joe

I know the startup folder bit. Wha I was looking for was in the prefernces there is an option for "Run on Windows Startup" checkbox followed be a "Program Paramters" section. I found the parameters but I cna't find the startup option.

The parameter string in the Options->Preferences->Startup->Command Line Parameter field is placed within the shortcut link's Target field when the shortcut link is created. Is this what you mean?

Hey Joe... Another question for you.

In the Example "Activate Workbook - Interactive"... Had a question on your coding. You set T11 to the path of the applet... and you set T14 to the applet name. Seems to me like this is a waste of variables. Couldn't you set T14 to be the entire path and application? In my world, variables are at a premium. I need to cut waste wherever I can because some of our programs are stretched to the brink. Let me know your thoughts on why it was programmed this way.

Good question! In this case, T14 is also used as the window title (caption) for the error MsgBox and for terminating the process. Look at lines 110 and line 118.

Joe,

 

Maybe this has been done before... and I am just too lazy to search, but I have a project on my table right now that requires me to view different tabs within an excel file. I need excel to launch a program, and I need to be able to navigate to a specific tab. Have you done this before? I am not an excel expert, but I don't see a way to navigate directly to a specific worksheet.

Cyberchief it's good to hear from you again.

As a matter of fact take a look at this topic. It is exactly what you need IF you are referring to worksheets when you say TAB. This itty-bitty applet will allow you to activate not only an underlying workbook (if you have multiple workbooks open) but also whichever worksheet you need within the workbook.

I strongly suggest that you download the Help_Active_Window.zip file and read it before doing anything else. It explains all in detail.

Yes well, let's get back to the subject; Excel and Macro Express.

What is it that you want to see Macro Express do for Excel? What kind of operations, tools, handlers, functions, features, and so forth, would make your automating Excel easier?

Enabling or disabling a macro in any particular library (mex file) sets the status for any and all users that access that library. If macro A is disabled for Bob, it will also be disabled for Tom.

One that I have on the to do list is to write a routine ot generate an integer date. I've done one for day of year that works for leap years and such but maybe there's a built in function in VBScript or at least a existing script that could be tailored for ME users.

This is easily done. The command itself is a one-liner.

Be nice to have the choice to be able to capture the formula in a cell instead of the result.

Do you mean that you want to get the formula in a cell and return it as a string to Macro Express?

Over the past couple of years, we've accumulated Excel / Macro Express functions that were developed for different projects.

Floyd and I want to begin the process of formalizing them into a library for other developers and users. To that end we would like your input as to what YOU want.

What is it that you want to see Macro Express do for Excel? What kind of operations, tools, handlers, functions, features, and so forth, would make your automating Excel easier?

Never occurred to me that VBScript could build a file from scratch

That's correct Cory, it can. What the script does is to write native Macro Express code, like you see from the Direct Editor window, to a file. Macro Express, in the mean time, is waiting for the file to exist. Then it reads it into a variable and executes the variable using the Run Macro in Variable command. It's actually pretty neat.

strWrite = _
"<TVAR2:11:01:" & strFirstName & Chr(01) & ">" & _
"<TVAR2:12:01:" & strLastName & Chr(01) & ">" & _
"<TVAR2:13:01:" & strEmail & Chr(01) & ">"

I've looked to see how the example can be simplified. It might be done, although I'm not sure if it would make the VBScript part any clearer. Let's see how much time Floyd has available to help answer questions you, or anyone else, might have.

Is this checkbox from a form on, say, the web ... an html document, or is it in a program?

Embedded text in a macro is easy. And it lends itself to a zero footprint model. In other words, you need nothing more than the macro to do whatever it is that the macro does. A good example of this is the Multiple Field Input example macro.

The generated HTA code is contained in string variable(s). You can see where CR/LF sequences are stored as "PGMCRLF" and replaced with real CR/LF strings when required in the manner that Kevin has shown.

If I want to edit the HTA string, I simply copy it to my text editor, replace all "PGMCRLF" with actual CR/LF, and then hack away. When finished, I do the opposite.

I agree with Cory. It sounds like you have a multiple-sheet formula going on there.

Repeat Until %N1% <> %N1%
  <Your code in here>
Repeat End

Take a look at this post here. I have not tried it myself, but according to the author it works just fine.

Have you tried creating an event-driven macro based on a Window Title or Window Control? If, for example, you know that Omni Page will fire when you turn on your scanner, then create a macro to fire when it sees that window, or a control in the window, has surfaced.

I'm afraid that I cannot be much help here. I am sure you are not using the "text" option for Controls, so that shoots that solution down.

At first I didn't think it was possible, but it is beginning to look more and more like there is a difference between XP and Vista Windows Control reporting, but what the heck could it be? And why would it be? Also, one would think that the error would occur every time and not just after a period of time.

Sounds like some sort of cache problem, doesn't it? have you tried unchecking the internal Macro Express cache and along with it, the Window Activation Caching under Options->Preferences->Caching?

Yes, this can be a problem. IE can have the same window title for different pages.

The first problem to solve is how to get Macro Express to understand that a window has changed. I would suggest using the Get Pixel Color command to trap when the color of a pixel on the screen changes. Do a search for "pixel" on this board. This technique has been used in the past to resolve this kind of issue.

Some people have trapped for the the end of the progress bar indicator to change color. Some have trapped for a unique area on the web page to change color. For others it's been a combination of using both the Wait for Web Page and Get Get Pixel Color commands.

This doesn't seem to be downloading right for me

Should be okay now.

Added a solution for this problem to the Third-party Tools section.

Attached is a zipped self-extracting exe style file for this topic.

The file is for those who do not want to use a setup.exe style installer for the Activate Workbook solution in this topic.

Zip_Activate_Workbook_1005.zip

Attached is a zipped setup.exe style file for this topic.

The file is for those who want to use a setup.exe style installer for the Activate Workbook solution in this topic.

See the next reply for an alternative.

Setup_Activate_Workbook_1005.zip

Having trouble getting Macro Express to pop up an Excel workbook? When using Microsoft Excel with multiple open workbooks, Macro Express can see only the active workbook and not those which lie underneath. In other words, it can only see whichever workbook is currently displayed in the Excel window title. The Macro Express "Activate Window" command is rendered useless in this situation.

Here is a solution.

Attached to this topic is a zipped help (.chm) file that explains all. Just download, unzip, and read it. NOTE: After unzipping the CHM file, you might have to "Unlock" it. Microsoft has a security feature that prevents viewing a CHM file if it was copied from a network or downloaded. Simply right-click on the file and choose "Properties". Click on the "Unlock" button at the bottom of the General tab, then "Apply". That's it.

At some point we will be adding this, and other solutions, to our web site.

Help_Active_Window.zip

Sure can!

Set Variable %T1% to "Path to Common Desktop"
Date/Time: Save "yyyy_mm_dd_hh_mm_ss_zzz" into %T2%
Variable Set String %T3% "Any text for the file"
Variable Modify String: Save %T3% to Text File

<VSETMISC:T1:Path to Common Desktop><DT:yyyy_mm_dd_hh_mm_ss_zzzT:02:1:><TVAR2:03:01:Any text for the file><TMVAR2:17:03:00:000:000:%T1%\%T2%.txtT>

The above example saves a tiny text file to your desktop.

How did you do the activation. For instance if I have a macro for looking up a word definition online how can one create a command so that I could say something to the effect of “Computer, Define ‘paralax’” and have it do it?

Good question. You've hit on the most time-consuming problem in speech recognition and MX3. It is, of course, necessary to create "something" that MX3 can recognize and act upon. "Command" files are the best solution ... for now. The future will bring other, better, solutions.

A "command" file is something that MX3 can read and parse. You say "Computer, move window to the upper-right corner.", and have it recorded to a command (speech log) file where MX3 reads and parses it.

The above is simple to do ... except for the parsing. The task of getting a computer to do something spoken is completely different than getting a computer to do something typed. There are hundreds of different ways to say "move window to the upper-right corner".

Effective parsing requires 1) an in-depth knowledge of Regular Expressions and 2) time. I have the first requirement but not the second. And this is unfortunate because we (Floyd and I) are strong advocates of speech-recognition and feel that it is a worthy and obtainable goal for Macro Express.

Cory -

I did a good deal of work with Dragon Naturally Speaking and MX3. It can certainly be fun! My understanding is that Vista's speech engine is every bit as good as DNS's. Er, and it's free. Well, free when you buy Vista.

There was/is a problem with DNS hogging all the keyboard interrupts, which almost caused me to abandon the testing. However, I was finally able to get communications going between DNS and MX3 by turning on DNS's speech trouble shooting log. This is a real-time log of spoken commands that have been recognized. MX3 did a fine job of continually parsing the commands to take instructions. It all worked good. But I ran out of "play" time.