VBScript: How to change variable value by calling another script file?

Question

This is how I'm passing arguments between files these days.

1.vbs:

Dim MyVar

'1) Assigning some value to MyVar.
MyVar = "foo"

'2) Passing MyVar to 2.vbs.
CreateObject("WScript.Shell").Run _
Chr(34) & "C:" & "\2.vbs" & _
Chr(34) & " " & Chr(34) & MyVar & Chr(34), _
1, True

'4) End point.
MsgBox MyVar

2.vbs:

    If _
    WScript.Arguments.Count > 0 _
    Then
    Call MySub( _
    WScript.Arguments(0))
    End If

Sub MySub(MyVar)

'3) Doing some work with MyVar.
MyVar = "bar"

End Sub

So, if all code was in 1 single file, and
if I had to use Call MySub instead of CreateObject("WScript.Shell").Run
— i'd successfully changed MyVar from "foo" to "bar",
and got the latter on MsgBox.

Yet, sometimes I really want to work with MyVar in another file,
and be able to get it back (to the already running first file) with changes.

I just don't know how to do that properly.

On the second thought, the better and elegant way to implement this is probably to make 1 big file with all Subs I need; add some description to it (or smth, to ease the navigation), and then just CreateObject("WScript.Shell").Run this big file with specific arguments from smaller one-line files, "fixed" for any situation. — Victor Novak
– Victor Novak, Commented Jun 3, 2022 at 8:49
And by "this" (the initial problem to solve) I mean, like.. having all essential lines of code written and reachable, and not having to rewrite them over and over again. — Victor Novak
– Victor Novak, Commented Jun 3, 2022 at 9:15
Here is a basic idea of navigation in big text file via Notepad++. One could use some symbols to mark "the chapters" (or Subs really); and then use some custom script to collect all lines having these symbols to the "chapter-list" file. — Victor Novak
– Victor Novak, Commented Jun 3, 2022 at 9:26
I just put everything in one file broken into plenty of subs and functions, but some people like to use ExecutGlobal to make a kind of include like this example. — LesFerch
– LesFerch, Commented Jun 3, 2022 at 12:57
NotePad++ is a good editor, but you may be able to work more effectively using VBSEdit which is a complete VBScript IDE. — LesFerch
– LesFerch, Commented Jun 3, 2022 at 13:02

Juan Marin · Accepted Answer · 2022-08-30 20:16:38Z

1

Option 1: keep the files as they are, and add an echo at the end of your sub:

2.vbs:

'(...)
'3) Doing some work with MyVar.
MyVar = "bar"
Wscript.Echo(MyVar)
'(...)

1.vbs

Read the output by changing the method ".Run" to ".Exec"

'(...)
'2) Passing MyVar to 2.vbs.
set oShell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
set Exe = oShell.Exec("cmd /c 2.vbs """&MyVar&""" ")
MyVar = Exe.StdOut.ReadAll
'(...)
'4) End point.
MsgBox MyVar

Option 2: Using the "2.vbs" file as a function library and changing the sub to function:

1.vbs

'Put the import statements at the top of 1.vbs code for easier readability.
Import "2.vbs"
'(...)
MyVar = MyFunction(MyVar)

2.vbs

Function MyFunction(MyVar)
'3) Doing some work with MyVar.
MyFunction = "bar"
end Function

answered Aug 30, 2022 at 20:16

Juan Marin

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1 Comment

Victor Novak Over a year ago

Never heard of Import before; gotta look into it, thank you!

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