Introduction to Script Programming with VBScript

Prerequisites:

This course assumes little since it is an introduction. Knowledge and use of the Windows interface would be beneficial.

Any delegates with good current practical experience of VB, VBA, or similar programming languages will find it better to go on the follow-on courses directly.

Course Description:

In many current technology areas there is often a need to automate tasks without the need to create a large application. This can be automating system administration tasks; dynamic web page creation; creating web page testing scripts. It is in this gap that scripting (or script programming) fits. Script programming within the Windows environment is very powerful. Scripts can ease the burden of a network administrator by automating repetitive and laborious tasks. They can make information from machines in the enterprise easily available. Scripts can access databases, text files and spreadsheets. They can make websites interactive and bring powerful functionality to the website designer's armory.

The creation of scripts, however, still needs knowledge of programming methodology – specifications, design, logical breakdown of the task and programming the script itself. This course will take the scripting novice, highlight the design and task analysis procedures, before going on to instruct in the use of VBScript to create scripts.

As well as requiring knowledge of script the successful scriptwriter will need knowledge of the environment their script will run in. This course finishes with the knowledge of how to access the environment (through the object model of that environment) and show examples of some common environments e.g. in a web environment as an .ASP page or as a useful tool for the network administrator in WSH.

Course Objectives

On completing this course, you will be able to:

- Understand the thought processes of a programmer
- Build basic specifications and flowcharts
- Understand VBScript programming syntax
- Understand the benefits of procedureal programming
- Create simple scripts
- Understand objects
- Recall a few object models

This course includes the following modules:

An Introduction To Programming

• Explanation of what a program is
• How to design a program
• Unserstanding the Specification
• Use Cases
• Flowcharts and Psuedo Code
• Logical layers
• Development LifeCycle
• Other Issues

VBScript Fundamentals

• What is scripting?
• Writing VBScript code
• Variables and constants
• Operators
• Boolean Logic
• Logical decision making
• Looping statements

Procedural Programming

• What is procedural programming
• Subroutines and Functions
• Writing and calling procedures
• Scope
• MsgBox and InputBox

VBScript in Other Environments

• Accessing environments through objects
• What is an object?
• Object syntax in VBScript
• Object models
• Standard objects in different environments

VBScript Language

• Functions provided in VBScript
• string, date and numeric functions
• Conversion Functions
• Is Functions