Help to Convert VBS Script to Powershell for SAS EG Project file with Specific Container

[sbkp]

Hello All,

My Desktop was upgraded to Windows 11 without the VB Script feature. I need to figure out how to convert the vb script that SAS EG generates to powershell or javascript.

Below is .vbs script that I want to convert to powershell or javascript. 

Option Explicit
Dim app         ' As SASEGuide.Application

Call dowork

'shut down the app
If not (app Is Nothing) Then
    app.Quit
    Set app = Nothing
End If


Sub dowork()
    On Error Resume Next
    '----
    ' Start up Enterprise Guide using the project name
    '----
    Dim prjName     ' As String
    Dim prjObject   ' As SASEGuide.Project
    Dim containerName     ' As String
    Dim containerObject   ' As SASEGuide.Container
    Dim containerColl     ' As SASEGuide.ContainerCollection

    prjName = "&Networkpath\data_extract_server.egp" ' Project Name
    containerName = "prod_server" ' Container Name
      
    Set app = CreateObject("SASEGObjectModel.Application.8.1")
    If Checkerror("CreateObject") = True Then
        Exit Sub
    End If
    
    Set prjObject = app.Open(prjName,"")
    If Checkerror("App.Open") = True Then
        Exit Sub
    End If
    
        
    '-----
    'Get The Container Collection and Object
    '-----    
    Set containerColl = prjObject.ContainerCollection
    If Checkerror("Project.ContainerCollection") = True Then
        Exit Sub
    End If
    
    Dim i       ' As Long
    Dim count   ' As Long
    count = containerColl.count
    For i = 0 To count - 1
        Set containerObject = containerColl.Item(i)
        If Checkerror("ContainerCollection.Item") = True Then
            Exit Sub
        End If
        
        If (containerObject.Name = containerName) Then
            Exit For
        Else
            Set containerObject = Nothing
        End If
    Next 
    
    If not (containerObject Is Nothing) Then
        '----
        ' Run the Container
        '----
        containerObject.Run
        If Checkerror("Container.Run") = True Then
            Exit Sub
        End If               
    End If
                
    '-----
    ' Save the new project
    '-----
    prjObject.Save
    If Checkerror("Project.Save") = True Then
        Exit Sub
    End If
    
    '-----
    ' Close the project
    '-----
    prjObject.Close
    If Checkerror("Project.Close") = True Then
        Exit Sub
    End If
       
End Sub

Function Checkerror(fnName)
    Checkerror = False
    
    Dim strmsg      ' As String
    Dim errNum      ' As Long
    
    If Err.Number <> 0 Then
        strmsg = "Error #" & Hex(Err.Number) & vbCrLf & "In Function " & fnName & vbCrLf & Err.Description
        'MsgBox strmsg  'Uncomment this line if you want to be notified via MessageBox of Errors in the script.
        Checkerror = True
    End If
         
End Function

 I looked around but having trouble doing it myself.

[AlanC]

As of yet, I have not seen anything that will convert easily between VB* and any of the .NET world (including PowerShell).

Best bet, in my experience, is to ask ChatGPT to do the prelim conversion. I then tweak it from there. It is mostly ok but is never right. YMMV. You have a trivial script so easy to convert.

VBS is dead so best to move away. PowerShell is an excellent choice.

[ChrisHemedinger · Accepted solution]

VB Script had its days (or decades) but it is on the way out. Here's a PowerShell script (I named it RunFlow.ps1) that can take a project (full path) and flow name and run it. It also Saves the project file after running the flow (which will update any project results like log, ODS, etc). 

# check for an input file
if ($args.Count -eq 2)
{
  $fileToProcess = $args[0] 
  $flowToRun = $args[1]
}
else
{
  Write-Host "EXAMPLE Usage: RunFlow.ps1 path-and-name-EGP-file process-flow"
  Exit -1
}

# check that the input file exists
if (-not (Test-Path $fileToProcess))
{
  Write-Host "$fileToProcess does not exist."
  Exit -1
}

# change this if running a different version of EG
$egVersion = "SASEGObjectModel.Application.8.1" 

# create an instance of the EG automation model
$eguideApp = New-Object -comObject $egVersion
Write-Host $eguideApp.Name  $eguideApp.Version
Write-Host "Opening " $fileToProcess ", looking to run " $flowToRun

$project = $eguideApp.Open("$fileToProcess", "")

# Show all of the process flows in the project
$pfCollection = $project.ContainerCollection
foreach ($pf in $pfCollection)
{
	  if ($pf.ContainerType -eq 0)
	  {
		if ($pf.Name -eq $flowToRun)
        {
          Write-Host "Running " $flowToRun
          $pf.Run()
          Write-Host "Saving updated " $project.Name
          $project.Save()
        }        
      }

}

$project.Close()

# Quit (end) the application object
$eguideApp.Quit()

You run it like this:

.\RunFlow.ps1 "C:\Projects\Automation\Daily_Job.egp" "Prod Flow"

Enterprise Guide 8.5.0.0
Opening  C:\Projects\Automation\Daily_Job.egp , looking to run  Prod Flow
Running  Prod Flow
Saving updated  Daily_Job

Can definitely use more error checks for a more robust script. See Doing More with SAS Enterprise Guide Automation for more information about the EG automation model.