Script Builder

System Requirements

  • Windows 2000, XP or 2003 Server
  • Active Directory
  • SQL Server (Download the free MSDE from Microsoft if required)
  • .NET Framework (Download from Microsoft or Windows Update)

 

Overview

ScriptBuilder is a tool to designed to automate the creating and editing of vbscript logon scripts.  It can be used to map network drives and connect users to network printers. 

Visual Basic scripts can be written by hand to provide all the functionality that is provided in ScriptBuilder. Why use ScriptBuilder then? If you choose to create scripts manually, all users who edit the script need to have knowledge of vbscript. Also, if the script maps network drives and printers for the entire organization, a simple type error could mean that end users loose access to all their network drives & printers. Script Builder is particularly useful for large scripts that require frequent editing.

ScriptBuilder is designed to be used by all IT Support personnel and requires no knowledge of vbscript. The script file produced will be perfect every time and you don't have to worry about making type errors. The ScriptBuilder solution remains easy to manage no matter how many network printers you want to install.

ScriptBuilder can map network drives and printers based on the user logging on, their group membership or the name of the computer they are logging on to. You would typically want to install a network printer that is close to the computer that the user is logged on to. If you name all the PC's in a room to conform to a naming convention, you can install a printer based on the room in which the user is logged on. For example you might want to use the naming convention roomname-machineid. The roomname would identify the room and the machineid would be a number identifying the PC's location in the room. For example, conference room 1 has 4 PC's named CONF-01. CONF-02, CONF-03 and CONF-04. You want users logging onto these PC's to print to a laserjet printer installed and shared on CONF-01. You can use ScriptBuilder to specify that the printer is installed when users logon to a computer who's name begins with CONF-.

You might also decide that you want all users in the finance group to have access to a special finance printer no matter which PC they logon to. Lets say, for example, that this printer is installed on a dedicated print server, PS1, and is shared as FinancePrinter. Lets also say that users in this group frequently access files on a fileserver, FS1. The UNC path to the file share is \\fs1\financedocs, but the users in the finance department would like to access this as if it were a local drive on the computer.

You might also have a user in the reprographics department that requires access to his printers from any PC in the organization. A separate group is not required as he is the only person that will access those printers.

The check mark indicates that the graphics 3 printer will be set as the default printer.

 



Script Builder