Echo Method
Outputs text to either a message box or the command console window.
object.Echo [Arg1] [,Arg2] [,Arg3] ...
The Echo method behaves differently depending on which WSH engine you are using.
|
WSH engine |
Text Output |
|---|---|
|
Wscript.exe |
graphical message box |
|
Cscript.exe |
command console window |
Each displayed item is separated with a space character. When using CScript.exe, each item is displayed with a newline character. If no items are provided as arguments to the Echo method, a blank line is output.
Description
The following example uses the Echo Method to display the domain name, computer name, and user name for the current machine, and to display network mapping information for the drives and printers.
<package>
<job id="vbs">
<script language="VBScript">
Set WshNetwork = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Network")
Set oDrives = WshNetwork.EnumNetworkDrives
Set oPrinters = WshNetwork.EnumPrinterConnections
WScript.Echo "Domain = " & WshNetwork.UserDomain
WScript.Echo "Computer Name = " & WshNetwork.ComputerName
WScript.Echo "User Name = " & WshNetwork.UserName
WScript.Echo
WScript.Echo "Network drive mappings:"
For i = 0 to oDrives.Count - 1 Step 2
WScript.Echo "Drive " & oDrives.Item(i) & " = " & oDrives.Item(i+1)
Next
WScript.Echo
WScript.Echo "Network printer mappings:"
For i = 0 to oPrinters.Count - 1 Step 2
WScript.Echo "Port " & oPrinters.Item(i) & " = " & oPrinters.Item(i+1)
Next
</script>
</job>
<job id="js">
<script language="JScript">
var WshNetwork = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Network");
var oDrives = WshNetwork.EnumNetworkDrives();
var oPrinters = WshNetwork.EnumPrinterConnections();
WScript.Echo("Domain = " + WshNetwork.UserDomain);
WScript.Echo("Computer Name = " + WshNetwork.ComputerName);
WScript.Echo("User Name = " + WshNetwork.UserName);
WScript.Echo();
WScript.Echo("Network drive mappings:");
for(i=0; i<oDrives.Count(); i+=2){
WScript.Echo("Drive " + oDrives.Item(i) + " = " + oDrives.Item(i+1));
}
WScript.Echo();
WScript.Echo("Network printer mappings:");
for(i=0; i<oPrinters.Count(); i+=2){
WScript.Echo("Port " + oPrinters.Item(i) + " = " + oPrinters.Item(i+1));
}
</script>
</job>
</package>
Applies To:
WScript.Echo Args
is mostly equivalent to:
WScript.Stdout.WriteLine Args
and give you access to other methods like
Wscript.StdOut.Write Args
...except that the Stdout property is empty in Wscript (or in Internet Browser's scripts), where the Echo method uses replace it with a MessageBox (Alert in Javascript/ECMAScript). However, in CScript, the Stdout property allows better control of the output, and does not force you to output a newline break, and allows formatting its output (see also the TextStream class).
Given that WSH does not offer any way to create TextStreams other than though the exposed StdIn, Stdout properties of the host (used internally by the Echo method), and through the FileSystemObject (FSO) class (by opening a file), the only way to format a string for display in a MessageBox compatible with the very limited Echo method in WScript, will be to use complex string formatting code !
Unfortunately, WSH still lacks support for TextStreams with output at least in memory (into a String object), in such a way that it would work transparently between CScript and Wscript with scripts written in JScript/ECMAScript or VBScript., and with the same facilities offered in VB for Applications and other .Net languages (C#, J#, ...).
The workaround (using a FSO to create a temporary file or pipe then rereading it) is very inefficient (and also restricted due to FSO security restrictions, notably within the context of a browser). WSH engines should expose at least a method allowing to create a TextStream writing into a referenced String buffer (via concatenation).
- 9/29/2010
- verdy.p
- 1/17/2012
- BufferOverflow
