• Completely updated for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2003 R2, this book is packed with practical examples for today's programmer, Web developer, or system administrator
• Combines a comprehensive overview of the VBScript technology and associated technologies with sample code at every stage from beginner to advanced user
• Discusses the general syntax, functions, keywords, style, error handling, and similar language-specific topics and then moves into an expanded reference section covering the object models in detail
• Presents advanced coverage on Active Directory Service Interfaces (ADSI), PowerShell, security scripting, remote scripting, database scripting, and more

But I found "VBScript Programmer's Reference to be a useful book. I appreciated the section on Remote Scripting, which I put to good use in an intranet (MSIE5) web development project.

Anyone getting started in web development will find a maze of rapidly emerging software technologies to sort through. I encountered two problems that I simply did not know how to address. So I e-mailed a few of the authors of the text, hoping to get a reply.

To my surprise and delight, each one responded to my request and got me moving forward! I know that WROX cannot promise this kind of followup from all authors for all of its texts, but the folks who wrote VBScript are good guys who want to help. For the book and the remarkable followup they deserve at least 5-stars.


Far more than a reference   January 17, 2000
 49 out of 50 found this review helpful

This is far more than the standard reference book I'm used to. This is a tome of immeasurable quality. I was expecting a dry and cold text that I would refer to occassionaly; instead I got an excellent tutorial. The first 4 chapters define all the basics, and then there follow chapters on WSH, HTA's, COM, ADO, and many other topics that I wouldn't expect a reference book to cover.

The book also has 12 appendix chapters which go far beyond my expectations. All-in-all a very thorough, well written and reasonably priced book.


VBscript Programmer's Reference delivers the goods   September 13, 2000
 41 out of 42 found this review helpful

In this day and age, finding good CURRENT books on VBScript is becoming more and more of a holy quest. In the last year, only two come to mind: this book by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes et al (Oct. 99) and VBScript in a Nutshell by Paul Lomax (April 2000).

Well, I have both of these books. They are both very very good and both are very deserving of their overall high ratings.

Even so, I find myself using the VBScript Programmer's Reference a bit more than the other book. It is very comprehensive, very clear and I find myself having to pull it off the shelf time and time again. It's that good.

So, VBScripters out there, I recommend that if you only have enough money for two books on VBScript, purchase VBScript Programmer's Reference and VBScript in a Nutshell. I recommend that you buy VBScript Programmer's Reference first!


Not a reference on VBScript, but on HOW TO USE VBScript   March 16, 2000
 35 out of 37 found this review helpful

This book isn't a reference in the way you would think, but it is good at showing you real world examples of how you'll end up using VBScript. If they really only wanted a reference book they would have just published the pages from Appendix A, which is the part of the book I end up referring to most, but not having an index makes it difficult. Overall, a good reference - not on the language itself, but on its implementation and uses.


Would be 5 star but for a MAJOR annoyance   March 1, 2000
 28 out of 30 found this review helpful

Other glowing recommendations are all accurate. HOWEVER, the book is not really a VBScript reference, it is more of a "How to Implement VBScript" manual. The entire VBScript functions reference is contained in an appendix, and (here is the REALLY annoying part) that appendix is not indexed! So, if you want to find the proper syntax for the 'Mid' statement (the sort of thing for which one might expect to turn to their VBScript Reference), do not bother going to the index and trying to look up 'Mid'. It's not there. Nor are the other VBScript functions. Instead you need to find the appendix, and skim through it to find what you need. Not a fatal flaw, but extremely annoying.

If the rest of it were not so good I would have given this one star.