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