8 VBScript Books That Empower Developers

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes brings over a decade of technology writing and hands-on teaching experience to this detailed guide, delivering a thorough exploration tailored for programmers, web developers, and system administrators working with VBScript. You gain a clear understanding of VBScript's syntax, functions, and error handling, alongside in-depth coverage of more complex topics like Active Directory Service Interfaces, PowerShell integration, and security scripting. The book’s practical examples span beginner to advanced levels, making it useful whether you’re automating tasks or developing web applications. Its focus on real-world scripting challenges means you’ll get more than just theory—you’ll find applicable techniques for today's Windows environments.

Ed Wilson, known as the Microsoft Scripting Guy, leverages decades of hands-on experience to guide you through mastering VBScript for Windows automation. His methodical, lab-based approach equips you with practical skills like managing files, configuring networks via WMI, and designing logon scripts with ADSI. The book’s strength lies in its clear breakdown of complex tasks such as registry editing and error handling, making scripting accessible for system administrators and IT professionals. Through detailed examples and over 100 sample scripts, you’ll gain confidence automating routine tasks across Windows environments, including Exchange Server and IIS.

This tailored book on VBScript mastery offers a focused journey through the scripting language, designed specifically to match your background and goals. It explores core concepts, syntax, and applications of VBScript, while diving into areas you want to develop further. The content reveals how to automate tasks, enhance web interactivity, and integrate with Windows environments, all aligned with your interests and skill level. By concentrating on your unique learning path, this personalized guide synthesizes expert knowledge into a clear, accessible format. You'll uncover essential practices and nuanced scripting techniques that directly support your objectives.

Paul B. Thurrott leverages his extensive background as a technology analyst and prolific author to demystify VBScript for web enthusiasts transitioning from HTML. This book teaches you the essentials of VBScript, focusing on how to enhance web pages with interactive elements like ActiveX Controls and Java applets. It caters both to less technical HTML coders seeking a solid introduction and to Visual Basic programmers adapting to web scripting. You’ll find practical examples and clear explanations that guide you through linking and automating web objects, making it a functional resource rather than a deep dive into advanced programming.

Paul Lomax's deep experience as a VB programmer shapes this compact yet detailed guide, born from his firsthand encounters with scripting challenges in real projects. You get an alphabetically arranged breakdown of every VBScript element—from syntax and functions to the Microsoft Scripting Runtime Library—that's designed to be your go-to quick reference. For example, it highlights string-handling functions and their arguments clearly, making it easy to recall and apply them while coding. This pocket-sized book suits anyone regularly writing or maintaining VBScript, whether for Active Server Pages, Internet Explorer scripting, or Windows Script Host automation, offering clarity without unnecessary fluff.

Unlike many programming references that merely list commands, this book offers a thorough alphabetical guide to VBScript's core syntax, functions, and objects, including subtle differences from VBA and practical notes on undocumented behaviors. Matt Childs and his co-authors draw from extensive industry experience to provide concrete examples, such as integrating scripts with MSIE and Windows Script Host environments. You'll gain clarity on VBScript's use in web development and system scripting, with detailed argument lists and return values demystifying how each statement functions. This makes it particularly useful for developers working with Active Server Pages and Windows automation who want a dependable, quick reference without fluff.

This tailored VBScript guide explores a focused path to accelerating your scripting skills in just 30 days. It covers core VBScript syntax, practical automation techniques, and integration with Windows environments, all matched to your experience and goals. The book reveals efficient script-building approaches, debugging methods, and ways to enhance web and administrative scripts, ensuring you grasp concepts relevant to your interests. By tailoring content specifically to your background, it provides a clear, personalized learning journey that moves beyond generic tutorials. This approach allows you to engage deeply with VBScript’s capabilities, focusing on the topics that matter to you and helping you gain confidence in your scripting projects.

Jeffery Hicks leverages nearly three decades of IT infrastructure expertise to craft a guide tailored specifically for Windows administrators grappling with VBScript and Windows Script Host. Unlike generic programming manuals, this book dives deep into administrative scripting, offering multiple, clear examples per function, method, or keyword to eliminate guesswork and web searches. You’ll find it especially useful if you need precise, actionable scripts rather than developer-focused content, with chapters dedicated to realistic administrative scenarios. While it demands some familiarity with scripting basics, it rewards you with clarity and confidence in managing Windows automation tasks effectively.

After years of hands-on technical work and community service, Steven Holzner crafted this guide to demystify web programming with VBScript for developers who want to leverage Microsoft's scripting language without diving into complex C++ code. You'll find clear explanations starting with foundational HTML concepts, then advancing to practical scripting techniques like managing form elements, creating dynamic web pages, and integrating ActiveX controls. The inclusion of a CD-ROM enhances your learning experience by providing ready-to-use code samples, making it a solid resource if you're aiming to build interactive web applications using VBScript. This book suits web developers seeking to expand their scripting toolkit, especially those transitioning from HTML to more powerful client-side programming.

John Walkenbach, widely respected for his programming expertise and prolific writing, approaches VBScript with a clear intent to demystify common frustrations faced by developers. This book guides you through the essentials of VBScript, helping you write cleaner, more efficient scripts by focusing on practical examples and troubleshooting techniques. You'll learn how to automate tasks, manage errors effectively, and integrate VBScript into your projects with confidence. Particularly useful for developers transitioning from other languages or those seeking to deepen their scripting skills, it balances foundational concepts with real-world application.