WSH by George Hernandez

Windows Scripting Host (WSH) is a Window administration tool built into the Windows operating system (OS). WSH can run many different scripting languages including the following:

VBScript
JavaScript/JScript
PERL
PerlScript
REXX
Python

Here are the different versions of WSH available:

1.0 is the default for Windows 95, 98, and NT 4.0.
2.0 is the default for Window 2000 and ME.
5.6 is available for download from Microsoft.

Scripts are ideal for short, sequential, and non-interactive tasks. Here are some of the various stand alone scripts:

.bat. MS-DOS batch file. Runs OS script.
.asp. ASP page file. Can run server or client side script.
.pl. PERL file.
.html. HTML web file. Can run client side script.
.js. JavaScript/JScript file. Included for client or server side. Runs OS script.
.vbs. VBScript file. Included for client or server side. Runs OS script.
.wsf. WSH file. Runs OS script. Can include script written in different languages either internal or external to the WSH file. A WSH file is an XML document (Extensible Markup Language) that can be edited with a plain text editor such as Notepad.

Search MSDN Microsoft for things like wsh and Basic Windows Script Host Tasks.

WSH Files

Here are some of the basic things a WSH file can do:

Have scripts written in different languages internal to the file.
Include, ie point to, other scripts that are external to the file.
Have several jobs where each job can be executed separately if needed.
Reference COM objects.
Since it is an XML document (Extensible Markup Language), it can be edited with a plain text editor such as Notepad.

WScript.exe returns results to a window, whereas CScript.exe returns results to a command line. Running a WSH file by double click it will run the WScript.exe. Running a WSH file from a command line will run either WScript.exe or CScript.exe.

EG

Place the following into plain text files called zgh.wsf, zgh.js, and zgh.vbs respectively.

<package>
<job id="j1">
    <?job debug="false" error="false" ?>
    <script language="JScript" src="zgh.js" />
    <script language="VBScript">
        s = GetFreeSpace("c:")
        WScript.Echo s
    </script>
</job>
<job id="j2">
    <?job debug="false" error="false" ?>
    <script language="VBScript" src="zgh.vbs" />
    <script language="VBScript">
        s = ReportFileStatus("C:\zgh.js")
        WScript.Echo s
    </script>
</job>
</package>

function GetFreeSpace(DirPath) {
    var fs, d, s;
    fs = new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject");
    d = fs.GetDrive(fs.GetDriveName(DirPath));
    s = "Drive " + DirPath + " - " ;
    s += d.VolumeName;
    s += " Free Space: " + d.FreeSpace/1024 + " Kbytes";
    return s;
}

Function ReportFileStatus(FileSpec)
    Dim fso, msg
    Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    If (fso.FileExists(FileSpec)) Then
        msg = FileSpec & " exists."
    Else
        msg = FileSpec & " doesn't exist."
    End If
    ReportFileStatus = msg
End Function

Run the WSH file at a command line:

CScript zgh.wsf //job:j2 //job:j1

Jobs can be run in any order. If no job is specified, the first one is run. If the WSH file contained only one job, then the <package> element is not necessary.

EG

This is an example of a wsh that I might run at startup.

<job id="j1">
<script language="VBScript">

Dim oShell
Set oShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.shell")

'oShell.run "C:\WINNT\explorer"
'WScript.Sleep 3000

oShell.run """C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\FRONTPG.EXE"" C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\pvtGH"
WScript.Sleep 14000

oShell.run """C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\FRONTPG.EXE"" C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\wwwGH"
WScript.Sleep 8000

oShell.run """c:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE"" http://www.google.com/"
WScript.Sleep 3000

oShell.run """c:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE"" http://mail.yahoo.com/"
WScript.Sleep 3000

oShell.run """c:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE"" http://localhost/wwwGH/Index.htm"
WScript.Sleep 3000

oShell.run """C:\WINNT\NOTEPAD.EXE"" ""C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\aaDesk.txt"""
WScript.Sleep 3000

Set oShell = Nothing

</script>
</job>

Page Modified: (Hand noted: 2007-09-13 18:13:28Z) (Auto noted: 2007-11-17 06:39:29Z)