I'm having problems with the following VBScript.
I'm trying to send keystrokes to a web browser window, but nothing happens.
The first two lines in the following script works fine, but the third line with the SendKeys command, doesn't do anything.
Set objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
objShell.Run "http://someurl.com", 1
objShell.SendKeys "Some Text"
I've tried to run the script on two different Win 8.1 machines. On Win 8.1 Pro it works, but on Win 8.1 not-Pro it won't work. Is there any setting somewhere in Windows that needs to be set or anything other that can help me?
Update
New code tried (added sleep and running browser explicit), but still no luck
Set ObjShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
objShell.Run """C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe""http://someurl.com/"
WScript.Sleep 5000
objShell.SendKeys "Some Text"
While its admittedly not a great programming technique, place a Sleep command after your objShell.Run line (as shown below) to give the OS some time to "catch up" and actually run the URL, activate the browser window to give it focus (you have to take note of the title in the Browser window and use that title exactly), because I have seen the browser window lose focus in some cases and then text cannot be piped into it, and finally it sends the text. Your mileage may vary, and you might even have to increase the sleep time in order to be successful. I've had to sleep up to 30 seconds, in some cases. Especially where, for whatever reason, the web page was slow to render - due to network latency, slow OS, etc.. I haven't faced this problem on Windows 8.1 because I haven't tried it on that platform. I don't think this has anything to do with the OS version; I have faced this same problem with SendKeys on other Windows OS versions where I've had to use the Sleep function like this. The SendKeys method has known limitations, and as it runs outside of the browser you have to wait for certain actions to complete before you can have it do more actions.
Set ObjShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
objShell.Run "http://someurl.com", 1
WScript.Sleep 20000
objShell.appactivate("Welcome to SOMEURL.COM! - Mozilla Firefox")
WScript.Sleep 700
objShell.SendKeys "Some Text"
Also, you might try replacing line 2 in the above to the following, to see if you have better luck. In the example below, Firefox is the default web browser. Change the path accordingly to the browser of your choice:
objShell.Run("""C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe""http://someurl.com")
Related
I recently picked up VBScript and I was messing with the sendkey commands when I noticed that the {PRTSC} isn't working on my computer.
My Program: I made it so that it'll take a screenshot and paste it.
set objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WScript.Sleep 1000
objShell.sendKeys "{prtsc}"
objShell.SendKeys "^V"
Is there something wrong with the code or am I not understanding something?
Thanks.
Note
You cannot send the PRINT SCREEN key {PRTSC} to an application.
From Help https://msdn.microsoft.com/fr-fr/library/8c6yea83(v=vs.84).aspx
Also Sendkeys is part of Windows Scripting Host not VBScript.
I am trying to create a VB script to send the keys to open up a program/application with specific settings. So, after the application has been started, choosing those very specific settings would involve pressing 2 buttons inside the application UI (1st button to choose specific set of options, and 2nd button to save those options).
I will then create a batch file to call the mentioned VB script on boot.
So far, I got this:
Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.SendKeys "^%1"
I've searched and searched, but couldn't figure out how to be able choose/save options once the app has been started, if it's even possible?
Thank you in advance for helping out!
Disclaimer: I am not a technical person, so forgive me if noob question :)
Here's a script to start an application (notepad), then send some keystrokes to it:
'VBScript Example
Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.Run "c:\windows\notepad.exe"
' add delay here
WshShell.AppActivate "Notepad"
WshShell.SendKeys "Hello World!"
WshShell.SendKeys "{ENTER}"
WshShell.SendKeys "abc"
WshShell.SendKeys "{CAPSLOCK}"
WshShell.SendKeys "def"
Perhaps this can be adapted to your needs?
The WshShell.AppActivate command is used to bring the program (with the specified window title) to the foreground.
You might want to add a delay to allow the program time to start before sending the keystrokes. This can be done by adding a sleep() call just after Wshell.Run:
' Sleep for 5 seconds (5000 msec)
WScript.Sleep(5000)
Also, here's a list of key-codes that you can use.
I'm trying to execute a VBScript by a Logitech UberOptions hotkey, but of course, because of the SendKeys numberlock bug, the nice little huge Logitech NumLock toggle graphic strews itself over my screen. It doesn't look pretty. I assume an alternative to SendKeys would remedy that.
However, a real problem exists when the vbs tries to boot 2 exe's. It properly launches WOMic AND Jarvis, but Jarvis force closes milliseconds after the boot, WOmic still remains.
The final line of code is where I "auto-connect" to my microphone server (on my android) through the menu bar of the WOMic GUI.
What's an alternative to SendKeys in this scenario?
Here is my script:
Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
oShell.Run("""C:\Program Files (x86)\JARVIS\CustomizeableJarvis.exe""")
WScript.Sleep 250
oShell.Run("""C:\Program Files (x86)\WOMic\womicclient.exe""")
WScript.Sleep 500
oShell.AppActivate "WO Mic Client 2.10"
WScript.Sleep 100
oShell.SendKeys "%cc~"
Totally forgot about this post, I suppose I can answer my own question now.
Anyone viewing this should just opt to use AutoHotKey. MUCH better to accomplish what I was trying to do.
This script is supposed to open both Windows shell Status and Properties dialogs of the first found network connection which is enabled or connected. However, only the Properties dialog is opened. The verb for the Status dialog is already correct, which is "Stat&us". The script was tested and will be used under Windows XP Pro SP3 32-Bit. It was tested with a connected 3G dialup and a LAN Loopback. Both have the same problem.
dim a,b,c
set a=createobject("shell.application")
set b=a.namespace(0).parsename("::{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E}").getfolder
for i=0 to (b.items.count-1)
set c=b.items.item(i)
for j=0 to (c.verbs.count-1)
'only process connected/enabled
if (lcase(c.verbs.item(j)) = "disc&onnect") or (lcase(c.verbs.item(j)) = "disa&ble") then
'open status and properties dialogs
c.invokeverb("Stat&us") 'this doesn't work
c.invokeverb("P&roperties") 'this one works
msgbox "Press OK to close all and exit"
wscript.quit
end if
next
next
In Windows XP there is a bug whose effect requires the Status verb to be invoked from within the Explorer process. Since WScript/CScript is not a child of the Explorer process, any attempt to invoke the status verb with prove futile despite the lack of any apparent errors. This bug appears to have been fixed in later versions as the script below is tested and working in Vista x64.
Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
Set objShellFolder = objShell.Namespace(0).ParseName("::{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E}").GetFolder
For Each objShellFolderItem in objShellFolder.Items
Set colShellFolderItemVerbs = objShellFolderItem.Verbs
For Each objShellFolderItemVerb in colShellFolderItemVerbs
strVerb = objShellFolderItemVerb.Name
If (strVerb = "C&onnect / Disconnect") Then
objShellFolderItem.InvokeVerb("Properties")
objShellFolderItem.InvokeVerb("Status")
MsgBox "Press OK to close and exit"
WScript.Quit(0)
End If
Next
Next
Option 1
Does that mean that you're out of luck? Not entirely. I have two different suggestions for you. The first uses a little trickery. Status is the default action for any network connection while it is in a connected state. Open up your network connections, right-click the connection your wish to monitor and choose Create Shortcut. You can place the shortcut anywhere you like. By default it will be named something like "Wireless Network Connection - Shortcut.lnk" on your Desktop. Typing that on the command line or via the Run or Exec methods in your script will do exactly what you need. I tried playing around with doing this all via scripting but ran into issues tryint to automate the Create Shortcut verb.
Option 2
A second option is also a bit of a workaround but may work if your 3G connection uses the dialup networking. The command line rundll32.exe rnaui.dll,RnaDial {name of connection to establish} will open the dialog to connect, however, if already connected, it opens the Status dialog for the connection. You could then try a script like this:
Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
Set objShellFolder = objShell.Namespace(0).ParseName("::{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E}").GetFolder
For Each objShellFolderItem in objShellFolder.Items
strConnection = objShellFolderItem.Name
strCommandLine = "rundll32.exe rnaui.dll,RnaDial " & Chr(34) & strConnection & Chr(34)
Set colShellFolderItemVerbs = objShellFolderItem.Verbs
For Each objShellFolderItemVerb in colShellFolderItemVerbs
strVerb = objShellFolderItemVerb.Name
If (strVerb = "C&onnect / Disconnect") Then
objShellFolderItem.InvokeVerb("Properties")
CreateObject("WScript.Shell").Run strCommandLine
MsgBox "Press OK to close and exit"
WScript.Quit(0)
End If
Next
Next
Option 3
A final option would be to use WMI to display the information about your network connection. This is a more traditional scripting approach.
In any case, I hope this helps out. Don't forget to change the verbs as required. They do change from one version of Windows to the next.
I am attempting to refresh Firefox whenever a bat file is called. I Dont want an extension. I need to know if there is a command that can be used from within a .bat file to reload the current browser or tab.
I know you can use
start firefox as a command but this simply opens a new firefox instance. I need to refresh the current instance.
I was just messing around and came up with this half-working solution that might help a little. Create a file called something like refresh.vbs and paste this in:
Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.AppActivate("Google Chrome")
WScript.Sleep 500
WshShell.SendKeys "{TAB}"
WScript.Sleep 100
WshShell.SendKeys "{F5}"
I could only test it with Chrome. The script activates Chrome, sends a tab, and then sends F5 to refresh. It works when I have Chrome up showing one web page, but not when there are multiple web tabs open (because AppActivate activates the Window, but does not give focus to anything).
Maybe it works better with Firefox. There's probably some way to enumerate the tabs in a browser and activate it in vbs, but I don't know it.
If you spawn the browser within the vbs (see WshShell.Run, and the example in the SendKeys documentation), you can get the process number and send messages directly to that Window instead of relying on the app title.
You can invoke the .vbs from within a batch file if you need to:
#echo off
refresh.vbs
On Error Resume Next
Set objExplorer = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
objExplorer.Navigate "http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter"
objExplorer.Visible = 1
Wscript.Sleep 5000
Set objDoc = objExplorer.Document
Do While True
Wscript.Sleep 30000
objDoc.Location.Reload(True)
If Err <> 0 Then
Wscript.Quit
End If
Loop