End of VBScript
By Richard Rost
3 years ago
Attention Microsoft Access VBA Users: Don't Panic!
In this Microsoft Access tutorial, we delve into the recent announcement regarding the deprecation of VBScript and its implications for VBA users. Amidst growing concerns and confusion, I'll guide you through what this change means for your existing Access applications, highlighting the key differences between VBScript and VBA, and why there's no immediate cause for alarm. We'll also explore potential impacts, alternatives, and strategies to adapt to this transition, ensuring your skills and projects remain up-to-date and effective in the evolving landscape of Microsoft technologies.
Marcus from Rockville, Maryland (a Platinum Member) asks: OMG... Mike Wolfe just released an article saying that VBScript is dead! Does this mean all of my Access apps are no longer going to work?
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TechHelp Access 2016, Access 2019, Access 2021, Access 365, Microsoft Access, MS Access, MS Access Tutorial, #msaccess, #microsoftaccess, #help, #howto, #tutorial, #learn, #lesson, #training, #database, VBScript deprecation, VBA longevity, Mike Wolfe article, file system object, Office automation, Access with Outlook, PowerShell scripting, VB.net programming, OpenAI, ChatGPT, SQL, Access Forever, adapting to tech changes, deprecation of programming languages, VBA and Outlook integration
Intro In this video, we will talk about the recent announcements regarding the end of VBScript, what VBScript is, and how these changes may affect your Microsoft Access databases. We will discuss what it means for developers who use VBScript or the File System Object from within Access, what "feature on demand" means for future Windows installations, and share my thoughts on the continued support for VBA in Microsoft Access. We will also touch on alternative scripting options like PowerShell and address concerns about the deprecation of COM objects in Outlook.Transcript Welcome to another TechHelp video brought to you by AccessLearningZone.com. I'm your instructor, Richard Rost.
I had to do one on this topic, folks, as we get lots and lots of email about it. This one's about the end of VBScript. What is VBScript, and how does it affect your Microsoft Access databases? We are going to talk about that today.
This is something I've been getting a lot of emails about over the past week or so, so I decided to chime in with my two cents about it. I just picked one email: Marcus from Rockville, Maryland, one of my Platinum members, said, "Oh my god, Mike Wolfe just released an article about a week ago saying that VBScript is dead. Does this mean that all my Access apps are no longer going to work?"
Well, no, not really, but let's talk about it.
First of all, if you haven't read Mike's article yet, go read it. There's a link – I'll put a link down below you can click on. He goes over it in a lot more detail than I'm going to. I'm just going to give you the basics.
Also, while you're on his website, make sure you subscribe to his email updates because he publishes awesome articles. He releases something almost every day, just kind of like I do. He is more in written form, I'm more of a video guy, but he keeps his pulse on what's going on with Access a whole lot more than I do. I get my news from him and from Access Forever. He's one of those resources, and I read every time I see it pop in my inbox.
For those of you who don't know what VBScript is, it's basically a tool that lets you write VB-like code and execute it directly in Windows, kind of like batch files – remember those from DOS? Right in the early days of Windows 95, those batch files. I still use batch files all the time, but VBScript is kind of like batch files plus one. You can write VB-related code.
In fact, I even wrote a little program a while back called the Access Watchdog. All it does is sit there on a loop and just watch your Access database. If the database locks up for any reason – this is for if you're using it as a database server – it will reboot it. That whole thing was written in VBScript. It just sits there in a little DOS window and loops every 10 minutes. It just checks and does what it has to do.
Essentially, VBScript is a little scripting language for Windows. You may have never even used it yourself, which is okay. I don't use it that much myself either. One of the problems is a lot of developers do use VBScript from inside their Access VBA. For example, in one of my developer lessons, I teach you how to use the File System Object. You can use it for getting information on files and folders: file sizes, dates they were modified, that kind of stuff, and that's part of VBScript.
It's unclear as to whether or not this stuff will be going away once VBScript is deprecated. There are other methods for working with files in VBA directly, but the File System Object is far superior.
One thing that Mike did point out in his article is that VBScript is going to transition from being automatically installed with Windows (like it is now) to something called "feature on demand." What this means is as a developer, if you want to use VBScript on a machine, whether it's yours or your client's or wherever the database is going, all you have to do is go into the "Turn Windows features on and off" settings and you'll find VBScript listed in there. It's not yet, but it will be.
You should be able to do this at least for a while. I'm guessing at least a couple years. I don't know, don't quote me. I don't have an inside line at Microsoft. Those guys, Mike Wolfe and Access Forever, will tell you before I do, but I'm just giving you the lowdown.
It's not going to disappear immediately. It's going to be around for a bit. Microsoft has to give their developers time to update their applications, but bottom line is in the near future, if you have to go in here to turn VBScript on, there's a way to do it.
Now, I've also seen some different articles and even a few videos mentioning that VBA might be going away because Microsoft has decided to remove COM objects from the new version of Outlook. COM objects are basically how you can have Office applications talk to each other. You can have Access send an email through Outlook, or you can have it generate a Word document, all kinds of stuff. I cover some of this stuff in my lessons.
Outlook is one of those programs that, if you can control it from something else like VBScript, then you can do bad things – like a hacker could get in there and access your contact list and send everybody spam, and it looks like it comes from you. Back in the day, I used to get this all the time. That's one of the reasons Outlook has those annoying security pop-ups that come up from time to time. They're there for a good reason. It makes it difficult to automate stuff, but they do more good than harm.
Of course, there are other methods. You can use Gmail, or you can talk to an SMTP server directly. I cover that in my email seminar.
The bottom line is, even though they're tightening down Outlook, I don't think that Microsoft is going to be getting rid of VBA anytime soon. That's just my opinion. Microsoft has legions of developers that have built countless applications using VBA for decades for Access, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, all those. If they were just to get rid of VBA in the near future, they would have a mutiny on their hands. They would lose so much of their following, me included, that if they did that, who knows what would happen.
So I'm going to say for now, it's safe. Ten years from now, who knows, but I'm sure Microsoft will come up with a replacement product that's just as good as VBA when the time eventually arrives.
I personally love VBA, but I also loved Color BASIC on my TRS-80, so who knows? Of course, there are other options. You can write stuff in a regular programming language like C++ or VB.NET or whatever you like. If you really like scripting languages, you can learn PowerShell. I've been learning this myself. I'm not an expert in it right now, but I've been learning it and hopefully eventually I'll make some courses on it once I get good enough.
There will always be options. Don't panic. As Mike pointed out in his article, ChatGPT has been very helpful in putting together some sample PowerShell code, like what you see right there. I said, "Give me a Hello World script," and there it goes. I've actually been using it to convert some of my VBScript over to PowerShell. So don't be afraid to use AI tools for that. Just make sure they work – verify them – because I've been doing a lot of work with OpenAI and ChatGPT stuff lately, and some of the responses I get have been kind of weird, especially some of the pictures it generates. But double-check everything, double-check your code.
So there you go. Bottom line, go read Mike's article, subscribe to his updates, stay informed. You'll get news right from him and from Access Forever. I'll put a link to them down below as well. Tell Carl I sent you.
And remember, don't panic. VBA isn't going anywhere, and VBScript probably has some time – at least a couple of years before it even becomes deprecated to a feature on demand.
Bottom line is keep learning, keep learning something. Obviously, learn Access, learn VBA, learn SQL, but learn something new. If you don't know PowerShell, grab a book. Eventually, I'll have some lessons on that too, but the important thing is you keep learning something every day. I try to. It's a bad day for me if I don't learn something new. That's one of the reasons I love doing these videos. Even if it's a topic that I think I know a lot about, I still go online, research it, and find out what other experts have to say before I make a video.
So there you go. There's my digested version. Go check out those other resources. You'll find links down below. That's going to be your TechHelp video for today. Hope you learned something, and don't panic. Live long and prosper, my friends. I'll see you next time.Quiz Q1. What is VBScript primarily used for?
A. Writing VB-like code to automate tasks in Windows
B. Creating advanced graphics for Windows applications
C. Building databases in Microsoft Access
D. Managing hardware drivers on a PC
Q2. How does the deprecation of VBScript affect existing Microsoft Access databases, according to the video?
A. Existing Access databases will immediately stop working
B. Access databases may need adjustments in the future, but they will not break right away
C. All Access applications must be rewritten in PowerShell
D. Access will completely lose file handling capabilities
Q3. What is the File System Object and how is it related to VBScript?
A. It handles graphics rendering inside Access
B. It is used for accessing files and folders, and it is part of VBScript
C. It connects Access databases to the internet
D. It is an encryption tool for securing VBA code
Q4. What is meant by VBScript becoming a "feature on demand"?
A. VBScript will be automatically updated through the internet
B. VBScript will only be available when running Microsoft Office
C. Users will have to manually enable VBScript through the Windows settings
D. VBScript will be available only for Microsoft Edge users
Q5. Why is Microsoft starting to restrict COM objects in Outlook?
A. To improve email formatting compatibility
B. To make Outlook run faster
C. To increase security and prevent malicious automation
D. To reduce server storage requirements
Q6. What is the likelihood that Microsoft will remove VBA in the near future, based on the video?
A. Very high; VBA will be gone within a year
B. Quite possible; Microsoft is in the process of replacing it now
C. Unlikely; VBA will stay for at least the foreseeable future
D. Certain; all Office products will lose VBA support very soon
Q7. What are some alternative automation or scripting options mentioned in the video, besides VBA and VBScript?
A. JavaScript and HTML
B. PowerShell, C++, and VB.NET
C. Ruby and Python
D. Java and React
Q8. What is the recommended approach if you need code samples to convert from VBScript to another language like PowerShell, according to the video?
A. Only consult printed manuals
B. Get sample code from ChatGPT but always verify the results
C. Avoid using AI tools for code as they are never accurate
D. Use only code posted by Microsoft on their website
Q9. Why does the speaker recommend following experts like Mike Wolfe and Access Forever?
A. They offer the only certified Microsoft support
B. They publish frequent updates and in-depth articles about Access and related technologies
C. They provide free copies of Access software
D. They are developers who work at Microsoft
Q10. What attitude does the instructor recommend when facing changes like the deprecation of VBScript?
A. Panic and try to urgently rewrite all applications
B. Ignore all changes as they will not affect anything
C. Stay calm, keep learning, and be proactive in adapting to new tools and information
D. Wait for all issues to be fixed automatically
Answers: 1-A; 2-B; 3-B; 4-C; 5-C; 6-C; 7-B; 8-B; 9-B; 10-C
DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.Summary Today's TechHelp tutorial from Access Learning Zone focuses on the end of VBScript and what it means for Microsoft Access users.
Over the past week, I have received a large number of emails asking about the recent news that Microsoft is ending VBScript. Many people are concerned about what this means for their Access databases. To address these concerns, I want to explain what VBScript is, how it relates (or does not relate) to Access, and what steps you might need to take moving forward.
First, if you have not already read Mike Wolfe's article on this subject, I highly recommend you do so. He explores the topic in much more detail than I will cover here, and you can find a link to his site down at the end of this article. Mike posts excellent content related to Access, and I make it a point to read his updates whenever they come out.
For those unfamiliar with VBScript, it is essentially a scripting tool that allows you to write code similar to Visual Basic and have it executed directly by the Windows operating system. If you remember the old DOS batch files, think of VBScript as a step up from that, letting you automate various tasks on your PC. Although I have not used it extensively myself, I did write a small program called Access Watchdog in VBScript which helps restart Access automatically in certain situations.
Many developers make use of VBScript, both outside and inside of Access VBA, particularly through tools like the File System Object. This allows you to access details about files and directories, such as file size and modification date. The future of features like the File System Object, once VBScript is deprecated, is still unclear. While there are alternatives for handling files natively with VBA, File System Object is often more convenient and powerful.
According to Mike's article, Microsoft is transitioning VBScript from being automatically installed with Windows to a status called "feature on demand." In practice, this means if you or a client requires VBScript for an application, you will need to manually enable it in the Windows settings under "Turn Windows features on and off." This change will not happen overnight, and VBScript should remain available for at least the next few years. Microsoft understands that developers will need time to adapt their applications, so there is no need to panic.
There has also been some speculation based on changes made to Outlook, particularly the removal of COM objects in the latest version. COM objects allow Office applications to communicate, for example by letting Access interact with Outlook to send email automatically. While this creates potential security risks, which is why Outlook has frequent security prompts, it does not mean that VBA itself is going away.
I do not foresee Microsoft getting rid of VBA anytime soon. VBA has been built into Access, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint for decades, and there are countless business applications relying on it. Removing VBA would alienate a large part of Microsoft's developer community, myself included.
Of course, programming moves forward, and there are always other options. If you are comfortable with more advanced programming languages, you can use tools like C++ or VB.NET. If you enjoy scripting, PowerShell is a modern and powerful language for automating tasks in Windows, and it is something I have started to learn myself. In fact, ChatGPT and other AI tools can be helpful resources for generating PowerShell code and translating scripts from VBScript, but always take the time to verify that the code works as expected.
Ultimately, my advice is to stay informed and keep learning. Continue expanding your skills in products like Access, VBA, and SQL, but also start learning new technologies such as PowerShell. Even if you already consider yourself an expert in a specific topic, there is always more to learn. I make it a point to research every topic before presenting it, and I encourage you to do the same.
For a complete video tutorial with step-by-step instructions on everything discussed here, visit my website at the link below.
Live long and prosper, my friends.Topic List Explanation of what VBScript is
How VBScript can be used with Microsoft Access
Use of VBScript for automation tasks in Windows
The relationship between VBScript and the File System Object
How developers use File System Object from VBA
Discussion of VBScript's deprecation and future as a Windows feature on demand
How to enable VBScript as a Windows feature
Risks and security concerns of automating Outlook with VBScript or other scripting
Explanation of COM objects and their role in Office application automation
Recent changes to Outlook and COM object support
Reasons for Outlook's security prompts during automation
Alternative methods for sending email from Access, such as SMTP
Current status and future outlook of VBA in Microsoft Office
Options for migrating VBScript automation to PowerShell
Using AI tools like ChatGPT to help convert VBScript to PowerShell |
