What is your favorite VBScript Editor?

I currently use notepad++ for writing/editing VBScipts, but I am looking for something new (and also free). Anybody have a favorite?

I don't have a problem with notepad++; in fact I really like it and I use it a lot, I just want to see what other options are available. I would like to find something that has more of an IDE feel to it, but also supports multiple languages.

Edit:
I guess I underestimated notepad++, or I just want too much for nothing, either way I will be sticking with notepad++.

vbscript editor text-editor

 

 (from stack overflow thread)

23 Answers

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up vote19down voteaccepted

I'm a huge fan of Notepad++. I have a couple of issues with it, but it's a great editor overall.

I've been looking at emacs for a while, but haven't yet taken the plunge.

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answered Dec 12 '08 at 22:59

EndangeredMassa

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I always do Option Explicit of course, and with Notepad ++ you can quickly highlight a variable and it highlights all of them. So if you don't see one of your variables highlighted it means you had a typo. Small feature but helps a lot. I used to use notepad. =) – Cj Anderson Feb 7 '09 at 15:37

    

I don't understand.... Notepadd++ isn't an IDE, is it. So, it doesn't allow to debug and things like that. – zhekaus Apr 19 at 17:18

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up vote22down vote

I love Vbsedit, it makes my daily scripting tasks so much easier.

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answered Sep 29 '09 at 10:00

 
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I just downloaded vbsedit and totally blows everything else out of the water! You must check this out! – Mr W Aug 8 '11 at 6:22

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It would be much better if it were free! – Jonah Apr 11 '12 at 7:22

    

@Jonah, sure it would. ;) Still, on a professional level, it's priced at a very reasonable value – Ricardo Appleton Jan 8 '14 at 12:18

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up vote9down vote

Excel isn't free, but in case you already have it...

If you want intellisense, you can use the Excel macro editor (aka VBE) and export the modules to .vbs files. It's not a great editor and hasn't been updated in over a decade. But, the intellisense still makes it better than most text editors.

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answered Dec 12 '08 at 22:57

Nick Hebb

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up vote6down vote

Visual Studio would be my favorite VBScript editor, where there are express editions if you want to try out a free version. Course I have been using VS from 6.0 to 2010 with more than a few versions inbetween.

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edited Nov 21 '14 at 20:08

answered Dec 19 '08 at 2:06

JB King

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It is my understanding that only VS 2005 supports VBScript syntax highlighting, intellisense, etc. You use VS 2008 to write VBScript? – JohnZaj Feb 3 '10 at 17:07

    

For those rare times where I need to work in VBScript, I do use VS 2008 as the older versions aren't installed on my latest machine. – JB King Feb 3 '10 at 17:14

    

VBScript support was added back to VS2008 in SP1. VS2010 still has support. – Cheran Shunmugavel Oct 27 '11 at 6:07

    

I just switched from VS2012 to notepad, VS didn't even code fold let alone colour highlight. I know it should and I could probably configure it with language options but much easier just to install another editor. – Sam Jan 24 '14 at 11:30

    

@Sam, you do realize that my answer is 5 years old, right? – JB King Jan 24 '14 at 17:19

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up vote4down vote

I currently use AdminScriptEditor, which has just about all of the features of Primal Script at a fraction of the cost. In my past life I used Microsoft Script Editor which is bundled in every version of Office 200 and 2003 (maybe even 2007, but I'm not sure). MSE is meant for web debugging but it does a decent job for doing syntax highlighting and hta/html support. Although now that I think of it, you could probably get the same benefits of MSE in the Web Express version of Visual Studio, which is free.

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answered Dec 19 '08 at 2:02

mrTomahawk

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I use Microsfot Script Editor when I need to write VBScript as well. Works well enough, but I don't use VBScript much. Surprised nobody knows about it. – oob Dec 18 '10 at 4:55

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up vote4down vote

Related (but posting here since the "VBScript compiler" thread is closed and points here) -- if you are looking for a free tool to compile VBS-to-EXE, the best is HTWOO by Hadi Kiamarsi. It is listed as a tool for "Python script to EXE" but then you find out that it also does VBS to EXE and many more compilations for free.

HTWOO

The EXEs produced are a bit larger than ScriptCryptor (470KB instead of 180KB for a minimal launcher script) - but it is completely free and works great. Tools like Vbsedit and ScriptCryptor have a nag message box so go for HTWOO if looking for a 100% free solution.

Download: https://sourceforge.net/projects/htwoo/

Youtube Tutorial: convert-vbscript-to-exe-by-hadi-kiamarsi

Youtube Tutorial: convert-javascript-to-exe-stand-alone-file-by-hadi-kiamarsi

Youtube Tutorial: convert-bat-file-to-exe-stand-alone-file-by-hadi-kiamarsi

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answered Jun 25 '13 at 0:28

robertcollier4

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up vote2down vote

I used to use UltraEdit-32 back in the day - sadly it's no longer free but when I was using it I found it useful enough that I wouldn't quibble at the $35.00 fee now.

I've heard good things about SciTE which free. It's based on a Linux editor Scintilla. There's a Windows version found at: http://www.scintilla.org/SciTE.html

Allegedly (though I'm relaying 2nd hand info here so don't hold me to it), it supports intellisense as well as your usual syntax highlighting and code collapsing. I'm not sure if it supports breakpoints and debugging though.

I've been trialing the latest version of PrimalScript which one of my friends recommended to me that I find outstanding, it supports all sorts of neat features - intellisense, . I'm just waiting to find out if the company is going to shell out for it. It's not cheap either though at $279.00. I'd say this app is well worth shelling out for. It supports full script debugging, intellisense, syntax highlighting - the whole caboodle. It also works for a whole bunch of languages, not just VBScript... it does JavaScript, batch files, PowerShell, SQL scripts, the lot. It's a full IDE, not really usable as a replacement for something like Visual Studio but for most single script/file applications, I don't think it can be beat.

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answered Dec 12 '08 at 22:50

BenAlabaster

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up vote2down vote

I use SciTE, with a customized properties file for autocomplete, intellisense and running scripts.

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answered Dec 13 '08 at 20:11

Patrick Cuff

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Any chance you might post the customized properties file? Or a link to one? – MarkJ May 14 '09 at 14:25

    

Well Mark, looks like we have to learn to make our own... – JohnZaj Nov 5 '09 at 19:22

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up vote2down vote

GVim (vi) for me.

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answered Dec 18 '08 at 15:53

EBGreen

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What vbscript specific features do you get from vi? Syntax highligtning, indentation? Do you need any plugin? – Henrik Nov 9 '10 at 8:25

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up vote2down vote

SciTE for now, it is my favorite for vbscript and autoit.

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edited Apr 11 '12 at 12:25

Tester101

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answered Apr 11 '12 at 8:44

Shawn

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Now I switched to sublime text 2 link after a month trial. It is really much more powerful. Customization is easy. I like snippet and multiple selection. – Shawn May 23 '12 at 16:03 

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up vote1down vote

I use PSPad which support handful of languages including vbs, and is also decent editor. worth checking it out.

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answered Dec 28 '08 at 12:22

Stoinov

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up vote1down vote

I like emacs with visual-basic-mode. As others have mentioned Notepad++ is also quite good.

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answered Dec 29 '08 at 20:51

Kevin Tighe

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up vote1down vote

VBsEdit and vim, depends on the size of the script.

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answered Feb 7 '09 at 15:29

Rook

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up vote1down vote

Notepad++ is the best free script editor I have encountered (so far).

But if you do a lot of VB scripting, VBSEdit (~$75) is hard to beat. Ability to drop in code snippets at the click of a menu button as well as tons of scripting examples. Has a slick interface including object reference but only designed for vbscript.

XLNow OnScirpt (~$60) handles a few more scripting languages and code snippets and quite a few examples. The interface also includes an object reference but is a little clunky (IMHO).

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answered May 13 '09 at 2:16

Marty

 

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up vote1down vote

I mainly use PrimalScript 2007 Enterprise with full script capabilities also, naturally Microsofts cscript & wscript and sometimes VBSEdit. Although ExeScript Editor sounds interesting, so might give it a go.

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answered Oct 27 '11 at 0:28

MacG

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up vote0down vote

I still use Crimson Editor. It's pretty cool, specially if you create a custom "user tool" that call wscript.exe with a key stroke.

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answered Dec 12 '08 at 23:02

 

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up vote0down vote

GridinSoft Notepad Lite is my favorite for writing/editing VBScipts. Freeware.

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answered Jan 28 '09 at 14:15

Wylder

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up vote0down vote

I currently use notepad++ for writing/editing VBScipts.

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answered Feb 7 '09 at 15:09

dam_dam

 

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up vote0down vote

I haven't seen anyone suggesting E - TextEditor so I will put it out there. I started out with NotePad++ but after trying E I haven't gone back. My specific reasons for switching is the template support for different files, the theme (coloring) capabilities, the tab bar, and the snippet support...

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answered Feb 7 '09 at 15:48

Dscoduc

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up vote0down vote

PrimalScript is a brilliant script editor that handles VBScript, WSH, PowerShell, HTA and others. It's not free but if you do a lot of scripting it might make a world of a difference.

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answered Feb 7 '09 at 16:29

Rad

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up vote0down vote

I use ExeScript VBScript Editor It allowing to edit, compile and debug scripts, search and apply COM objects.

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answered Sep 2 '09 at 8:49

nyturn

 

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up vote0down vote

I use an updated version of Exescript - ExeScript Pro. All modern features: intellisense, com code completion, debug, COM browser and helper, WMI suport, Powershell, Bat, VBS, JS, HTA, a lot of samples and of course - native compilation to EXE!

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answered Oct 12 '09 at 9:53

Vita

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up vote0down vote

I used to use ConTEXT editor, pretty good, it is a shame development has stopped, but it still is a good free editor, I found it less cumbersome than notepad++.

You can run the script from the editor with up to 4 shortcut commands (per file extension) including parameters like //X to launch the debug mode (in visual studio or MSE) running with either cscript.exe or wscript.exe.

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answered Oct 17 '13 at 22:59

xypho

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