its certainly very handy indeed - I have written several gui-based
apps (including a working HTTPS Certificate generator) in vbscript,
using his modal and non-modal forms.
http://mysite.verizon.net/res1ur2j/tlviewer.htm is also invaluable,
as is EBCrypt (the activex wrapper for Openssl that the vbs ca uses)
- I could use wshATO but I don't allow that on systems (the potential
for horrible misshaps is just too high
Yes, the VBS route can be somewhat precarious.
Its reputation
certainly wasn't helped with the IE/OE default settings allowing running
scripts, and the script kiddies taking advantage of it. Then the
misinformed hype that all vbs is evil and must never be allowed to run
on any computer in any capacity. Still, used for productivity rather
than destruction, I reckon it's one of the better new innovations for
Windows.
The final item I find invaluable is - Crystal Reports Development
Edition. Despite this being expensive payware, as a developer you are
freely allowed to distribute packages using its ActiveX control -
which is fully scriptable and responds well to vbscript requests to
(for example) process a raw text file into a pretty PDF document, a
screen display, an excel spreadsheet or a printed page; you can even
design your own reports "on the fly" using a blank, empty report and
a bit of minipulation of various exposed methods.
This is also very interesting. Very often we prepare some sample Crystal
reports of SQL queries to ship with our software. The easiest solution
(for us) is to ship the shareware installer too, and let the client
decide if they want to purchase it. There's also a more basic report
program called RPV you might want to check out. The lite version (still
quite good) is free:
www.rpvreport.com
While it would be illegal for me to give you the bare activex
component, or for you to redistribute any such component you may
have, I can't imagine it is illegal for you to use a component you
already have legally on your pc due to being installed by a (eg) VB
program as part of its runtime support. I guess someone else in here
can tell us about that *hint* *grin*
Hehe
This discussion (or similar) has been the subject of conjecture
for a while. What happens, for instance, if you install some
trial/shareware, which carries with it the licence for the author to
distribute these components? Then, as a user, you decide to uninstall,
but "forget" to uninstall certain components
from your system
directory. You then have their functionality. As an author/vendor, you
could do the same thing - tell the client to install XYZ trial version
of whatever, then instruct them on how to do a "custom" uninstall, then
install *your* program, which contains no forbidden redistributable
components. All very sus ;-)
Anyway, you have some great links there. Any more that crop up, don't
hesitate to post.
If you can still be bothered, you can mail (as a