables and Data Types	p. 2
Flow Control	p. 8
Operators	p. 17
Organizing and Reusing Code	p. 19
Top-Down versus Event-Driven	p. 23
Coding Guidelines	p. 24
Summary	p. 28
Chapter 2 What VBScript Is--and Isn't!	p. 29
Overview	p. 29
Windows Script	p. 29
Version Information	p. 30
VBScript Is a Subset of VB	p. 30
VBScript Is a Scripting Language	p. 30
VBScript Is Interpreted at Runtime	p. 31
Advantages of Using VBScript	p. 34
Is VBScript Right for You?	p. 35
How VBScript Fits In with the Visual Basic Family	p. 35
What Can You Do with VBScript?	p. 37
Tool of the Trade--Tools for VBScript	p. 40
Summary	p. 41
Chapter 3 Data Types	p. 43
Overview	p. 43
Scripting Languages as Loosely Typed	p. 43
Why Data Types Are Important	p. 44
The Variant: VBScript's Only Data Type	p. 46
Arrays as Complex Data Types	p. 68
Summary	p. 77
Chapter 4 Variables and Procedures	p. 79
Overview	p. 79
Option Explicit	p. 79
Naming Variables	p. 81
Procedures and Functions	p. 82
Variable Declaration and Scope	p. 90
Variable Lifetime	p. 92
Design Strategies for Scripts and Procedures	p. 93
ByRef and ByVal	p. 96
Literals and Named Constants	p. 98
Summary	p. 103
Chapter 5 Control of Flow	p. 105
Branching Constructs	p. 105
Loop Constructs	p. 110
Summary	p. 124
Chapter 6 Error Handling and Debugging	p. 125
Overview	p. 125
Types of Errors	p. 126
Error Visibility and Context	p. 132
Handling Errors	p. 134
Generating Custom Errors	p. 143
Debugging	p. 148
Summary	p. 171
Chapter 7 The Scripting Runtime Objects	p. 173
Overview	p. 173
What Are Runtime Objects?	p. 173
The Built-In Objects: Debug, Err, and RegExp	p. 174
Creating Objects	p. 174
Properties and Methods	p. 175
The "With" Keyword	p. 175
Objects Can Have Multiple References	p. 176
Object Lifetime and Destroying Objects	p. 178
The Dictionary Object	p. 179
The FileSystemObject Library	p. 186
Summary	p. 197
Chapter 8 Classes in VBScript (Writing Your Own COM Objects)	p. 199
Overview	p. 199
Objects, Classes, and Components	p. 199
The Class Statement	p. 201
Defining Properties	p. 202
Defining Methods	p. 208
Class Events	p. 210
Class-Level Constants	p. 212
Class-Level Arrays	p. 213
Building and Using a Sample VBScript Class	p. 214
Summary	p. 222
Chapter 9 Regular Expressions	p. 223
Overview	p. 223
Introduction to Regular Expressions	p. 223
Regular Expressions in Action	p. 223
The RegExp Object	p. 228
A Few Examples	p. 244
Summary	p. 247
Chapter 10 Client-Side Web Scripting	p. 249
Overview	p. 249
Tools Of The Trade	p. 249
How Browser Scripting Works	p. 250
Different Scripting Languages	p. 251
Responding to Browser Events	p. 254
The Document Object Model	p. 269
Summary	p. 275
Chapter 11 Super-Charged Client-Side Scripting	p. 277
Overview	p. 277
Requirements	p. 277
Browser Security	p. 278
Scriptlets--Ancestors of Behaviors	p. 278
Event Management	p. 286
Scriptlets Are Deprecated in IE5	p. 292
HTML Components (HTCs)	p. 294
Summary	p. 304
Chapter 12 Windows Script Host	p. 307
Overview	p. 307
Tools of the Trade	p. 308
What Is WSH?	p. 308
Types of Script Files	p. 309
Running Scripts with the Windows Script Host	p. 310
Using .WSH Files to Launch Scripts	p. 312
Windows Script Host Intrinsic Objects	p. 313
Summary	p. 361
Chapter 13 Windows Script Components	p. 363
Overview	p. 363
What Are Windows Script Components?	p. 363
What Tools Do You Need?	p. 364
The Script Component Runtime	p. 364
Script Component Files	p. 365
Exposing Properties, Methods, and Events	p. 374
Registration Information	p. 378
Creating the Script Component Type Libraries	p. 380
Script Components for ASP	p. 382
Compile-Time Error Checking	p. 384
Using VBScript Classes in Script Components	p. 385
Summary	p. 388
Chapter 14 Script Encoding	p. 389
Overview	p. 389
Limitations of Script Encoding	p. 389
Why Encode Scripts?	p. 390
How to Encode Script	p. 390
Encoded Scripts-Do's and Don'ts	p. 404
Decoding the Script	p. 405
Other Methods of Script Obfuscation	p. 405
Summary	p. 406
Chapter 15 Remote Scripting	p. 407
Overview	p. 407
The Influence of JScript on Remote Scripting	p. 407
How Remote Scripting Works	p. 408
Using VBScript for Remote Scripting	p. 408
Invoking a Remote Method	p. 410
Summary	p. 414
Chapter 16 HTML Applications	p. 415
What is an HTML Application?	p. 415
What Tools Do You Need?	p. 416
How to Create a Basic HTA	p. 416
The HTA: Application Element	p. 420
HTAs and Security	p. 428
HTA Deployment Models	p. 432
What Isn't Supported with HTAs?	p. 433
Summary	p. 434
Chapter 17 Server-Side Web Scripting	p. 435
Overview	p. 435
The Anatomy of the HTTP Protocol	p. 436
Introducing Active Server Pages	p. 441
The Active Server Pages Object Model	p. 444
Using Active Server Pages Effectively	p. 460
Summary	p. 468
Chapter 18 Adding VBScript to Your VB Applications	p. 469
Overview	p. 469
Why Add Scripting to Your Application?	p. 469
Macro and Scripting Concepts	p. 470
Adding the Script Control to a VB Application	p. 471
Script Control Reference	p. 472
Error Handling with the Script Control	p. 488
Debugging	p. 491
Using Encoded Scripts	p. 491
Sample Project	p. 492
Summary	p. 497
Appendix A VBScript Functions and Keywords	p. 499
Appendix B Variable Naming Convention	p. 569
Appendix C Coding Convention	p. 571
Appendix D Visual Basic Constants Supported in VBScript	p. 575
Appendix E VBScript Error Codes and the Err Object	p. 581
Appendix F The Scripting Runtime Library Object Reference	p. 597
Appendix G The Windows Script Host Object Model	p. 609
Appendix H Regular Expressions	p. 619
Appendix I VBScript Features not in VBA	p. 623
Appendix J VBA Features not in VBScript	p. 625
Appendix K The Variant Subtypes	p. 627
Appendix L ActiveX Data Objects	p. 631
Index	p. 657

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Table of Contents