Managing the Modern Network
Sponsored by HP
In a global economy where information crosses the globe in an instant, and where Web-based applications power business, it's more important than ever to ensure your network is safe from threats and optimized to deliver the data your business needs. »

Business Service Management: Generate Revenue Through IT
Sponsored by HP
IT must now help organizations attract, retain and grow customer relationships and increase customer satisfaction. Business service management (BSM) helps lay the foundation by managing services in dynamic support of business requirements. Learn more. »

Evaluating Software as a Service for Your Business
Sponsored by Webroot
Is Software as a Service just hype, or is something really going on here? See if your company can benefit as SaaS tries to change the face of the enterprise. »

Storage Networking: Configuration and Planning
Sponsored by HP
The most critical part of setting up a SAN is configuring each individual disk array. This guide examines configurations for SAN-attached servers and disk arrays, and looks at the future of IP storage. »

Is Your Disaster Recovery Plan Good Enough?
Sponsored by HP
Preparing for a disaster is more often than not part of the storage planning process, and it is one of the most difficult tasks, since it includes local hardware and software, networking equipment, and a test plan. Learn how to get disaster recovery right. »

Is secure, available data a challenge? Symantec Online Backup can help with an easy to use, secure, web-based solution for your business. Sign up and get your first 30 days free.

Lesson 1:
Adding VBScript to Web Pages

Scripting languages, like JavaScript and VBScript, are designed as an extension to HTML. The web browser receives scripts along with the rest of the web document. It is the browser's responsibility to parse and process the scripts. HTML was extended to include a tag that is used to incorporate scripts into HTML-the <SCRIPT> tag.

The <SCRIPT> Tag

You add scripts into your web pages within a pair of <SCRIPT> tags. The <SCRIPT> tag signifies the start of the script section, while </SCRIPT> marks the end. An example of this is shown below:

<HTML>

<HEAD>

<TITLE>Working With VBScript</TITLE>

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="VBScript">

MsgBox "Welcome to my Web page!"

</SCRIPT>

The beginning <SCRIPT> tag includes a LANGUAGE argument that indicates the scripting language that will be used. The LANGUAGE argument is required because there is more than one scripting language. Without the LANGUAGE argument, a web browser would not know if the text between the tags was JavaScript, VBScript or another scripting language.

While technically you can place scripts throughout an HTML document using pairs of <SCRIPT> tags, typically scripts are often found at either the top or bottom of a Web document. This provides for easy reference and maintenance.

Handling Non-Supporting Browsers

Not all browsers support scripting languages. Some only support JavaScript. Only Microsoft's Internet Explorer supports VBScript. You might be wondering what happens to your scripts when non-supporting browsers encounter them. Usually browsers will do what they do most frequently with text, they will display your scripts as part of the web page. Obviously, this isn't the result you had hoped for. One simple way to address this problem is to encase your scripts in comment tags (). Below is our example script as it appears with the addition of the comment tags:

<HTML>

<HEAD>

<TITLE>Working With VBScript</TITLE>

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="VBScript">

<!--

MsgBox "Welcome to my Web page!"

-->

</SCRIPT>

</HEAD>

</HTML>

Now, when a browser that does not support VBScript processes this page, it will view your script as a comment and simply ignore it.

Have a question about VBScript? The Intranet Journal community can help. Start a thread in the Intranet Journal Discussion Forum.