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How to Call a .NET DLL from a VBScript

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12 Oct 2010CPOL2 min read 164.4K   38   23
Learn how to call a .NET DLL from a VB Script

You might be wondering how you can call a .NET DLL from a VB Script. Well, look no further, as I will explain how to achieve this in a step by step manner.

You might be wondering why you want to do this?

Why not just do everything in .NET or VBScript?

Well, there might be some instances where this will be useful, like modifying a start-up script for GPO which is already in VBScript, but you want to extend it safely (compiled codes) or just reuse available DLLs that are out there in your organization saving you time to redevelop the same thing again. There are a lot of reasons that you want to do this but this is why I am doing it, unless someone else suggests a better way of doing it. Anyways I am writing this so that if anyone needs this reference, it's just here.

Ok let's start with what you need. Definitely, you need to develop or use an existing DLL. For this example, we will develop it from scratch, you also need the VBScript that you want to edit or create and that’s it.

Step 1

Your DLL. Fire up Visual Studio you can develop either in C#, VB or any language you want, this sample will be C#. You need to create a Class Library Project.

C#
using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
namespace MyDLL
{
 [ComVisible(true)]
 public class Operations
 {
 [ComVisible(true)]
 public string getValue1(string sParameter)
 {
 switch (sParameter)
 {
 case "a":
 return "A was chosen";

 case "b":
 return "B was chosen";

 case "c":
 return "C was chosen";

 default:
 return "Other";
 }
 }
 public string getValue2()
 {
 return "From VBS String Function";
 }
 }
}

In the code above, apply the ComVisibleAttribute Class controls accessibility of an individual managed type or member, or of all types within an assembly, to COM. You can apply this attribute to classes, structures, interfaces, delegates, enumerations, fields, methods, assemblies or properties. By default, it is set to true but in case you want to hide the individual type, you can just set it to false (I just showed it for reference purposes, as you notice the getValue2 does not have that attribute, but still it is visible).

Build the project.

Now after creating this Class Library Project, you have to configure it so that when you compile, it will register on the systems assembly. There are two ways of doing that; one is to a command prompt. If you have .NET Framework 2.0 installed, regasm would be in the following path at:

C:\windows\microsoft.net\Framework\v2.0.50727\regasm.exe

And use the following for registering and unregistering an assembly:

Image 1

Register assembly manually

The one on top registers it and the one at the bottom unregisters it. Now what does the /codebase option stand for? You need to use the /codebase switch when you don’t have your assembly in GAC because that will add an absolute path for your assembly in registry so that COM client can find it.

Another option is Directly to Visual Studio, this is the easy way and it’s as easy as ticking a check box in the project properties.

Image 2

Register assembly

Now you have your DLL ready.

Step 2

Create your VBScript and here is my sample:

VBScript
dim myObj
Dim myClass
Set myObj = CreateObject("MyDLL.Operations")
MsgBox myObj.getValue1("a")
MsgBox myObj.getValue2()

Now run your VBScript and that’s it.

Image 3 Image 4 Image 5 Image 6 Image 7 Image 8

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)


Written By
Technical Lead
New Zealand New Zealand
http://nz.linkedin.com/in/macaalay
http://macaalay.com/

Comments and Discussions

 
Questiongot a "activex component can't create object" error Pin
kefalas_savvas@yahoo.com29-Oct-18 6:52
kefalas_savvas@yahoo.com29-Oct-18 6:52 
I am using a .dll created from vsto15.The code is tested since it was a class in another project and it uses calls to [DllImport("User32.dll")].


when I try to access the class from (outlook forms editor) vbscript I get a activex component can't create object error.

I tried some combinations in the vbscript editor but I mainly used a createobject("namespace.class") as that seemed closer to the example.


I registered through the register for COM Interop option rather than regasm route.


as in the example I changed path to c:\ and still got no results


any ideas?,
thnx for your time
SuggestionDo it without registering the DLL Pin
junkew14-Jun-17 8:33
junkew14-Jun-17 8:33 
QuestionCalling .Net Dll (Default Property) from VBScript Pin
VickTy5-Dec-13 0:59
VickTy5-Dec-13 0:59 
Questionref. How to call a .NET DLL from a VBScript Pin
Member 1001963830-Apr-13 0:19
Member 1001963830-Apr-13 0:19 
QuestionHow to call a VBScript's function from a .NET DLL? Pin
Member 97380557-Jan-13 21:58
Member 97380557-Jan-13 21:58 
QuestionHow to call a .NET DLL from a VBScript Pin
Member 25560031-Oct-12 2:52
Member 25560031-Oct-12 2:52 
AnswerRe: How to call a .NET DLL from a VBScript Pin
TL1000S4-Oct-12 3:28
TL1000S4-Oct-12 3:28 
Questionactivex component can't create object Pin
Member 928428820-Jul-12 9:25
Member 928428820-Jul-12 9:25 
AnswerRe: activex component can't create object Pin
Member 945127417-Mar-14 6:10
Member 945127417-Mar-14 6:10 
AnswerRe: Consider 32 vs. 64 bit Pin
WernfriedD12-May-15 8:57
WernfriedD12-May-15 8:57 
AnswerRe: activex component can't create object Pin
Guillermo Perez17-Feb-17 6:18
Guillermo Perez17-Feb-17 6:18 
GeneralGood Article Pin
Irwan Hassan19-Oct-10 19:45
Irwan Hassan19-Oct-10 19:45 
GeneralRe: Good Article Pin
Raymund Macaalay19-Oct-10 22:53
Raymund Macaalay19-Oct-10 22:53 
GeneralNice One Pin
Anurag Gandhi18-Oct-10 20:51
professionalAnurag Gandhi18-Oct-10 20:51 
GeneralImproovements for your code Pin
Reinhard Ostermeier13-Oct-10 5:11
Reinhard Ostermeier13-Oct-10 5:11 
GeneralRe: Improovements for your code Pin
Raymund Macaalay13-Oct-10 9:18
Raymund Macaalay13-Oct-10 9:18 
GeneralIntellisense Pin
Johan197416-Jul-10 0:22
Johan197416-Jul-10 0:22 
GeneralRe: Intellisense Pin
Raymund Macaalay17-Jul-10 21:50
Raymund Macaalay17-Jul-10 21:50 
Questionother types? Pin
peterbacsi10-May-10 22:24
peterbacsi10-May-10 22:24 
AnswerRe: other types? Pin
Raymund Macaalay10-May-10 23:06
Raymund Macaalay10-May-10 23:06 
GeneralThanks a lot Pin
Irwan Hassan10-May-10 17:29
Irwan Hassan10-May-10 17:29 
GeneralNice! Pin
Matt McKinney6-May-10 7:29
Matt McKinney6-May-10 7:29 

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