Cory

I saw plenty of FTP commands in here and got really excited. Per a previous post regarding combo list post, I want to do some stuff by FTP but am confounded by the lack of options like the ability to browse. Has anyone every written any basic ‘how to’ articles on how to do this in ME? Or can you offer any suggestion on how I might be able to do some of these things?

This looks really cool and is something I really like but I get the feeling this isn’t ready for newbie prime time. I played with it a bit and started getting the creeping suspicion that if I wanted to make this work specifically for me it was going to take a lot of learning by trial and error.

Here’s my Q: I’m not an alpha geek or a programmer, is this something I can do easily?

I can make web forms, is there a way I could create a webform in FrontPage and save it to this mystical HTA format by some ‘idiots guide’ so I could use it as input in ME?

Reader’s digest version:

If I have a long list, 1000 approx, of text items and I want the user to choose one how can I do this? In Access I can create a list box with the display source being a table so that when the user enters the field they can just start typing and then select the one they want. Maybe there’s another way that differs slightly?

Everything from here down is supplementary, don’t both reading unless you want to help and I don’t make sense. <g>

Specifically what I am doing:

I have created several macros for disposing of PDF scans in a paperless conversion project. Scanners output PDF’s and I have ME pop them open, ask the users for several bits of info then enter meta data into the PDF, save and then rename the file with a standard convention and move it to the proper client folder and subfolder based on that characteristic info.

My sleazy workaround:

Don’t laugh but right now I use the client folder list and the directory command to allow the user to select a clients name to be used in a later path and elsewhere. Problem is I’m modifying the macro to access via FTP instead of UNC so it doesn’t work there. My sleazy solution? Create a temporary directory structure on the users local machine simply as a place to store the 1000+ text variables and delete it later. Then have them use the folder select command. Problem is with my sleazy workaround(s) is that, 1- they have to start from scratch every time browsing, and 2- I can’t do more with the items like remembering past input. For instance I was thinking it would be nice to have a sort of MRUD except it would be clients and keep score so if they do a bunch from one client they could have a ‘top five’ list to shorten their input. 3- If I use the UNC variant but have a remote user using VPN directory browsing is too slow.

Comment on HTA:

I saw Floyd’s stimulating post on the HTA but after a few minutes of stumbling around I felt as if it was going to be a research project to get it to do what I want so I though that instead I would write a post to see if there is an easier ‘old school’ way.

Related posts:

I’ll post a message here in a few minutes about FTP in ME. This is the case of the day but this post is more generic and I’ve had several things like this. What I am doing is using the directory list from the FTP site as the 1000+ string variable list.

Wow, something I suggested was actually worthwhile to someone? Kewl.

I also wanted to share another trick I have with links. I do a CRTL+F for text hyperlinks too. But here’s the trick, you have to do a SHIFT+TAB TAB to backup one and then forward again in order to highlight the link properly. Then you can just hit ENTER and it follows the link. Works for anything with searchable text. And if it's the first that still works.

As is always the case with web pages timing seems to be a trick but I’m sure that’s all covered somewhere else.

Oh, here’s another one I use sometimes. Don’t forget you can use the “View Source”. You can get several bits of characteristic info from there. For instance if they use the same graphic all the time for a link button simply search for that file name. Then grab the link URL next to it and use the normal web launching command. Nice thing about HTML is that the tags are very consistent making it easy to find and parse. Also you don’t have to wait for pesky macromedia adverts to mess you up. And of course there are many different sorts of things like this in the raw HTML that one can use and then go elsewhere with.

What is "Basic ME"? I broke down and bought the PGM library thingy so I'll mess with that first. Thanks for the example Floyd. Sometimes I just need to see it in motion in order to get it.

Perfect, thanks. I like Randall's suggestion best but I hesitate becasue in the past these sorts of global solutions sometimes cause problems elsewhere so I'll have to remember Jowensii's idea too. You guys are the best, Thanks!

Made a macro to routinely check my ailing index server to make sure it stays up and email me if it goes down. Works great but there’s one annoyance. If I already have a web window open it launches the link in that web window obliterating my session. How do I make ME “Open in a new window”?

I know it's sleezy but I too was having troubles clicking ot typing in a webpage. Problem with tabbing was that the content would vary and the tab count would be wrong. So then I would do a find with CTRL+F and ENter. THis woudl highlight the bit of desited text. Then it was a single tab to the field or button. SO for instance I could search for "user name:" and t would position me in front of the user name field so all I had to do was single tab to the field. Like I said, it aint perty but it was all my wee little brain could come up with.

Thanks. I'm looking at the PGM add in solution but I'm a bit confused by it so far. I opened the manual for it and found it was 308 pages long! I looked at that function but there were som undefined terms in there so I guess I need to look back at some of the preceding 300 pages to see what I missed.

I want to take a path string of a file and break it into several string variables. E.g., from “\\server\share\dir1\dir2\dir3\dir4\last, first 333-22-4444.pdf” I want to get dir2, dir4, last, first and, SSN as separate string variables. (333-22-4444) is the SSN. The number of levels of folders will be consistent and things like the length of the SSN will always be the same but dir1-4 will vary and might have spaces and punctuation. What is the best practice here?

I can think of a couple ways to do this and plan on checking out the samples on the website but thought I would ask here first in case some old sage had a quick answer for me. I don’t need a detailed response just a general idea which way to go.

Thanks!

(said like Beavis) Yes Yes Yes!!!!! That rules!!!

Thanks! I'm always missing the obvious. I just assumed since there was no file name that it wouldn't apply. Just in time too, I was just wrapping this up.

I am doing the folder, not file. Do I undersand your correctly that the answer is "No"?

I'm sorry, I must be dense. If I use "Variable set string from folder name" and browse to "\\server\share\dir1\dir2" and stick that in T1 then do the "Variable Set From File Path" and choose the path tick box on the right I get ""\\server\share\dir1\" but what I want is "dir2". What am I missing? Thanks!

<TVAR2:01:10:><VFFILE:1:F:1:T:1:F:1:F:1:%T1%>

Nevremind. I figured out how to change the format in the direct editor. Too bad I can't just delete this message.

Currently my macro takes the date from a user in three validated prompts for Year, Month and day. But I was checking out the Date/time function where they can pick and I really like this. Problem is the resulting output formats are very limited and I need to eventually end up with the text in the format of YYYY-MM-DD with spacing zeros in single digit cases. Now in the Date function supports the format I want but there is no way I can see for user input. At this point all I can think to do is to create a very complex routine to massage the date but that would be much more complex than what I have. Is there an easier way?

Short version: When setting a string from folder name it always defaults to "My Computer" in the dialog box. Is there a way to make it start from a specific folder or remember it's last folder it browsed to?

Longer version: I am setting a string from a folder name by prompting the user to browse to it. The Macro is a loop that will repeat many times. My problem is that the path the user wants to start I is way down the tree on a network share and the dialog box always opens to “My Computer” causing the user to click down thru several levels of directories. How can I eliminate this? Maybe there is another way for a user to select a folder in a certain directory.

Sorry for so many posts.

Is there a simple way to get just the folder name without the entire path? E.g., from "\\server\share\dir1\dir2" get simply "dir2". I am currently setting string by browsing to folder and then deleting text but if the directory tree above changes this wont work. I'm thinking I must be missing something simple here.

I have a routine where people input things like SSN, sates and other data that is of uniform format. I have some basic validation tests and can think of many other ways to perform them as I look thru some of the ME functions but I was wondering if someone had created a collection of them somewhere as samples. I'm just thinking that someone most certainly must have put a lot of time into it at some point and would have created something much better than what I could do. Also I was thinking it would be cool to make these seperate macros to ba called from any macro I create requiring input validation.

Very cool. "If Message". Hadn't tried that one yet. Thanks for answering so quickly!

Thanks, that works fine. Seems kind of clunky an unintuitive to the user but it works. If anyone else has a way for me you have a simple way for me to see a "yes" (else exit) buttons I would appreciate it.

Wouldn't you know as soon as I make a post I figure it out. I was thinking it should be a 'modify' thing when I can do it with the "Set String" and enter "0%T1%". Duh.

I don't see a replace command and that looks interesting. Where is it? I'll try to check that out now.

Thanks!

I have a date as a numeric value in a variable and in an instance where it is less than 10 want to prepend it with a "0" zero so when files are sorted by name they will appear chrono. I convert the string to text but only see a append option in the modify string. Isn't there somewhere I can simply glue text and or variables into a new variable? It just seems that the ability to modify strings seems very limited and I think I must be missing something. Any suggestons?

I am a maladroit with this program so forgive me if I ask an ignorant question. I see there are many ways to control a repeat but I can not seem to find the simplest and most obvious control. I would like to enter into a loop and at the end have it prompt the user if they would like to repeat. I imagine a dialog box with a “Yes” and “No” button with the “Yes” highlighted by default so one could just hit the enter key to have it fire again. I see one can use a variable but how can I avoid having them type something in?