VBScript, WMI, and ADSI Unleashed: Using VBScript, WMI, and ADSI to Automate Windows Administration, Second Edition

Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Introduction......Page 20 How to Use This Book......Page 21 Part II: VBScript Tutorial......Page 22 Part III: Windows Management Instrumentation and Active Directory Services Interface......Page 24 Part IV: Advanced Scripting Techniques......Page 25 Part V: Ready-to-Run Examples......Page 26 Typographical Elements......Page 27 Sample Scripts—Explained......Page 28 Part I: Introduction to Windows Administrative Scripting......Page 30 Overview of Scripting......Page 32 Script Hosts......Page 33 ActiveX Scripting Languages......Page 35 Critical Scripting Security Issues......Page 37 VBScript Versus Windows PowerShell......Page 38 Summary......Page 39 Windows Script Host......Page 40 Command-Line Scripts......Page 42 Notepad and Script Editors......Page 44 Writing Your First Script......Page 52 Debugging Your First Script......Page 54 Summary......Page 56 A Typical VBScript......Page 58 Functions......Page 61 Subroutines......Page 62 Main Script......Page 63 Comments and Documentation......Page 67 Summary......Page 72 4 Designing a Script......Page 74 Creating a Task List......Page 75 Selecting the Appropriate Tools......Page 77 Creating Modules to Perform Tasks......Page 82 Validating User Input......Page 88 Planning for Errors......Page 89 Summary......Page 91 Part II: VBScript Tutorial......Page 92 5 Functions, Objects, Variables, and More......Page 94 Variables Defined......Page 95 Functions Defined......Page 104 Statements and Subroutines Defined......Page 111 Objects Defined......Page 113 Summary......Page 118 Displaying Messages......Page 120 Asking for Input......Page 127 Command-Line Parameters as Input......Page 129 Summary......Page 133 Numbers in VBScript......Page 134 Basic Arithmetic......Page 135 Advanced Arithmetic......Page 137 Boolean Math......Page 140 Converting Numeric Data Types......Page 145 Summary......Page 146 Strings in VBScript......Page 148 Working with Substrings......Page 150 Concatenating Strings......Page 154 Changing Strings......Page 158 Formatting Strings......Page 160 Converting Other Data Types to String Data......Page 161 Summary......Page 162 Working with Dates and Times......Page 164 Working with Arrays......Page 167 Working with Bytes......Page 171 Summary......Page 172 Conditional Execution......Page 174 Loops......Page 181 Putting It All Together......Page 186 Summary......Page 189 The WScript Object......Page 192 The Network Object......Page 193 The ADSystemInfo Object......Page 198 The Shell Object......Page 199 The Shortcut Object......Page 206 Objects in Detail......Page 208 Summary......Page 210 The FileSystemObject Library......Page 212 Working with Drives......Page 213 Working with Folders......Page 216 Working with Files......Page 222 Reading and Writing Text Files......Page 225 Other FSO Methods and Properties......Page 228 Creating a Log File Scanner......Page 230 Summary......Page 237 Designing the Script......Page 238 Writing Functions and Subroutines......Page 242 Writing the Main Script......Page 247 Testing the Script......Page 253 Summary......Page 263 Part III: Windows Management Instrumentation and Active Directory Services Interface......Page 264 Using ADSI Objects......Page 266 Using the WinNT Provider......Page 268 Using the LDAP Provider......Page 271 Other Providers......Page 273 Summary......Page 274 Querying Domain Information......Page 276 Changing Domain Settings......Page 278 Working with OUs......Page 279 Putting It All Together......Page 283 Summary......Page 288 Creating Users and Groups......Page 290 Querying User Information......Page 292 Changing User Settings......Page 293 Working with Groups......Page 294 Putting It All Together......Page 296 Summary......Page 300 The WMI Hierarchy......Page 302 Exploring WMI's Capabilities......Page 305 Installing WMI......Page 309 Using the WMI Tools......Page 310 The Easy Way to Write WMI Scripts......Page 312 Summary......Page 316 The WMI Query Language (WQL)......Page 318 Determining What to Query......Page 323 Testing the Query......Page 325 Writing the Query in VBScript......Page 327 Using the Query Results......Page 331 Alternative Methods......Page 333 Summary......Page 335 Understanding WMI Relationships......Page 336 Associating WMI Instances......Page 340 Testing the Query......Page 344 Writing the Query in VBScript......Page 345 Another Example......Page 349 Summary......Page 352 Designing the Script......Page 354 Writing Functions and Subroutines......Page 359 Writing the Main Script......Page 362 Testing the Script......Page 370 Summary......Page 374 21 Testing and Debugging WMI and ADSI Queries......Page 376 Debugging WMI Queries......Page 377 Debugging ADSI Queries......Page 385 Summary......Page 389 Part IV: Advanced Scripting Techniques......Page 390 Looking for Modules......Page 392 Scripting and XML......Page 397 Summary......Page 407 23 Scripts Packaging and Protection......Page 408 Writing Encoded Scripts......Page 409 Running Encoded Scripts......Page 412 Script Packaging......Page 413 Summary......Page 416 Why Scripting Can Be Dangerous......Page 418 Security Improvements in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003......Page 419 Digitally Signing Scripts......Page 421 Running Only Signed Scripts......Page 423 Ways to Implement Safe Scripting......Page 424 Summary......Page 426 25 Introduction to HTML Applications......Page 428 How an HTA Is Built......Page 429 Steps for Writing an HTA......Page 430 Summary......Page 439 Types of Bugs......Page 440 Preventing Syntax Errors......Page 441 Debugging Logic Errors......Page 444 Summary......Page 454 Part V: Ready-to-Run Examples......Page 456 27 Logon and Logoff Scripts......Page 458 NT and Active Directory Logon Scripts......Page 459 Active Directory–Specific Logon Scripts......Page 465 Active Directory Logoff Scripts......Page 470 Summary......Page 472 Automating User Creation......Page 474 Finding Inactive Users......Page 483 Collecting System Information......Page 488 Templates......Page 493 Summary......Page 499 Shutting Down Remote Computers......Page 500 Listing Remote Shares......Page 503 Finding Out Who Has a File Open......Page 505 Uninstalling Remote MSI Packages......Page 508 Listing Hot Fixes and Software......Page 511 Summary......Page 514 The All-Purpose WMI Query Script......Page 516 The All-Purpose WMI Update Script......Page 518 The All-Purpose ADSI Object Creation Script......Page 519 The All-Purpose ADSI Object Deletion Script......Page 521 Mass Password Changes with ADSI......Page 522 Updating Service Accounts......Page 524 Summary......Page 527 Appendix: Administrator's Quick Script Reference......Page 528 A......Page 542 B......Page 544 C......Page 545 D......Page 547 E......Page 549 F......Page 550 H......Page 553 I......Page 554 L......Page 555 M......Page 557 N......Page 559 O......Page 560 P......Page 561 R......Page 563 S......Page 564 T......Page 568 U......Page 569 V......Page 570 W......Page 571 X–Z......Page 574

If you’re a Windows administrator, scripting expertise can liberate you from boring, repetitive work–so you can take on the sophisticated, high-value projects you really want. Top scripting guru Don Jones has written the definitive administrator’s guide to getting results with Microsoft’s key scripting technologies: VBScript, WMI, and ADSI.

Jones draws on his unsurpassed experience training Windows administrators in conferences, classes, and from his enormously popular site, ScriptingAnswers.com.

You’ll learn how to use VBScript, WMI, and ADSI to gain administrative control over nearly every aspect of every recent Windows server or client, including Windows Server 2003, Vista, XP, 2000, and NT. As you gain experience, Jones introduces more advanced techniques, ranging from modular scripting and script encryption to integrating VBScript with HTML code.

Jones concludes with a full section of ready-to-run, real-world examples–from logon/logoff scripts to automated domain and network administration, from querying WMI to creating Active Directory groups. Every script is explained line-by-line, with challenging techniques described in even greater detail.

Detailed information on how to...

• Decide what you can script: a framework for getting started fast
• Understand how scripts are designed, assembled, and run
• Master VBScript from start to finish: functions, I/O, data manipulation, program flow, and much more
• Use scripting objects for tasks ranging from retrieving network information to mapping drives
• Utilize FileSystemObject to manipulate the Windows filesystem
• Write ADSI scripts to manipulate any directory service your company uses, from Active Directory to Novell NDS
• Modify domain information, users, groups, and policies
• Query WMI information–from basic to advanced
• Plan for errors, and test and debug your scripts
• Build your own “resource kit” of reusable script components

ON THE WEB:

Download all examples and source code presented in this book from ScriptingAnswers.com, where you’ll also be able to post follow-up questions directly to the author in a moderated, active community.

Introduction 1

Part I: Introduction to Windows Administrative Scripting 11

Chapter 1: Scripting Concepts and Terminology 13

Chapter 2: Running Scripts 21

Chapter 3: The Components of a Script 39

Chapter 4: Designing a Script 55

Part II: VBScript Tutorial 73

Chapter 5: Functions, Objects, Variables, and More 75

Chapter 6: Input and Output 101

Chapter 7: Manipulating Numbers 115

Chapter 8: Manipulating Strings 129

Chapter 9: Manipulating Other Types of Data 145

Chapter 10: Controlling the Flow of Execution 155

Chapter 11: Built-In Scripting Objects 173

Chapter 12: Working with the File System 193

Chapter 13: Putting It All Together: Creating Your First Script from Scratch 219

Part III: Windows Management Instrumentation and Active Directory Services Interface 245

Chapter 14: Working with ADSI Providers 247

Chapter 15: Manipulating Domains 257

Chapter 16: Manipulating Users and Groups 271

Chapter 17: Understanding WMI 283

Chapter 18: Querying Basic WMI Information 299

Chapter 19: Querying Complex WMI Information 317

Chapter 20: Putting It All Together: Your First WMI/ADSI Script 335

Chapter 21: Testing and Debugging WMI and ADSI Queries 357

Part IV: Advanced Scripting Techniques 371

Chapter 22: Modular Script Programming 373

Chapter 23: Scripts Packaging and Protection 389

Chapter 24: Scripting Security 399

Chapter 25: Introduction to HTML Applications 409

Chapter 26: Debugging Tips, Tools, and Techniques 421

Part V: Ready-to-Run Examples 437

Chapter 27: Logon and Logoff Scripts 439

Chapter 28: Windows and Domain Administration Scripts 455

Chapter 29: Network Administration Scripts 481

Chapter 30: WMI and ADSI Scripts 497

Appendix 509

Index 523

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This is the eBook version of the printed book. If the print book includes a CD-ROM, this content is not included within the eBook version. If you're a Windows administrator, scripting expertise can liberate you from boring, repetitive work–so you can take on the sophisticated, high-value projects you really want. Top scripting guru Don Jones has written the definitive administrator's guide to getting results with Microsoft's key scripting technologies: VBScript, WMI, and ADSI. Jones draws on his unsurpassed experience training Windows administrators in conferences, classes, and from his enormously popular site, ScriptingAnswers.com. You'll learn how to use VBScript, WMI, and ADSI to gain administrative control over nearly every aspect of every recent Windows server or client, including Windows Server 2003, Vista, XP, 2000, and NT. As you gain experience, Jones introduces more advanced techniques, ranging from modular scripting and script encryption to integrating VBScript with HTML code. Jones concludes with a full section of ready-to-run, real-world examples–from logon/logoff scripts to automated domain and network administration, from querying WMI to creating Active Directory groups. Every script is explained line-by-line, with challenging techniques described in even greater detail. Detailed information on how to... Decide what you can script: a framework for getting started fast Understand how scripts are designed, assembled, and run Master VBScript from start to finish: functions, I/O, data manipulation, program flow, and much more Use scripting objects for tasks ranging from retrieving network information to mapping drives Utilize FileSystemObject to manipulate the Windows filesystem Write ADSI scripts to manipulate any directory service your company uses, from Active Directory to Novell NDS Modify domain information, users, groups, and policies Query WMI information–from basic to advanced Plan for errors, and test and debug your scripts Build your own “resource kit” of reusable script components ON THE WEB: Download all examples and source code presented in this book from ScriptingAnswers.com, where you'll also be able to post follow-up questions directly to the author in a moderated, active community. Introduction 1 Part I: Introduction to Windows Administrative Scripting 11 Chapter 1: Scripting Concepts and Terminology 13 Chapter 2: Running Scripts 21 Chapter 3: The Components of a Script 39 Chapter 4: Designing a Script 55 Part II: VBScript Tutorial 73 Chapter 5: Functions, Objects, Variables, and More 75 Chapter 6: Input and Output 101 Chapter 7: Manipulating Numbers 115 Chapter 8: Manipulating Strings 129 Chapter 9: Manipulating Other Types of Data 145 Chapter 10: Controlling the Flow of Execution 155 Chapter 11: Built-In Scripting Objects 173 Chapter 12: Working with the File System 193