vbscript code to read input from text file avoiding manual efforts - vbscript

Question

I am drilling down Internet to get Vbscript code, where input is read from text file one per line and pass it to the commands in script. I am just a beginner and need help with this.
Basically I am gathering script to get pending patches of servers in our environment. The script looks like below:
'#
'# ServerPendingUpdates.vbs
'#
'# Usage: cscript ServerPendingUpdates.vbs {servername} {servername} {servername} {servername}
'# If no {servername} specified then 'localhost' assumed
'#
'# To do: Error handling
'#
Option Explicit
Dim strServer : strServer = GetArgValue(0,"localhost")
'#
'# Loop through the input parameters for each server
'#
Dim i
For i = 0 To WScript.Arguments.Count - 1
CheckServerUpdateStatus GetArgValue(i,"localhost") 'strServer
Next
WScript.Quit(0)
Function CheckServerUpdateStatus( ByVal strServer )
WScript.Echo vbCRLF & "Connecting to " & strServer & " to check software update status..."
Dim blnRebootRequired : blnRebootRequired = False
Dim blnRebootPending : blnRebootPending = False
Dim objSession : Set objSession = CreateObject("Microsoft.Update.Session", strServer)
Dim objUpdateSearcher : Set objUpdateSearcher = objSession.CreateUpdateSearcher
Dim objSearchResult : Set objSearchResult = objUpdateSearcher.Search(" IsAssigned=1 and IsHidden=0 and Type='Software'")
'#
'#
'#
Dim i, objUpdate
Dim intPendingInstalls : intPendingInstalls = 0
For i = 0 To objSearchResult.Updates.Count-1
Set objUpdate = objSearchResult.Updates.Item(I)
If objUpdate.IsInstalled Then
If objUpdate.RebootRequired Then
blnRebootPending = True
End If
Else
intPendingInstalls = intPendingInstalls + 1
'If objUpdate.RebootRequired Then '### This property is FALSE before installation and only set to TRUE after installation to indicate that this patch forced a reboot.
If objUpdate.InstallationBehavior.RebootBehavior <> 0 Then
'# http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa386064%28v=VS.85%29.aspx
'# InstallationBehavior.RebootBehavior = 0 Never reboot
'# InstallationBehavior.RebootBehavior = 1 Must reboot
'# InstallationBehavior.RebootBehavior = 2 Can request reboot
blnRebootRequired = True
End If
End If
Next
WScript.Echo strServer & " has " & intPendingInstalls & " updates pending installation"
If blnRebootRequired Then
WScript.Echo strServer & " WILL need to be rebooted to complete the installation of these updates."
Else
WScript.Echo strServer & " WILL NOT require a reboot to install these updates."
End If
'#
'#
'#
If blnRebootPending Then
WScript.Echo strServer & " is waiting for a REBOOT to complete a previous installation."
End If
End Function
'#
'#
'#
Function GetArgValue( intArgItem, strDefault )
If WScript.Arguments.Count > intArgItem Then
GetArgValue = WScript.Arguments.Item(intArgItem)
Else
GetArgValue = strDefault
End If
End Function
Basically I am looking for a code to put in somewhere there, where the server names input that shall be manually given after command execution in CLI can be given in a text file; like a lot of servers in text file and each server is executed one per line, one at a time by the script.
Cheers!

Answer 1

This allow to read from arguments collection and from standard input when - is passed as argument
Dim server
For Each server in WScript.Arguments.UnNamed
If server="-" Then
Do While Not WScript.StdIn.AtEndOfStream
WScript.Echo "Redirected: " + WScript.StdIn.ReadLine
Loop
Else
WScript.Echo "Argument: " + server
End If
Next
This allow to still pass arguments in the command line, and, if any of the arguments is a dash, the stantdard input is read. This will allow you to do any of the following
Usual argument pass
cscript checkServers.vbs server1 server2
Arguments and piped input
type servers.txt | cscript checkServers.vbs server1 server2 -
Only redirected input
cscript checkServers.vbs - < servers.txt
Redirected input and arguments
< servers.txt cscript checkServers.vbs - serverx
Or any other needed combination of arguments and standard input
type servers.txt | cscript checkservers.vbs server1 server2 - aditionalServer
EDITED to answer to comments
Option Explicit
Dim strServer
If WScript.Arguments.UnNamed.Length < 1 Then
CheckServerUpdateStatus "localhost"
Else
For Each strServer in WScript.Arguments.UnNamed
If strServer="-" Then
Do While Not WScript.StdIn.AtEndOfStream
strServer = Trim(WScript.StdIn.ReadLine)
If Len(strServer) > 0 Then CheckServerUpdateStatus strServer
Loop
Else
CheckServerUpdateStatus strServer
End If
Next
End If
WScript.Quit(0)
Obviously, you need to maintain your CheckServerUpdateStatus function, this code only handles the parameter input.

Answer 2

If you are trying to get the pending windows update installs for a bunch of computers, you can use this in Powershell:
$computers = gc text_file_of_computers.txt
ForEach ($computer in $computers) {
("-" * 30)+"`n" # Horizontal line
Write-Host "Patches not yet installed for $($computer)" -f "Yellow"
Get-Hotfix -co $computer| Where {$_.InstalledOn -eq $null}
"`n"+("-" * 30) # Horizontal line
}
As you can see, we only show patches which have a $null value for InstalledOn, which means they have not been installed as yet.
powershell