What IDE should I use to develop hta files that automate Word and Excel?
Which version of Visual Studio Express should I use to develop an HTA application that will script Word and Excel and connect to a web service?
Should I download the web edition because hta files are like web pages, or should I download one of the others because hta files work on the local machine? Or is there another IDE I can use?
Answer
SharePoint Designer 2007 which is now free to use. FrontPage 2003 if you already have it. I feel that FrontPage/SharePoint HTML editing is awesome, especially the VBA support during design-time editing. When you want to view the HTML Application, just press F12.
Visual Web Developer Express will also work well. Note that Visual Studio 2008 versions use "SharePoint Designer 2007" as the HTML editor. Even though Visual Studio uses the same HTML editor, the editor user-interface is much better in SharePoint Designer 2007 or FrontPage 2003.
To debug see the below reference.
Debugging VBScript and JScript in vbs, js, wsf and hta files at http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/maikkoster/archive/2009/03/25/debugging-vbscript-and-jscript-in-vbs-js-wsf-and-hta-files.aspx
Microsoft Visual Studio: Editing HTA files with VS2005 - debugging at http://msdn.itags.org/visual-studio/30906/, but use the Stop (VBScript) or stop; (JScript) statements instead of a message box statement.
HTML Applications at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms536471.aspx.
Extreme Makeover: Wrap Your Scripts Up in a GUI Interface at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee692768.aspx
HTML Applications (HTAs) provide a way for you to wrap your scripts up in a graphical user interface, an interface replete with check boxes, radio buttons, drop-down lists and all those other Windows elements you’ve grown to love. In this article, the first of a multi-part series, we’ll introduce the basics behind creating your very own HTA.
HTA Helpomatic at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=231D8143-F21B-4707-B583-AE7B9152E6D9&displaylang=en
Utility to help script writers create HTML Applications (HTAs).