WScript Editor Install

[OldGuy]

I am on holiday but doing a little work on the laptop.
I have a .vbs script that is written only with a setup for Win 7 OS use
and not used with any of the Office apps.

BTW I am new to WScript. So enlighten me please.

1) Can I download WScript Editor alone (or?) to allow editing and
stepping through the .vbs that I have? I need to step through the
.vbs.

2) is there another free app that I can use to edit/step?

3) I have (not with me) the install for Office 2003, XP and Office
2007.
What is the difference regarding WScript? Any particular one needed
for Win 7 and on?

TIA



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[Evertjan.]

Post by OldGuy
I am on holiday but doing a little work on the laptop.
I have a .vbs script that is written only with a setup for Win 7 OS use
and not used with any of the Office apps.
BTW I am new to WScript. So enlighten me please.
1) Can I download WScript Editor alone (or?) to allow editing and
stepping through the .vbs that I have? I need to step through the
.vbs.

Cscript and Wscript execute textfile-scripts,
so you do not need and there is no dedicated editor,
any editor will do.

Try: Editpadlight for starters,
as you get some nice script colouring and more,
<http://www.editpadlite.com/>
but any text-editor will do, like notepad.

Post by OldGuy
2) is there another free app that I can use to edit/step?

See above

Post by OldGuy
3) I have (not with me) the install for Office 2003, XP and Office
2007.
What is the difference regarding WScript? Any particular one needed
for Win 7 and on?

Cscript and Wscript are build in all modern MS-Windows versions,
XP, Vista, W7, W8, and others. MS-office has nothing to do here.

Next to VBscript, the topic of this NG, you can use Javascript as the
scripting language [and probably others as well].

[R.Wieser]

Hello OldGuy,

Post by OldGuy
1) Can I download WScript Editor alone

Simple answer ? Yes. But you do not need to.

Why ? Because a VBScript (.VBS) file is simply flat text, and you can edit
such files with any simple texteditor. Even 'notepad', 'write' or any
other text-editor you can find in a standard Windows installation.

Ofcourse, there are editors with support specifically for .VBS files
(offering syntax hi-lighting and so on).

Post by OldGuy
2) is there another free app that I can use to edit/step?

for the "edit" part see above.

for the "step" part ?

You can :

a) double-click the .VBS file.

b) execute 'wscript.exe' with the scriptname (including the .vbs extension)
as its argument. Its ouput will be in 'gui' mode (All "wscript.echo" will
cause pop-ups to be displayed)

c) open a "dos prompt" (cmd or command) and run 'cscript.exe' with the
scriptname (including the .vbs extension) as its argument. all
"wscript.echo" output will be done to the console (very handy for testing!)

No single-stepping I'm afraid though. The script will simply run until it
ends. You can insert your own "breakpoints" by inserting a popup-message at
the right places though.

Post by OldGuy
3) I have (not with me) the install for Office 2003,
XP and Office 2007.

In Windows XP 'wscript.exe' and 'cscript.exe' are part of the standard
installation.

Having said that, VBScript allows (extra) "Active-X" components to be
installed that you than can use in your script (you often get them as part
of an installation of another software product). If your scripts use such
extra components (to, for example, communicate with excell sheets or an
access database) you will not be able to use them on a standard Windows
installation.

Post by OldGuy
What is the difference regarding WScript?

For a "difference" you need (at least) two things. You named but one <huh?>
:-)

Post by OldGuy
Any particular one needed for Win 7 and on?

Sorry, can't help you there (never used it)

Hope that helps,
Rudy Wieser

Post by OldGuy
I am on holiday but doing a little work on the laptop.
I have a .vbs script that is written only with a setup for Win 7 OS use
and not used with any of the Office apps.
BTW I am new to WScript. So enlighten me please.
1) Can I download WScript Editor alone (or?) to allow editing and
stepping through the .vbs that I have? I need to step through the
.vbs.
2) is there another free app that I can use to edit/step?
3) I have (not with me) the install for Office 2003, XP and Office
2007.
What is the difference regarding WScript? Any particular one needed
for Win 7 and on?
TIA

[Dave "Crash" Dummy]

I am on holiday but doing a little work on the laptop. I have a .vbs
script that is written only with a setup for Win 7 OS use and not
used with any of the Office apps.
BTW I am new to WScript. So enlighten me please.
1) Can I download WScript Editor alone (or?) to allow editing and
stepping through the .vbs that I have? I need to step through the
.vbs.
2) is there another free app that I can use to edit/step?
3) I have (not with me) the install for Office 2003, XP and Office
2007. What is the difference regarding WScript? Any particular one
needed for Win 7 and on?

As Evertjan and R.Wieser have pointed out, all you need to create
VBScripts is a text editor, but as I understand it, you are looking for
something to help with debugging. I could be wrong, but I don't think
Microsoft Script Editor is available as a stand alone program. There
are some third party script debuggers, but I have never used them
and cannot recommend one specifically. I just insert break points in a
script if I need to pin down a problem.

Try Google:
http://www.google.com/search?q=vbscript%20editor

[Todd Vargo]

Post by OldGuy
I am on holiday but doing a little work on the laptop.
I have a .vbs script that is written only with a setup for Win 7 OS use
and not used with any of the Office apps.
BTW I am new to WScript. So enlighten me please.
1) Can I download WScript Editor alone (or?) to allow editing and
stepping through the .vbs that I have? I need to step through the .vbs.
2) is there another free app that I can use to edit/step?
3) I have (not with me) the install for Office 2003, XP and Office 2007.
What is the difference regarding WScript? Any particular one needed for
Win 7 and on?

As stated by others, there is no stepping feature in vbscript. Even if
you download an editor with highlighting features, it will still not
provide you with a stepping feature for vbscript.

You can insert MsgBox lines where needed to pause a program and report
on various values before allowing it to continue running.

[Mayayana]

| 1) Can I download WScript Editor alone (or?) to allow editing and
| stepping through the .vbs that I have? I need to step through the
| .vbs.
|
VBS is not really that complicated. I've never
even used the MS debugger, much less tried to
step through code. People might be able to offer
help if you explain what you're trying to accomplish.

Editors:

http://www.jsware.net/jsware/webed.php5

WEB-ED Editor. I wrote it especially for my own
purposes. It's $30 but you don't have to buy it
if you don't mind the nag screen at startup.

http://www.vbsedit.com/

VBSEdit. Simple but very functional. Also "nagware".
Incorporates the MS debugger.

| 2) is there another free app that I can use to edit/step?
|

The important things are syntax highlighting and
intellisense. Both WEB-ED and VBSEdit have both.
My editor has variable coloring, as well, which I
personally find very helpful.

Do you know about intellisense? The name comes
from Visual Studio. VBS in the WSH is a fairly limited
language, but it can load dispatch ("late bound")
COM objects, which allows it to do nearly anything.
MS Office and IE can both be automated by VBS.
And there are lots of 3rd-party libraries that can
be used. Intellisense refers to pop-up menus that
provide a list of methods and properties for the specific
COM object you're using. It's a very handy feature,
especially when you're not completely familiar with
the methods and properties of a given object.

.... We could all go on all day with tips and info., but
it's not clear from your post how much you know now
and what aspects you need help with.

With editors, in the final analysis, of course, it's up
to you. People tend to have strong feelings about their
favorite code editor. I don't think there's any easier
way to start an argument. :) The two mentioned above
are two very functional editors I'm aware of.

There also used to be Admin Script Editor
and Primal Script. I don't know if either is still around.
Both were popular with corporate types who do a lot
with WMI and don't have to pay for their own tools.
(Both were wildly overpriced.)

At the other extreme there are lots of capable basic
editors that can provide color syntax highlighting for VBS,
but those kinds of editors typically use a generic method
for coloring. They may be able to color highlight 30
different kinds of code, but they achieve that by simply
coloring keywords.

Also, it used to be possible with a few hacks to use
the MS Office VBA editor for VBScript. You might want
to look into that. I don't use MS Office, so I don't know
the details about that.