Lightweight yet powerful, VBScript from Microsoft® is used in four main areas: server-side web applications using Active Server Pages (ASP), client-side web scripts using Internet Explorer, code behind Outlook forms, and automating repetitive tasks using Windows Script Host (WSH). VBScript in a Nutshell, Second Edition delivers current and complete documentation for programmers and system administrators who want to develop effective scripts.

Completely updated for VBScript 5.6, WSH 5.6 and ASP 3.0, VBScript In a Nutshell, Second Edition includes updated introductory chapters that will help you keep current with the significant changes since the first edition was published. New chapters introduce the Windows Script Component for creating binary COM components, and the Script Encoder.

The main part of the book is a comprehensive reference focusing on VBScript essentials with an alphabetical reference to all statements, keywords and objects, and a section of notes and solutions to real-world gotchas--various undocumented behaviors and aspects of the language--to help you avoid potential problems. Each entry in the reference section details the following:

• The keyword's syntax, using standard code conventions
• A list of arguments accepted by the function or procedure, if any exist
• A discussion of how and where the keyword should be used within the scripting environment
• A discussion of the differences between the operation of the keyword in Visual Basic or VBA and in VBScript

Regardless of your level of experience programming with VBScript, VBScript in a Nutshell, Second Edition is the book you'll want by your side--the most complete, up-to-date, and easy-to-use language reference available.

Average Customer Review: ( 31 customer reviews )
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I needed a good VBScript reference book to consult when doing scripting projects for my company. The entire book isn't just a reference to the VBScript language-- that's only about half of the book. The reference is organized alphabetically and contains a description, rules and usually a decent example of the VBScript function, statement, method, etc.

So the surprise is the first half of the book, and it may be important to you and it may not. There are 20 pages on general program structure that most every programmer will find boring: pasing parameters by reference, passing variables into a subroutine, etc. After 8 more pages on data types and 22 pages on error handling/debugging, the authors included four other sections on VBScript with Active Server Pages, Programming Outlook forms, Windows Script Host, and VBScript with Internet Explorer. I found these sections to be out of the scope of what I was looking for in what O'Reilly calls a "desktop quick reference" book: simply a reference to the language.

I gave it four stars because the thing is only $( ) and you are getting 500 pages. I bought the book for the reference, even if it has this other stuff I don't care about. If you are programming VBScript or ASP in Notepad without "Help" to consult, this may be the best pure VBScript book out there. It will come in handy.

22 of 22 found the following review helpful:

Great ReferenceJul 25, 2000

Covers EVERYTHING. Scripting techniques, error handling, differences between VB, VBA and VBScript, Structuring your program for reuse, etc. It gives a quick, down and dirty, high-level overview of the places you're most likely to use VBScript -- ASP, IE, Outlook and Windows Shell Scripts (wsh) -- and an incredible reference to nearly every VBScript function, procedure and call.

This book is not for the beginner looking to learn the language -- it's for the intermediate or advanced scripter who already knows a little but needs a reference to know HOW to use the functions, etc. It excels in this regard, not only explaining every command and option under VBScript, but also the syntax, parameters, rules and even 'Programming Tips & Gotchas'.

In short, if you need a true reference that documents nearly every facet of the VBScript language, this is a must have.

11 of 11 found the following review helpful:

How did I manage this before?Oct 14, 2000
By Jase T. Wolfe
This is the best VBScript I have ever read. Explanations when appropriate, examples where needed, and a virtually complete reference section, formatted exactly as a reference book should be - command, syntax, parameters, returns and examples. Easy to find exactly what you are looking for. This book has save me a considerable amount of reference time, as well as giving me the info I needed when I needed it. My hat off the authors, this book is worth every penny I paid for it - and then some.

11 of 12 found the following review helpful:

best VBScript reference book availableJun 24, 2000

I have always favored O'Reilly reference books and this one is no exception. It is the only book I need for writing VBScript in Active Server Pages. Being a programmer who never programmed in VB before but wanted to learn ASP, I needed a complete, well-indexed guide to the language - THIS IS IT!

5 of 5 found the following review helpful:

Great reference book.Jun 06, 2001
By M.M.
Don't buy this book if you want to read a book about VBscript. But, if you need a reference book to look up arguments, return values, etc., this book is awesome. I use mine every day.

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