Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks, 2nd Edition

Chapter 9. Scripting and Automation

One of the ways to improve your experience with Windows XP is to reduce the time it takes to perform repetitive tasks, whether that involves backing up important files once a week, or generating custom web pages once every three seconds. Scripting, a form of very simple programming, is well suited to quick-and-dirty tasks, such as simple file operations, managing network connections, and even starting several programs with a single click of a button.

Scripts are plain-text files that can be written and executed without a special development environment and don't require a compiler — just use your favorite text editor, or Notepad. (Simply put, a compiler is a program that translates editable program source code into application executables, such as .exe and .dll files. Scripts are interpreted rather than compiled, which means that another program reads and executes the commands in the script, line by line.)

Windows comes with two forms of scripting: the Windows Script Host (WSH) and batch files. Both technologies have their strengths and limitations. Batch files are somewhat simpler to write, but WSH scripts are much more flexible and powerful and offer better user interaction. WSH scripts are Windows-based, and can take advantage of Windows services, such as printing, networking, and Registry access. DOS batch files can be run on any PC made after 1982, regardless of the version of Windows being used, but WSH scripts run only on Windows ...