What is the equivalent of a Batch ECHO Command using VBScript?

Question

We currently use Windows Batch (DOS) command files to control our process flow. To display messages to the Console, we would use the ECHO command. These messages would show up in our Scheduler software, which used to be Tivoli and now is CA WA Workstation\ ESP.

I would like to start using VBS files instead of CMD\BAT files and am trying to figure out how to do the equivalent of an ECHO to the console.

When I try to use either the WScript.Echo command or write to Standard Out, the messages are displayed in dialog boxes for both and they require the OK button to be pushed to continue. Not surprisingly, when I run unattended though a scheduler, the job hits one of these commands and just hangs since there is no one to OK the messagebox.

SET FS = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
SET StdOut = FS.GetStandardStream(1)
StdOut.Write("Test 1")

WScript.echo("Test 2")

I realize I could write the messages to a Log file using the Scripting object, but this could fail if an invalid path is provided or because of insufficient permissions. Besides, being able to see feedback write within the Scheduler is awfully convenient.

How do I write to the Console using VBScript? I’ve seen other posts here that suggest that the above methods which didn't work for the reason describe above were the way to do it.

I would strongly recommend switching to PowerShell instead of VBScript. — Ansgar Wiechers

JohnLBevan JohnLBevan · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-02T19:07:48

wscript.echo is the correct command - but to output to console rather than dialogue you need to run the script with cscript instead of wscript.

You can resolve this by

running your script from command line like so:
```
cscript myscript.vbs
```
changing the default file association (or creating a new file extension and association for those scripts you want to run with cscript).
change the engine via the script host option (i.e. as per http://support.microsoft.com/kb/245254)
```
cscript //h:cscript //s
```

Or you can add a few lines to the start of your script to force it to switch "engine" from wscript to cscript - see http://www.robvanderwoude.com/vbstech_engine_force.php (copied below):

RunMeAsCScript

'do whatever you want; anything after the above line you can gaurentee you'll be in cscript 

Sub RunMeAsCScript()
        Dim strArgs, strCmd, strEngine, i, objDebug, wshShell
        Set wshShell = CreateObject( "WScript.Shell" )
        strEngine = UCase( Right( WScript.FullName, 12 ) )
        If strEngine <> "\CSCRIPT.EXE" Then
                ' Recreate the list of command line arguments
                strArgs = ""
                If WScript.Arguments.Count > 0 Then
                        For i = 0 To WScript.Arguments.Count
                                strArgs = strArgs & " " & QuoteIt(WScript.Arguments(i)) 
                        Next
                End If
                ' Create the complete command line to rerun this script in CSCRIPT
                strCmd = "CSCRIPT.EXE //NoLogo """ & WScript.ScriptFullName & """" & strArgs
                ' Rerun the script in CSCRIPT
                Set objDebug = wshShell.Exec( strCmd )
                ' Wait until the script exits
                Do While objDebug.Status = 0
                        WScript.Sleep 100
                Loop
                ' Exit with CSCRIPT's return code
                WScript.Quit objDebug.ExitCode
        End If
End Sub

'per Tomasz Gandor's comment, this will ensure parameters in quotes are covered:
function QuoteIt(strTemp) 
        if instr(strTemp," ") then
                strTemp = """" & replace(strTemp,"""","""""") & """"
        end if
        QuoteIt = strTemp
end function

What is the equivalent of a Batch ECHO Command using VBScript?

1 Answers