MORE INFORMATION
WSH is a language-independent scripting host for 32-bit Windows platforms.
Microsoft provides both Microsoft Visual Basic Script and Java Script
scripting engines with WSH. It serves as a controller of ActiveX scripting
engines, just as Microsoft Internet Explorer does. Because the scripting
host is not a full Internet browser, it has a smaller memory footprint
than Internet Explorer; therefore, WSH is appropriate for performing
simple, quick tasks. Scripts can be run directly from the desktop by
double-clicking a script file, or from a command prompt. WSH provides a
low-memory scripting host that is ideal for non-interactive scripting
needs such as logon scripting, administrative scripting, and so on. WSH
can be run from either the protected-mode Windows-based host
(Wscript.exe), or the real-mode command shell-based host (Cscript.exe).
Installing Windows Script Host
To install the Windows Script Host, please see the following Microsoft Web site:
NOTE: Windows Script Host is included in Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.
Running Scripts
To run scripts from within Windows, you can use one of the following methods:
- Double-click a .vbs or .js file.
- Click Start, click Run, and then type the name of a .vbs
or .js file in the Open box.
NOTE: Internet Explorer 4.0 and later treat WSH objects as unsafe ActiveX
controls. If a Web site tries to initialize or script a WSH object (for
example, to access files on your local computer), Internet Explorer does
not initialize or script the object at high or medium security settings
and provides the following warnings at low security:
Internet Explorer 5:
Some software (ActiveX controls) on this page
might be unsafe. It is recommended that you not
run it. Do you want to allow it to run?
Internet Explorer 4.0, 4.01, 4.01 Service Pack 1:
An ActiveX object on this page may be unsafe.
Do you want to allow it to initialize and be
accessed by scripts?
To enable Internet Explorer 4.0 or later to initialize and script WSH
objects from a Web page without warnings (not recommended), select a
custom setting for the security zone where the Web page resides, and
enable the
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe
option.
Note that Web sites can also create links to .vbs or .js files on a Web
page. When you click such a link in Internet Explorer, a
File Download
dialog box appears prompting you (by default) to either open the file from
its current location or save the file to disk. If you click
Open, the file
is downloaded and run from your local file system bypassing Internet
Explorer's security settings.
IMPORTANT: If you click
Open in the File Download dialog box and click the
Always ask before opening this type of file check box to clear it,
Internet Explorer no longer prompts you with a File Download dialog box.
To cause Internet Explorer to prompt you with a File Download dialog box
again, follow these steps:
- In My Computer, click Folder Options on the View menu.
- On the File Types tab, select the appropriate registered file type
(.vbs or .js).
- Click Edit, and then click the Confirm open after download
check box to select it.
- Click OK, and then click OK again.
Several "HTML viruses" have been reported to use WSH objects. For example,
HTML.Internal (or HTML.Prepend), HTML.Offline, and
HTML.Redirect.Companion. Anti-virus software should not be necessary to
protect you from such viruses provided you follow safe computing practices
(including not installing software or scripts from unknown and untrusted
sources). Viruses that use WSH objects do not expose or exploit any
security issue regarding the Windows or Internet Explorer suite of
products. Anytime you install software or run scripts from unknown or
untrusted sources, you risk compromising your computer.
Minimum Requirements for WSH
The minimum requirement for WSH to function is Internet Explorer version
3.0 or later. WSH relies on the Visual Basic Script and Java Script
engines provided in Internet Explorer.
Troubleshooting WSH
Several sample scripts are installed in the Windows\Samples\WSH folder. If
these scripts run correctly, but others do not, contact the author of the
script for support. Support and additional information is also available
on the following Microsoft Web site: