Though it’s fairly well publicised how to call an existing VBS file from SQL, or how to execute VBScript within a SQL agent, there’s not much info out there on how to have SQL run VBS directly. The code below allows you to manage your scripts in a database table, creating temp files to host and run the scripts as required. The sp_RunSQL stored proc can also be used to run any VBS script; including dynamically generated code.
As always, feedback, suggestions, etc are welcome.
Code:
use [insert-db-name-here]
go
----use below code to enable commands (required for xp_cmdshell to work)
--exec sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1
--go
--reconfigure
--go
--exec sp_configure 'xp_cmdshell', 1
--go
--reconfigure
--go
if OBJECT_ID('vbsScripts') is not null drop table vbsScripts
go
create table vbsScripts
(
id bigint not null identity(1,1) constraint pk_vbsScripts primary key clustered
, name nvarchar(256) not null constraint uk_vbsScripts_name unique
, script nvarchar(max) not null
, timeoutSecs int null constraint df_vbsScripts_timeoutSecs default(86400)--leave as null if you don't want a timeout / defaults to 1 day / 24*60*60
, batchMode bit not null constraint df_vbsScripts_batchMode default(1)
)
go
/*
Gets the temp directory from environment variables
usage:
declare @tempPath nvarchar(max)
exec GetTempDirectory @tempPath out
select @tempPath
*/
if OBJECT_ID('GetTempDirectory') is not null drop proc GetTempDirectory
go
create proc GetTempDirectory(@path nvarchar(max) out)
as
begin
set @path = ''
declare @tempTable table(data nvarchar(max))
insert @tempTable exec master..xp_cmdshell 'echo %temp%'
select top 1 @path = data from @tempTable
if SUBSTRING(@path,len(@path),1) '\' set @path = @path + '\'
end
go
/*
Creates a unique filename (using guid to ensure uniqueness and datetime to make the name friendlier)
usage:
declare @tempPath nvarchar(max)
exec GetTempDirectory @tempPath out
select @tempPath
*/
if OBJECT_ID('GetTempFilename') is not null drop proc GetTempFilename
go
create proc GetTempFilename(@fn nvarchar(max) out)
as
begin
--exec GetTempDirectory @fn out --can just use environment variable - originally had issues testing as was looking at the wrong user's temp directory 
--set @fn = @fn + 'sqlTemp_' + replace(replace(replace(convert(nvarchar(24), getutcdate(),127),'-',''),':',''),'.','') + '_' + CAST(NEWID() as nvarchar(36)) + '.tmp'
set @fn = '%temp%\' + 'sqlTemp_' + replace(replace(replace(convert(nvarchar(24), getutcdate(),127),'-',''),':',''),'.','') + '_' + CAST(NEWID() as nvarchar(36)) + '.tmp'
end
go
if OBJECT_ID('dbo.fn_EscapeDosCharachters') is not null drop function dbo.fn_EscapeDosCharachters
go
create function dbo.fn_EscapeDosCharachters
(
@text nvarchar(max)
)
returns nvarchar(max)
as
begin
--http://www.dostips.com/?t=Snippets.Escape
set @text = REPLACE(@text,'^','^^')
set @text = REPLACE(@text,'!','^!')
set @text = REPLACE(@text,'&','^&')
set @text = REPLACE(@text,'|','^|')
set @text = REPLACE(@text,'%','%%')
--based on experience
set @text = REPLACE(@text,'>','^>')
set @text = REPLACE(@text,'<','^<')
return @text
end
go
if OBJECT_ID('createTempTextFile') is not null drop proc createTempTextFile
go
create proc createTempTextFile
(
@fn nvarchar(max) out
--the filename to output to (nb: environment variables don't currently work (e.g. you can't use %temp%\myFile.vbs)
--works fine with spaces in filename (so far at least)
--if user passes null a temporary filename will be auto allocated & returned in this variable
, @content nvarchar(max)
)
as
begin
declare @charPos int
, @cmd varchar(8000) --has to be varchar rather than nvarchar due to xp_cmdshell implementation
if @fn is null or LEN(@fn)=0
begin
exec GetTempFilename @fn out
end
set @cmd = '@echo.>' + @fn --create a new file for our script output
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @cmd, no_output
set @content = replace(@content,char(13) + char(10), char(10))--ensure uniform line endings (i.e. \r\n -> \n)
set @content = replace(@content,char(13), char(10))--ensure uniform line endings (i.e. \r -> \n)
set @content = @content + CHAR(10) --ensure last character of script is new line
set @charPos = CHARINDEX(char(10),@content)
while (@charPos > 0)
begin
--todo: consider what additional escaping is required to prevent injection issues
set @cmd = '@echo.' + dbo.fn_EscapeDosCharachters(SUBSTRING(@content,1,@charPos-1)) + '>> ' + @fn
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @cmd, no_output
set @content = SUBSTRING(@content,@charPos+1,len(@content))
set @charPos = CHARINDEX(char(10),@content)
end
end
go
if OBJECT_ID('deleteTempTextFile') is not null drop proc deleteTempTextFile
go
create proc deleteTempTextFile
(
@fn nvarchar(max)
)
as
begin
declare @cmd varchar(8000)
if CHARINDEX(' ',@fn)>0 and CHARINDEX('"',@fn)>1 set @fn = QUOTENAME(@fn,'"')
set @cmd = 'del ' + @fn
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @cmd, no_output
end
go
if OBJECT_ID('sp_RunScript') is not null drop proc sp_RunScript
go
create proc sp_RunScript
(
@script nvarchar(max)
, @arguments nvarchar(max)
, @timeoutSecs int = null
, @batchMode bit = 1
, @tempfileUri nvarchar(max) out
)
as
begin
declare @cmd varchar(8000) --has to be varchar rather than nvarchar due to xp_cmdshell implementation
exec createTempTextFile @tempfileUri out, @script
if CHARINDEX(' ',@tempfileUri)>0 and CHARINDEX('"',@tempfileUri)>1 set @tempfileUri = QUOTENAME(@tempfileUri,'"')
set @cmd = 'cscript ' + @tempfileUri + ' //E:vbscript //NOLOGO '
--batch mode or interactive
if @batchMode=1
set @cmd = @cmd + '//B '
else
set @cmd = @cmd + '//I '
--should script timeout after x seconds?
if @timeoutSecs is not null
set @cmd = @cmd + '//T:' + CAST(@timeoutSecs as nvarchar(18)) + ' '
set @cmd = @cmd + isnull(@arguments,'')
--select @cmd --if debugging enable this line to see the script file / etc
EXEC master..xp_cmdshell @cmd --if required we can capture output as has been done in GetTempDirectory
exec deleteTempTextFile @tempfileUri --tidyup the temp script - disable this line for debugging
end
if OBJECT_ID('sp_RunScriptByID') is not null drop proc sp_RunScriptByID
go
create proc sp_RunScriptByID
(
@scriptId bigint
, @arguments nvarchar(max)
)
as
begin
declare @timeoutSecs int
, @batchMode bit
, @script nvarchar(max)
, @tempfileUri nvarchar(max)
, @cmd varchar(8000) --has to be varchar rather than nvarchar due to xp_cmdshell implementation
select @timeoutSecs=timeoutSecs
, @batchMode = batchMode
, @script = script
from vbsScripts
where id = @scriptId
exec sp_RunScript
@script
, @arguments
, @timeoutSecs
, @batchMode
, @tempfileUri out
end
go
if OBJECT_ID('sp_RunScriptByName') is not null drop proc sp_RunScriptByName
go
/*
provides a friendly interface to sp_RunScriptByID
*/
create proc sp_RunScriptByName
(
@scriptName nvarchar(256)
, @arguments nvarchar(max)
)
as
begin
declare @id bigint
select @id = id
from vbsScripts
where name = @scriptName
exec sp_RunScriptByID @id, @arguments
end
go
Example Usage:
--demo
--register a new script in the scripts table
insert vbsScripts
select 'demo', '
option explicit
dim objFSO, i, path
path = "c:\example1\"
wscript.echo "hello" ''show what console output looks like (if interactive)
for i = 0 to wscript.Arguments.Count-1 ''show that we can handle command line arguments
wscript.echo wscript.arguments.item(i)
next
set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
if not objFSO.FolderExists(path) then
on error resume next
objFSO.CreateFolder(path) ''create a folder to demonstrate that the vbs is running / affecting the outside environment
if err.number = 0 then
wscript.echo "Folder " & path & " successfully created."
else
wscript.echo "Folder " & path & " was not created. " & cstr(Err.number) & ": " & Err.Description
err.clear
end if
on error goto 0
else
wscript.echo "Folder " & path & " already exists."
end if
set objFSO = Nothing
wscript.echo "Done"
', null, 0
go
--execute above script via friendly name
sp_RunScriptByName 'demo','"this is a demo" "hopefully it will work" yes it does'
Developer42 