From the book lists at Adware Report:

All information current as of 19:05:57 Pacific Time, Monday, 21 February 2005. VBScript in a Nutshell, 2nd Edition    by Paul Lomax / Matt Childs / Ron Petrusha   Paperback:     O'Reilly     01 April, 2003    US$23.07     Usually ships in 24 hours Click the button below to . . .      (which will add the book to your Amazon U.S.A. "Shopping Cart") . . . or use your browser's Back button to return to the search-list page.

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Editorial description(s):

Amazon.com
Because it applies the concise and popular Nutshell format to Microsoft's preferred scripting language, VBScript in a Nutshell is a valuable learning resource and reference. Focusing on the core language rather than on any specific application, this book teaches how to write clear, efficient VBScript code. Whether developing for the Web, automating Windows, or customizing Microsoft Outlook, this book will help the reader do a better job.

Though it caters to new users, VBScript is mainly a reference book. Each piece of the core VBScript specification (plus the Dictionary and FileSystemObject objects that make up the Microsoft Scripting Runtime) is described in an alphabetized entry. For each statement, function, operator, and object, the book gives a quick description of the element's syntax, concise rules of its proper use, information on returned values (if any), and some examples of the language element used correctly in practice. Two additional sections on each language element will be valuable to novices and anyone stumped by errors: a "Rules at a Glance" section that documents correct usage, and a section called "Programming Tips & Gotchas" that highlights common mistakes. --David Wall

Topics covered: Core VBScript and the most important object models on which it operates, including Microsoft Internet Explorer and the Windows Scripting Host. Tutorial material and reference entries explain structure, syntax, and program design. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.


From Book News, Inc.
Intended for experienced programmers and system administrators, this guide explains how to create basic program structures in VBScript, incorporate VBScript code into an active server page, structure and run Outlook code, and add script to HTML pages, then details all the functions, statements, and object models in the VBScript language. The second edition covers VBScript 5.6 and adds a chapter on the Windows Script Component for creating binary COM components.Copyright © 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR


Book Description
Lightweight yet powerful, VBScript from Microsoft® is used in four main areas: server-side web applications using Active Server Pages (ASP), client-side web scripts using Internet Explorer, code behind Outlook forms, and automating repetitive tasks using Windows Script Host (WSH). VBScript in a Nutshell, Second Edition delivers current and complete documentation for programmers and system administrators who want to develop effective scripts. Completely updated for VBScript 5.6, WSH 5.6 and ASP 3.0, VBScript In a Nutshell, Second Edition includes updated introductory chapters that will help you keep current with the significant changes since the first edition was published. New chapters introduce the Windows Script Component for creating binary COM components, and the Script Encoder. Regardless of your level of experience programming with VBScript, VBScript in a Nutshell, Second Edition is the book you'll want by your side--the most complete, up-to-date, and easy-to-use language reference available.




Reader review(s):

Good reference, it may have information you don't care about, June 23, 2000
It's about time someone else reviewed this book!

I needed a good VBScript reference book to consult when doing scripting projects for my company. The entire book isn't just a reference to the VBScript language-- that's only about half of the book. The reference is organized alphabetically and contains a description, rules and usually a decent example of the VBScript function, statement, method, etc.

So the surprise is the first half of the book, and it may be important to you and it may not. There are 20 pages on general program structure that most every programmer will find boring: pasing parameters by reference, passing variables into a subroutine, etc. After 8 more pages on data types and 22 pages on error handling/debugging, the authors included four other sections on VBScript with Active Server Pages, Programming Outlook forms, Windows Script Host, and VBScript with Internet Explorer. I found these sections to be out of the scope of what I was looking for in what O'Reilly calls a "desktop quick reference" book: simply a reference to the language.

I gave it four stars because the thing is only $( ) and you are getting 500 pages. I bought the book for the reference, even if it has this other stuff I don't care about. If you are programming VBScript or ASP in Notepad without "Help" to consult, this may be the best pure VBScript book out there. It will come in handy.

Great Reference, July 24, 2000
Covers EVERYTHING. Scripting techniques, error handling, differences between VB, VBA and VBScript, Structuring your program for reuse, etc. It gives a quick, down and dirty, high-level overview of the places you're most likely to use VBScript -- ASP, IE, Outlook and Windows Shell Scripts (wsh) -- and an incredible reference to nearly every VBScript function, procedure and call.

This book is not for the beginner looking to learn the language -- it's for the intermediate or advanced scripter who already knows a little but needs a reference to know HOW to use the functions, etc. It excels in this regard, not only explaining every command and option under VBScript, but also the syntax, parameters, rules and even 'Programming Tips & Gotchas'.

In short, if you need a true reference that documents nearly every facet of the VBScript language, this is a must have.

Mighty small nutshell, October 24, 2000
I bought this book hoping to pick up the basics of writing VB script. I had previous experience writing scripts using kixtart and a little VBA, so I thought this book would help out. I found it to be poorly organized, filled with typos, and didn't even come close to describing the basics of VBScript. The author assumes the reader has at least an intermediate understanding of VB to start. Another huge omission was code samples. The book was filled with them but didn't come with a c.d. nor did the web page offer the samples for download. My learning style is hands on and without the scripts to actually test, the book was of little use for me. The one good point is that it does have a good reference section for the available functions in VB script. Definitely not a book for the pre-intermediate level VB coder.

Ok Reference, July 29, 2000
This is an Ok Reference and Just that.

PROS: (the very few there are) It list every function, subroutine, and Language construct in VBscripts with tips on how to use the command, and problems with the command. The information present is layout well.

CONS: This reference lacks versioning info on commands! Regular Expression where not introducted until 5.0!

The beginning sections are written like someone rambling on about VBscripts. This person is knowledgeable but completely ignors organization and structure leaving out important topics.

1. Syntax Rules (ie case-sensitive, how to define a script, identifier rules) 2. Variables, Types, Constants, and Expressions (maybe Scope) 3. Control Structures (If, While, For) 4. Functions, Subs, Classes, Events (Scope, pass by ref, parameters...) 5. Error handling 6. etc..

I know a lot of this is covered in the reference but it is nice to have it laid out logically. Also he is missing a list of reserved word (keywords). I am also aware that this is just a nutshell book but these sections could have been included in a very brief way.

These seam like large omissions to me.

best VBScript reference book available, June 23, 2000
I have always favored O'Reilly reference books and this one is no exception. It is the only book I need for writing VBScript in Active Server Pages. Being a programmer who never programmed in VB before but wanted to learn ASP, I needed a complete, well-indexed guide to the language - THIS IS IT!

Nice reference section, July 11, 2003
This book assumes you know a bit about programming already. They don't spend a lot of time teaching in this book with "how to's". You get this book for the reference section instead, which has examples of how to use the code which are much better than the ones found on MSDN's VBScript Language Reference pages.

A VBScript programmer's best friend, June 12, 2002
I've had my copy of "VBScript in a Nutshell" for months now, and it's made my programming life a lot easier. Forget the syntax for something? Can't remember if that function is named InStr( ) or Substr( )? In no time, this neatly organized volume will yield your answer with a minimum of fuss, especially for those of us who switch languages between (or even within) projects and tend not to remember language elements at the margins.

Perhaps the only failing of this book is that it is occasionally light on code examples. Especially when I'm in a hurry, a few lines of code make more sense than mentally parsing the complex array of options that might be presented in "definition form." But in most cases, in the places you most yearn for an example of source code, one is provided.

One of the more valuable aspects of the reference material presented here are the numerous hints and kinks... The little traps that you can fall into with a given statement or function that ordinarily can only be gleaned from lots of hands-on experience. Sure, some of the tips are more valuable than others, but an attempt is made to cover the bases for both newbies and seasoned VBScripters.

As is typical of most O'Reilly books, a very solid index makes a big difference, especially in a book like any of those from the Nutshell series where you're using it mostly for reference and not for front-to-back reading. In addition to the index, in the back of the book, you'll find language elements grouped by type. Want a refresher on all of VBScript's string handling? A complete list is right there waiting (and quite a boon to multi-language programmers).

While Microsoft makes available a complete documentation system for their scripting languages available for free download in the form of a Windows help file (indexed, searchable, and full of code examples), I've found that neither this book nor the help file can replace the other. Rather, both are tools I refer to throughout virtually every VBScript project of any import than I tackle.

Perhaps in their next edition of this book, the authors will choose to add more code examples -- something that would make an already very good book, even better.

Great reference book., June 6, 2001
Don't buy this book if you want to read a book about VBscript. But, if you need a reference book to look up arguments, return values, etc., this book is awesome. I use mine every day.

Another winner from O'Reilly!, December 29, 2000
This book is with out a doubt the best reference book out there on the market today on VBScript. I am currently learning server-side programming in school and this is the book they are using to teach us ASP programming. That, in itself, says A LOT! Not only is it a great reference book but it is also being used as a teaching tool! I am also in the process of creating a website purely in ASP and between this book and the ASP in a Nutshell book I am well on my way to creating a great personal website! Definitely Worth a Buy!

How did I manage this before?, October 14, 2000
This is the best VBScript I have ever read. Explanations when appropriate, examples where needed, and a virtually complete reference section, formatted exactly as a reference book should be - command, syntax, parameters, returns and examples. Easy to find exactly what you are looking for. This book has save me a considerable amount of reference time, as well as giving me the info I needed when I needed it. My hat off the authors, this book is worth every penny I paid for it - and then some.

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