Cant get Request.Querystring to pass a variable in VBScript

Question

I am trying to pass a value (within a url) to a vbscript, that in turn, will use it to launch an executable file (at the client side, this is why im using vbscript) with that value as a parameter for that executable. eg:

the syntax for launching this exe is

\\HQFileServer\Share Launch.exe 1 computername \\ServerName

so im passing the computername as "Name":

http://localhost/launchclient.asp?Name=Laptop1

launchclient.asp contains:

<script language="vbScript">
set oWshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Name = Request.QueryString("Name")
oWshShell.run "\\HQFileServer\Share\Launch.exe " & Name & " \\SCCM2012WAN",1,True
</script>

I tried to debug it, by removing one line at a time, when I realized that, for some reason, it seams that querystring is not passing into the script.. when I omit the Request.QueryString("Name") and just type in a value - it works...

any ideas why?

I have tried to search for an answer, and cant get this figured out...

Answer 1

Update

Right think I understand what you want to do now after reading this comment .

To pass server-side values to client-side code blocks just use a ASP code block inside the client-side one something like this;

<script language="vbScript">
set oWshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
oWshShell.run "\\HQFileServer\Share\Launch.exe ""<%= Request.QueryString("Name") %>"" \\SCCM2012WAN",1,True
</script>

This way the ASP engine will replace <%= Request.QueryString("Name") %> before the code block is sent to the client and will look like this;

<script language="vbScript">
set oWshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
oWshShell.run "\\HQFileServer\Share\Launch.exe "Laptop1" \\SCCM2012WAN",1,True
</script>

Also mentioned you need it to be seen as a string value but because VBScript uses quotes ( " ) to denote strings, string within strings have to be escaped, you do this by doubling the quotes ( "" ) .

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Old Answer but still relevant-ish

The code is not being processed by Classic ASP because at the moment it is classed as a client-side (HTML) script block being ignored and just passed "as is" in the server response.

There are two ways to remedy this:

1. Change the script tag so it knows it should be processed by the server by adding the runat="Server" attribute to the script tag.

    <script language="VBScript" runat="Server"> set oWshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell") Name = Request.QueryString("Name") oWshShell.run "\\\\HQFileServer\\Share\\Launch.exe " & Name & " \\\\SCCM2012WAN",1,True </script> 

2. Use an ASP code block.

    <% set oWshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell") Name = Request.QueryString("Name") oWshShell.run "\\\\HQFileServer\\Share\\Launch.exe " & Name & " \\\\SCCM2012WAN",1,True %> 

to avoid confusion with client-side script tags I personally recommend use of the ASP code block syntax ( <% %> ) .

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Useful Links

• @AnthonyWJones answer to what's the difference between <% %> and <script language=“vbscript” runat=“server”> in classic asp?