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Last time we learned how you can pre-determine where your script is executed by using meta-comments inside your code. While this third installment also deals with execution in either 32 or 64 bit environments, the main gap being addressed today is between script development and working in a shell. For us developer types, the use of an IDE is pretty clear cut: We write code and we want as little dependency on our development machine as possible. Administrators once again live in two worlds: Of course you develop scripts that will run on other machines and, just as us, should…   More »

We have received a couple requests in the last few days to explain the security implications of using our Remote Script Execution Engine (RSEE). The RSEE service must be installed on a target machine and uses a configurable tcp/ip port to listen for incoming script execution requests from a PrimalScript instance. Another port is used to transport the output back to the requester. All traffic to and from RSEE is encrypted. This is no high level of encryption, it uses a very simple and fast algorithm that is sufficient in most cases. RSEE has no built-in authentication, as the assumption…   More »

One of the most important things for any type of development is quick and efficient access to help information. No matter whether you are a seasoned developer or just started to write scripts longer than five lines, at some point you will need help.Maybe you just need a reminder about what the parameters of a function are for or you need a detailed sample of how to use this newfangled cmdlet to produce meaningful output. PrimalScript had built-in context sensitive help for generations and PrimalForms equally had its built-in access to PowerShell help, but these took screen real estate away…   More »

The ILOVEYOU virus in the year 2000 gave Windows Script Host a bad rep because it simply executed every script you double clicked on. Now, mind you, I personally think that was much more the fault of the email clients that indiscriminately executed every attachment without hesitating and the users who where too infatuated with the message to look at the attachment's extension. Anyway, the Windows Script Host for VBScript and JScript files has a registry setting that allows scripts to run uninhibited or only if they are signed. The default is to run everything, so you better use group…   More »

PrimalScript 2009 usually uses CScript.exe to run VBScript files and captures its output and directs it to the IDE's output windows. Since PrimalScript 2009 is a 32 bit application the host used is also of the 32 bit variety, residing in the System32 folder of your Windows directory. If you are working on a 64 bit operating system and you have to use 64 bit COM objects you need to be able to run your scripts in 64 bit mode. In order to do that you can simply change what specific version of CScript.exe is used by specifying the full…   More »

SAPIEN's PowerShell training does indeed cover PowerShell V2. We offer PowerShell V2 training in the following forms: Self Paced Training - Our PowerShell Class-on-Disk series was developed by Don Jones and is a four DVD set consisting of Fundamentals, Intermediate and Advanced topics as well as a What's New in PowerShell V2 DVD. The Fundamentals disk has a three hour runtime, while the Intermediate, advanced and What's New disks run about 1.5 hours each. These can be purchased at www.scriptingoutpost.com. Classroom Training - An incredibly intense technology training course with an emphasis on small class size, extremely personal attention, and…   More »

It's actually kind of funny. I heard the same thing about VBScript years ago, about C++ a decade earlier, and being aware that I am dating myself here, about C, Pascal, Windows Programming, VI, Emacs, punch cards, VT100 terminals and about rubbing two sticks together to start a fire. The point is, everything that is new, unfamiliar and sufficiently complex requires some effort to learn. PowerShell contains quite some powerful constructs and commands, paired with a style of language that looks alien to the uninitiated. I understand that the sheer amount of $ signs, squiggly braces, underscores and nested parenthesis…   More »

Some folks wandered by our booth and after realizing that some of our products involve editing scripts of various languages reacted with statements like: "I use notepad, it works fine", "Notepad is just on every machine" or "What would you do that Notepad can't do.?" Others bowed their head almost in shame while admitting that they use notepad. First of all, there is nothing wrong with using notepad if you have nothing else available, you make do with what you have. How much more of a sophisticated editor on top of just plain Notepad you need is for you to…   More »

Many of you folks came by our booth at TechEd and asked about our PowerShell training options. Inevitably the question about learning VBScript came up: "With all the power of PowerShell, why do I need to learn VBScript?" If you pose this question to any language fan boy it usually turns into a discussion about which language is better. But it isn't a question of better or worse. It's not a competition. Some of us remember the discussions about C vs. Pascal, C vs. C++ vs. Delphi, C# vs. C++ or, last but not least, Java vs. all other languages.…   More »

As 64 bit Windows versions become more common, you need to deploy scripts automating 64 bit software as well as maintaining 32 bit versions of the same script. PrimalScript 2009 has always included a script packager that allowed you to wrap a variety of script types into 32 bit executables. With today's service release (5.0.627) you also get the option to build 64 bit executables out of the same script. If there are any differences between your 32 and 64 bit environments you will, of course, need to adapt your script accordingly. Building a 64 bit package is as simple…   More »