OpenVBS bridges the gap between Python's simplicity and VBScript's Windows automation capabilities, allowing you to create sophisticated Windows automation scripts using intuitive Python functions and an intuitive CLI.
NOTE: The examples may be outdated,or broken due to frequevent updates and continuosly-changing ecosystem!
- Variables, constants, and arrays
- Control flow (if/else, loops, select/case)
- Functions and subroutines
- Error handling and debugging
- Object creation and manipulation
- File and folder management
- Text file reading/writing
- Directory traversal and organization
- Path manipulation utilities
- Registry operations (read/write)
- Environment variables
- Shell command execution
- Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)
- System information gathering
- String manipulation and formatting
- Mathematical operations
- Date/time functions
- Array and collection handling
- HTTP GET/POST requests
- File downloading
- Email sending (via CDO)
- Web service interactions
- Message boxes and input dialogs
- File/folder picker dialogs
- System notifications
- Custom dialog creation
- Module system for code reuse
- Configuration management
- Performance profiling
- Diacnostics
- Plugins!
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/openvbs.git
cd openvbs
# Install dependencies (optional)
pip install colorama # For enhanced CLI colorsfrom openvbs import *
# Clear any previous script
clear_vbs()
# Create variables
define_variable("username", "John Doe")
define_variable("age", 25)
# Show a message
message_prompt(f"Hello {username}!", title="Welcome")
# Create a simple loop
for_loop("i", 1, 5, 1, 'WScript.Echo "Count: " & i')
# Execute the generated VBScript
execute_vbs()from openvbs import *
clear_vbs()
# Create a log file
create_file("system.log", "System started at: ")
write_file("system.log", current_datetime(), append=True)
# Read system information
get_system_info()
# Organize files by extension
template_file_organizer()
execute_vbs()from openvbs import *
clear_vbs()
# Read from registry
registry_read("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion", "ProductName")
# Get environment variables
define_variable("user_profile", "")
user_profile = get_env_var("USERPROFILE")
# Run a system command
shell_execute("notepad.exe", wait_on_return=False)
execute_vbs()define_variable("name", "value") # Create a variable
const_variable("PI", 3.14159) # Create a constant
define_array("numbers", [1, 2, 3, 4]) # Create an array# Conditional statements
if_else("x > 10", "WScript.Echo 'Large'", "WScript.Echo 'Small'")
# Loops
for_loop("i", 1, 10, 1, "WScript.Echo i")
do_while("x < 100", "x = x + 1")
# Select case
select_case("userChoice", {
1: "WScript.Echo 'Option 1'",
2: "WScript.Echo 'Option 2'",
"default": "WScript.Echo 'Invalid choice'"
})file_system_object() # Initialize file system
create_file("data.txt", "Hello World") # Create file with content
read_file("data.txt") # Read file content
write_file("log.txt", "Entry", True) # Write/append to file
delete_file("temp.txt") # Delete file
folder_exists("C:\\MyFolder") # Check folder existence# Registry operations
registry_read("HKCU\\Software\\MyApp", "Setting1")
registry_write("HKCU\\Software\\MyApp", "Setting1", "NewValue")
# Environment variables
get_env_var("USERNAME")
set_env_var("MY_VAR", "MyValue")
# Shell commands
shell_execute("dir", window_style=1, wait_on_return=True)
run_program("C:\\Program Files\\MyApp\\app.exe", "/silent")# HTTP requests
http_get("https://api.example.com/data")
http_post("https://api.example.com/submit", "data=value")
download_file("https://example.com/file.zip", "C:\\Downloads\\file.zip")
# Email
send_email("user@example.com", "Subject", "Message body", "smtp.server.com")# Export current script as a module
export("my_utilities.vbs")
# Import a module into current script
get("my_utilities.vbs")
# Clear all saved modules
clear_modules()# Save settings
set_setting("default_path", "C:\\MyApp")
set_setting("auto_backup", True)
# Load settings
path = get_setting("default_path", "C:\\Default")
backup_enabled = get_setting("auto_backup", False)# Debug output
debug_print("Variable x = " + str(x))
# Log to file
log_to_file("Process started", "app.log")
# Performance timing
start_timer("processing")
# ... your code here ...
end_timer("processing")
# Assertions
assert_condition("x > 0", "X must be positive")# Try-catch style error handling
error_handling(
try_block="risky_operation()",
catch_block="WScript.Echo 'Operation failed: ' & Err.Description"
)
# Traditional VBS error handling
on_error_resume_next()
# ... code that might fail ...
on_error_goto_zero()To use use plugins folow these steps:
- Take your plugin file and paste it to files/plugins(or inside PMN, run the command plugin install ).
- Run cli.bat.
- Run plugin load.
- Run plugin list(for seeing your plugins).
- Run plugin include.
openvbs/
├── openvbs/
│ ├── __init__.py # Main imports and exports
│ ├── main.py # Core functions and language features
│ ├── runner.py # VBScript execution engine
├── files/
│ ├── windows/
│ │ └── output.vbs # Generated VBScript output
│ ├── compiled_output/ # Packaged executables
│ ├── modules/ # Saved script modules
├── src/
│ └── examples/ # Example scripts
├── tests/ # Unit tests
└── LICENSE # License file
- Automated system monitoring and reporting
- User account management
- Software deployment and configuration
- Registry maintenance and cleanup
- Bulk file operations and organization
- Automated backups and synchronization
- Log file processing and analysis
- Data migration and conversion
- Automated data collection from web services
- Batch downloading and processing
- Email automation and notifications
- System health monitoring
- Application control and automation
- Scheduled task creation and management
- System configuration deployment
- Performance monitoring and alerting
- Windows Operating System (Windows 7/10/11)
- Python 3.6+
- Windows Script Host (pre-installed on Windows)
- IExpress (for .exe packaging, included with Windows)
pip install colorama # Enhanced terminal colorsContributions are welcome! Here's how to get started:
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch:
git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature - Make your changes and add tests
- Commit your changes:
git commit -m 'Add amazing feature' - Push to the branch:
git push origin feature/amazing-feature - Open a Pull Request
# Clone your fork
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/openvbs.git
cd openvbs
# Create virtual environment
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
# Install development dependencies
pip install -r requirements-dev.txt
# Run tests
python -m pytest tests/from openvbs import *
clear_vbs()
comment("System Information Gatherer")
# Get computer name
get_env_var("COMPUTERNAME")
define_variable("computer_name", get_env_var("COMPUTERNAME"))
# Get OS information
get_os_info()
# Get system specs
get_system_info()
# Save to file
write_file("system_info.txt", "System Report Generated: ")
write_file("system_info.txt", current_datetime(), append=True)
execute_vbs()from openvbs import *
clear_vbs()
comment("Automated Backup Script")
# Define source and destination
define_variable("source_folder", "C:\\Important Files")
define_variable("backup_folder", "D:\\Backups")
# Create backup folder with timestamp
define_variable("timestamp", "")
current_datetime()
# Format: YYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM-SS
string_replace(current_datetime(), "/", "-")
string_replace(current_datetime(), ":", "-")
string_replace(current_datetime(), " ", "_")
# Copy files
shell_execute('xcopy "' + source_folder + '" "' + backup_folder + '\\Backup_' + timestamp + '\\" /E /I /Y')
message_prompt("Backup completed successfully!", title="Backup Status")
execute_vbs()from openvbs import *
clear_vbs()
comment("Network Connectivity Monitor")
# Test multiple servers
servers = ["google.com", "github.com", "stackoverflow.com"]
for server in servers:
define_variable(f"result_{server.replace('.', '_')}", "")
shell_execute(f'ping -n 1 {server} > nul')
if_else(
"Err.Number = 0",
f'WScript.Echo "{server}: Online"',
f'WScript.Echo "{server}: Offline"'
)
# Log results
log_to_file("Network check completed", "network_monitor.log")
execute_vbs()Q: "cscript.exe not found" error
A: Ensure you're running on Windows with Windows Script Host installed. Try running cscript in Command Prompt to verify.
Q: VBScript execution fails with syntax error
A: Check the generated output.vbs file for syntax issues. Use debug_print() to trace execution.
Q: File permission errors
A: Run your Python script as Administrator, or ensure the target directories are writable.
This project is licensed under the GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE V3 - see the LICENSE file for details.
- Inspired by the need for simpler Windows automation
- Built for system administrators, developers, and automation enthusiasts
- Thanks to the Python and VBScript communities for inspiration
- GUI Builder: Visual interface for creating VBScript GUIs
- PowerShell Integration: Hybrid PowerShell/VBScript generation
- Active Directory Integration: User and computer management functions
- Database Connectivity: SQL Server and Access database operations
- Excel Automation: Advanced Excel manipulation capabilities
- Service Management: Windows service creation and management
- Event Log Integration: Reading and writing Windows event logs
- Scheduled Task API: Advanced task scheduler integration
- v2.0 Patch - Removed packaging due to high risk of system instability and sudden reboots
- v2.0 - Major rewrite with enhanced CLI, templates, and packaging
- v1.0 - Initial release with basic VBScript generation
Made with ❤️ by robert19066 for the Windows automation community