VBScript Action Output garbled

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Posted on by CU09061633-0

I'm trying to use the VBScript feature to output a simple string, but the output is garbled looks like this (せ䌵㨰〰㔰㘭䐸崸圠剁䥎䝎›夠畯⁲散瑲晩....), output is created even if I don't send an output, whatever I do send gets added on, but not in a form that I understand. The error must be related to the code I'm running, but the code does work otherwise.

I would like to understand how to correct this, or find an alternative way to get a string or number out of the VBScript action which doesn't use WScript.Echo. Is it possible to get information out by a different way like modify a global variable? It's possible to bring in global variables, so is it not possible to change them?

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eetuRobo 4,519 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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but the output is garbled looks like this (せ䌵㨰〰㔰㘭䐸崸圠剁䥎䝎›夠畯⁲散瑲晩....)

Do you mean like this:

If so double click the variable or right click -> View

Then it opens the variable and shows fully what's in it (not just snippet of it)

Is it possible to get information out by a different way like modify a global variable? It's possible to bring in global variables, so is it not possible to change them?

No you cant modify PADs flow variable in VBScript. Only scripting action that can do that is "Run .NET script" -action where you can use either C# or VB.NET. In Script parameters you give it input/output variabes and in .NET code to run you give the code.
Example: This C# code takes in %ChangeThisInScript% variable that is set to have value "One"

The Script changes it to "Two"

Here is the Script parameters settings:

I am not certain I understood your issue so if I misunderstood please give more information like screenshots of the variable produced and the vbscript. Maybe copy paste flow here so we can reproduce it troubleshoot the issue.

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CU09061633-0 4 on at

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When the script runs, I get the weird characters in the output variable, even when I don't intentionally send anything. If I add WScript.Echo "xyz" then that gets added on at the end, but not in readable text.

it seems surprising that you can read variables in VBScript, but not modify them. My VBScript works and can output results via message boxes.

I did try to use the .NET scripting but it wasn't obvious how it worked, then I tried saving to environment variables and I could save values, but not read in PAD VBScript because I wasn't able to escape the %. EDIT I did manage to read the environment variable using the PAD environment variable action - so that could be a workaround

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eetuRobo 4,519 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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That does sound weird that it creates the output without you actually using WScript.Echo

it seems surprising that you can read variables in VBScript, but not modify them.

I think its intentional to keep the scripting actions simple. Otherwise they would be as complex as .NET scripting action where you need to se the input/output parameters for the script for it to work. This also means that the %VBScriptOutput% can only return simple datatypes like string. So not objects or data tables.

So with most scripting actions (all but .NET) you can take in the PAD variable but only way to output it is through the script output variable so in this case %VBScriptOutput%. After that you can of course replace the original PAD variables value with the %VBScriptOutput% value.

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