Welcome to the DevGuru VBScript Quick Reference guide. This is an extremely
comprehensive 247 page reference source that explains and gives examples of code, plus
the resultant output, for all of the constants, functions, methods, properties, objects,
operators, and statements that define this language.
VBScript, or by its full name, the Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition language, is a
simplified version of the Visual Basic and Visual Basic for Applications family of programming
languages. It is also considered to be closely related to the BASIC programming language.
VBScript is a scripting language. or more precisely a "scripting environment", which can
enhance HTML Web pages by making them active, as compared to a simple static display.
Specifically, VBScript was created by Microsoft to use either as a client-side scripting
language for the Microsoft Internet Explorer (versions 3.0 and later) or as a server-side
scripting language with the Microsoft Internet Information Server (versions 3.0 and later). A
primary advantage for using the server-side approach is that the VBScript is processed by
the server before it is transmitted to the client. Therefore, the client only receives an HTML
page and we do not have to concern ourselves as to whether the browser can interpret the
VBScript. In contrast, by using the client-side approach, you purposely transfer the work load
to the browser in order to reduce the work load of the server. Unfortunately, older or non-
Microsoft browsers may not be able to correctly interpret and display the transmitted file. In
addition to this, the source code is exposed to the browser user. On the brighter side, a client-
side program can produce a more-responsive application, since user input can be processed
on the client machine, and not sent back to the server for processing.
The true importance of VBScript is that it is the default language of Active Server Pages
(ASP).
ASP is an exciting technology from Microsoft that is of significant value to developers. ASP
extends standard HTML by adding built-in objects and server-side scripting, and by allowing
access to databases and other server-side ActiveX components. All of this means that it is
now even easier than ever to make your Web pages as dynamic and enticing as you desire.
For many Web-application developers, VBScript may very well be the most important
programming language.
VBScript Version 5.0 was released in 1999. Certainly, the most important new feature of
Version 5.0 is the ability to use the Class statement to create your own class objects. Other
new features of interest include the Timer function, the With statement, and regular
expression searching using the RegExp and Match objects.
Recently, Microsoft renamed VBScript Version 5.0 to Version 5.5 to signify that it is part of
the Windows Script Version 5.5 package.
