May 10, 2007 / by SAPIEN Technologies / Software News, VBScript / 2 Comments

It’s a book… it’s a software product… it’s two in one!

The development team at SAPIEN has let slip another new feature coming in the next version of PrimalScript: Integrated VBScript Help. But THIS is no ordinary help! As you know, with Windows PowerShell, PrimalScript (the current version) can extract cmdlet help right from the shell. With VBScript, the product can’t do this, since there IS no help “built in.” PrimalScript already lets you integrate with the downloadable VBScript help: Properly configured, you can move your cursor to any keyword, press F1, and get the official help information straight from Microsoft. Problem is, Microsoft keeps taking the downloadable docs offline, and SAPIEN can’t legally distribute them since we don’t own them.

You may be aware that Jeffery Hicks is working on WSH and VBScript Core: TFM™, a new title coming soon from SAPIEN Press (www.sapienpress.com/wshcore.asp). This book is the end-all, be-all reference for Windows administrators using VBScript, with detailed, real-world examples for nearly everything VBScript and WSH contain. So the SAPIEN developers started thinking, why not integrate with that content?

And so they did. When the next version of PrimalScript ships, you’ll basically get the entire contents of WSH and VBScript Core: TFM integrated right into PrimalScript! Just move your cursor over a VBScript keyword or WSH object, press F1, and up pops nicely-formatted, super-detailed, administrator-specific help by Jeffery Hicks! The book is still a great printed reference (especially if you don’t own PrimalScript), but having a complete reference book integrated with a visual development environment is a real first in the scripting world!

As soon as we can sneak some screen shots of this new feature in action, we’ll post ‘em at www.primalscript.com/psnextpreview.asp. Until then, keep your eyes peeled for more new features from PrimalScript v.Next!