Hot key needed

  • Thread starter Thread starter sherwindu
  • Start date Start date
S

sherwindu

I enter my email address and password to several browsers multiple times a day.
Is
there some way to set up a 'hot' key that can be used in my Windows 2000
operating system to make that job easier? I generally use Internet Explorer
and
Netscape. Will these browsers recognize a hot key from the operating system?
 
sherwindu said:
I enter my email address and password to several browsers multiple times a
day.
Is
there some way to set up a 'hot' key that can be used in my Windows 2000
operating system to make that job easier? I generally use Internet
Explorer
and
Netscape. Will these browsers recognize a hot key from the operating
system?
Click to expand...

Try this:
1. Open notepad.exe
2. Enter these lines:
Set ws=CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
ws.sendkeys("%{Tab}")
wscript.sleep(500)
ws.sendkeys("John Doe{Tab}MyPassword")
3. Save the file as "c:\Windows\MyName.vbs"
4. Create a shortcut on the desktop that invokes "c:\Windows\MyName.vbs".
5. Specify a "Shortcut Key" of Alt+Shift+Z (for example).
6. Open notepad.exe.
7. Press Alt+Shift+Z. You should now see "John Doe" on the screen.
8. Keep a note in a safe place of this procedure so that you remember
one year from now how to modify the name/password.

Note this:
- Having your password in a text file is an obvious security risk.
- If you wish to delete the desktop shortcut then you must first
cancel the shortcut key. If you don't then you will have a rare
time later on.
 
sherwindu said:
I enter my email address and password to several browsers multiple times a
day.
Is
there some way to set up a 'hot' key that can be used in my Windows 2000
operating system to make that job easier? I generally use Internet
Explorer
and
Netscape. Will these browsers recognize a hot key from the operating
system?
Click to expand...

Slight modification to my previous reply. Here it is again:
1. Open notepad.exe
2. Enter these lines:
Set ws=CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
ws.sendkeys("%{Tab}")
wscript.sleep(500)
ws.sendkeys("John Doe{Tab}MyPassword")
3. Save the file as "c:\Windows\MyName.vbs"
4. Create a shortcut on the desktop that invokes this command:
cscript //nologo c:\Windows\MyName.vbs.
5. Specify a "Shortcut Key" of Alt+Shift+Z (for example).
6. Open notepad.exe.
7. Press Alt+Shift+Z. You should now see "John Doe" on the screen.
8. Keep a note in a safe place of this procedure so that you remember
one year from now how to modify the name/password.

Note this:
- Having your password in a text file is an obvious security risk.
- If you wish to delete the desktop shortcut then you must first
cancel the shortcut key. If you don't then you will have a rare
time later on.
 
sherwindu said:
I enter my email address and password to several browsers multiple times a day.
Is
there some way to set up a 'hot' key that can be used in my Windows 2000
operating system to make that job easier? I generally use Internet Explorer
and
Netscape. Will these browsers recognize a hot key from the operating system?
Click to expand...

Sounds like a somewhat risky thing to do, but I guess you can make your
own decision on that.

http://www.keyboardexpress.com/ might answer your needs.
 
Thanks for the two replies.

I spoke to Comcast today about problems using 'AutoComplete' features to sign on
to my email with them. They claim it is a Microsoft issue. I tried setting the
Auto-
complete option from the Internet Explorer toolbar using tools ->internet options
->content ->AutoComplete, setting AutoComplete on for all options, including 'User
names and passwords on forms'. I also have a similar problem signing on to
Netscape and several other sites I have that require name and passwords. Any idea
as to why my AutoComplete feature cannot work?

Sherwin
 
Pegasus (MVP) said:
Slight modification to my previous reply. Here it is again:
1. Open notepad.exe
2. Enter these lines:
Set ws=CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
ws.sendkeys("%{Tab}")
wscript.sleep(500)
ws.sendkeys("John Doe{Tab}MyPassword")
3. Save the file as "c:\Windows\MyName.vbs"
4. Create a shortcut on the desktop that invokes this command:
cscript //nologo c:\Windows\MyName.vbs.
5. Specify a "Shortcut Key" of Alt+Shift+Z (for example).
6. Open notepad.exe.
7. Press Alt+Shift+Z. You should now see "John Doe" on the screen.
8. Keep a note in a safe place of this procedure so that you remember
one year from now how to modify the name/password.

Note this:
- Having your password in a text file is an obvious security risk.
- If you wish to delete the desktop shortcut then you must first
cancel the shortcut key. If you don't then you will have a rare
time later on.
Click to expand...

Pegasus,

I'm not sure how one implements items 4 and 5. To execute this in practice,
does
one have to run notepad.exe each time as noted in item 6? If so, that seems
cumbersome.

Sherwin
 
sherwindu said:
Pegasus,

I'm not sure how one implements items 4 and 5. To execute this in
practice,
does
one have to run notepad.exe each time as noted in item 6? If so, that
seems
cumbersome.

Sherwin
Click to expand...

Get onto Google and type in these words:

Create a shortcut in Windows

Step 6 is purely for testing your handiwork.
 
Get onto Google and type in these words:

Create a shortcut in Windows

Step 6 is purely for testing your handiwork.
Click to expand...

It is not working. I'm not sure where to insert the command:

cscript //nologo c:\Windows\MyName.vbs

My shortcut looks like this:

Target: C:\windows\sherwin.vbs

Start In: C:\windows

Shortcut Key: Ctrl + Alt + Z

Run: Minimized

My script file looks like this in the c:\Windows directory:

Set ws=CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
ws.sendkeys("%{Tab}")
wscript.sleep(500)
ws.sendkeys("(e-mail address removed){Tab}pswd")


If I now go into my browser and point at the password box and double
click on the shortcut, it skips over this box, but puts the password into
the password box (some signs of life?). Also, I cannot invoke it to do
anything with the Ctrl + Alt + Z keys.

Sherwin
 
I'm afraid this message may have been buried in another thread,
so I'm repeating it here.

I spoke to Comcast today about problems using 'AutoComplete' features to sign on
to my email with them. They claim it is a Microsoft issue. I tried setting the
Autocomplete option from the Internet Explorer toolbar using tools ->internet
options ->content ->AutoComplete, setting AutoComplete on for all options,
including 'User names and passwords on forms'. I also have a similar problem
signing on my Netscape and several other sites I have that require name and
passwords. Any idea as to why my AutoComplete feature cannot work?

Sherwin
 
Pegasus,

Just a reminder about line 3...
"3. Save the file as "c:\Windows\MyName.vbs"

Be sure in Notepad you choose All Files in the Save as Type or it will
default to a .txt file and will not work.


All the best,
SG
 
Sherwin,

I had a similar problem with Gmail. If I only put in username then my
password it would not remember this. However by putting in
(e-mail address removed) then my password then selecting "Remember me on this
computer" it work and now when I login all I have to do is type the first
letter of my email account and click Sign in.

All the best,
SG
 
SG said:
Sherwin,

I had a similar problem with Gmail. If I only put in username then my
password it would not remember this. However by putting in
(e-mail address removed) then my password then selecting "Remember me on this
computer" it work and now when I login all I have to do is type the first
letter of my email account and click Sign in.

All the best,
SG
Click to expand...

I always type in my full email address or Usnet through Comcast won''t accept
anything else. My sign on to Internet Explorer 6.0 was working with
Autocomplete
up until a few weeks ago. At that time, Internet Explorer came out with a new
user interface, and I suspect it somehow clobered the Autocomplete. I have
always
had trouble with other web sites. Some worked, and some didn't. If this is an
issue with Windows 2000, it should be consistent across all web sites.

Sherwin
 
SG said:
Pegasus,

Just a reminder about line 3...
"3. Save the file as "c:\Windows\MyName.vbs"

Be sure in Notepad you choose All Files in the Save as Type or it will
default to a .txt file and will not work.

All the best,
SG
Click to expand...

The script file is indeed a VBScript file type. That is not the problem.
 
OK, Pegasus. I just spent over 2 hours looking for a method of calling a
command
from the desktop without any success. Also, how do I store this command on my
hard drive, and as what type? If I store it properly, I assume I can just set
up a
shortcut to it. If this solution involves VB scripting, I don't know this
technology,
so I'm fumbling in the dark.

Sherwin
 
sherwindu said:
It is not working. I'm not sure where to insert the command:

cscript //nologo c:\Windows\MyName.vbs

My shortcut looks like this:

Target: C:\windows\sherwin.vbs

Start In: C:\windows

Shortcut Key: Ctrl + Alt + Z

Run: Minimized

My script file looks like this in the c:\Windows directory:

Set ws=CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
ws.sendkeys("%{Tab}")
wscript.sleep(500)
ws.sendkeys("(e-mail address removed){Tab}pswd")


If I now go into my browser and point at the password box and double
click on the shortcut, it skips over this box, but puts the password into
the password box (some signs of life?). Also, I cannot invoke it to do
anything with the Ctrl + Alt + Z keys.

Sherwin
Click to expand...

Let's look at the principles of what we're trying to do here.
I will start with the script file on a line by line basis.

* Set ws=CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
(This is a VB Script declaration. You must leave it as it is.)
* ws.sendkeys("%{Tab}")
(This instruction issues an Alt+Tab keystroke. It ensures
that the focus moves from the VB Script process to your
notepad or to your IE process.)
* wscript.sleep(500)
(This instuction causes the script to pause for half a second
so that the screen switching has time to settle down. If your
machine is slow then you should increase the delay to
maybe 2000.)
* ws.sendkeys("John Doe{Tab}MyPassword")
(This instruction sends your name, a tab and your password.
You could modify it like so:
ws.sendkeys("John Doe{Tab}MyPassword{Enter}")

You should now test the whole thing one step at a time.

Test 1
=====
- Click Start / Run / cmd {Enter}
- Type this command:
notepad c:\test.vbs{Enter}
Enter these four lines VERBATIM!
Set ws=CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
wscript.echo "Running Test #1"
wscript.sleep(500)
ws.sendkeys("John Doe{Tab}MyPassword")
Save and close the file.
- Type this command:
cscript //nologo c:\test.vbs{Enter}
- Report what you see.

After successfully completing this test, we can proceed to Test 2.
 
Pegasus (MVP) said:
Let's look at the principles of what we're trying to do here.
I will start with the script file on a line by line basis.

* Set ws=CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
(This is a VB Script declaration. You must leave it as it is.)
* ws.sendkeys("%{Tab}")
(This instruction issues an Alt+Tab keystroke. It ensures
that the focus moves from the VB Script process to your
notepad or to your IE process.)
* wscript.sleep(500)
(This instuction causes the script to pause for half a second
so that the screen switching has time to settle down. If your
machine is slow then you should increase the delay to
maybe 2000.)
* ws.sendkeys("John Doe{Tab}MyPassword")
(This instruction sends your name, a tab and your password.
You could modify it like so:
ws.sendkeys("John Doe{Tab}MyPassword{Enter}")

You should now test the whole thing one step at a time.

Test 1
=====
- Click Start / Run / cmd {Enter}
- Type this command:
notepad c:\test.vbs{Enter}
Enter these four lines VERBATIM!
Set ws=CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
wscript.echo "Running Test #1"
wscript.sleep(500)
ws.sendkeys("John Doe{Tab}MyPassword")
Save and close the file.
- Type this command:
cscript //nologo c:\test.vbs{Enter}
- Report what you see.

After successfully completing this test, we can proceed to Test 2.
Click to expand...

OK. I see the following in the DOS Window after typing the cscript command:

Running Test #1
C:\Documents and Settings\sherwin dubren>John Doe MyPassword

This much appears to be working. As I stated previously, I saw the same thing
when I double clicked on the shortcut I created. My problem remains how to
invoke the cscript command with the hot keys. I modified the shortcut to use
the hot keys, but that didn't work.

Sherwin
 
sherwindu said:
OK. I see the following in the DOS Window after typing the cscript
command:

Running Test #1
C:\Documents and Settings\sherwin dubren>John Doe MyPassword

This much appears to be working. As I stated previously, I saw the same
thing
when I double clicked on the shortcut I created. My problem remains how
to
invoke the cscript command with the hot keys. I modified the shortcut to
use
the hot keys, but that didn't work.

Sherwin
Click to expand...

Seeing the confusion we had before, I'm not going to skip any
steps, even though they may be unnecessary.

Test 2
=====
- Click Start / Run / notepad.exe c:\test.vbs {OK}
- Enter these five lines VERBATIM!

Set ws=CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
wscript.echo "Running Test #2"
ws.sendkeys("%{Tab}")
wscript.sleep(1000)
ws.sendkeys("John Doe{Tab}MyPassword")

- Save and close the file.
- Create a new shortcut on your desktop. Type this line into
the "Target" field:
cscript.exe //nologo c:\test.vbs
- Copy the new shortcut into the Quick-Launch bar.
- Click Start / Run notpad.exe {OK}
- Click the new shortcut in the Quick-Launchh bar.
- Report what you see
 
Pegasus (MVP) said:
Seeing the confusion we had before, I'm not going to skip any
steps, even though they may be unnecessary.

Test 2
=====
- Click Start / Run / notepad.exe c:\test.vbs {OK}
- Enter these five lines VERBATIM!

Set ws=CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
wscript.echo "Running Test #2"
ws.sendkeys("%{Tab}")
wscript.sleep(1000)
ws.sendkeys("John Doe{Tab}MyPassword")

- Save and close the file.
- Create a new shortcut on your desktop. Type this line into
the "Target" field:
Click to expand...

It is not labled "Target" field, but is called the "location" of
the item. I put the string into there.
cscript.exe //nologo c:\test.vbs
- Copy the new shortcut into the Quick-Launch bar.
- Click Start / Run notpad.exe {OK}
Click to expand...

This just opens up an untitled notepad window.
- Click the new shortcut in the Quick-Launchh bar.
- Report what you see
Click to expand...

A DOS window appears briefly, and that's all.
 
sherwindu said:
It is not labled "Target" field, but is called the "location" of
the item. I put the string into there.


This just opens up an untitled notepad window.


A DOS window appears briefly, and that's all.
Click to expand...

I agree with your first point: The shortcut field is called
"Location of the item" when you create it and "Target"
when you subsequently inspect the properties of the
shortcut.

Why your logon name does not appear in the notepad
field I do not know. I can think of two reasons:
- The key combination Alt+Tab is disabled on your machine, or
- You omitted or mistyped the line of code that generates
his keystroke. It should be: ws.sendkeys("%{Tab}")
It is best to copy and paste this line rather than retyping
it, to avoid mistakes.

Since I cannot see what you did, I am unable to assist you
further. I can see three options for you, listed in order of preference:
- You drop the idea.
- You become familiar with AutoIT (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/autoit)
or with Keyboard Express (http://www.keyboardexpress.com/ )
as suggested by Sid Elbow.
- You let me have a look at your machine by remote access.
If you're interested in finding out more about the third option,
drop me a line (pegasus_fnlATyahooDOTcom) within 24 hours.
Target" under
WinXP and
 
I agree with your first point: The shortcut field is called
"Location of the item" when you create it and "Target"
when you subsequently inspect the properties of the
shortcut.

Why your logon name does not appear in the notepad
field I do not know. I can think of two reasons:
- The key combination Alt+Tab is disabled on your machine, or
- You omitted or mistyped the line of code that generates
his keystroke. It should be: ws.sendkeys("%{Tab}")
It is best to copy and paste this line rather than retyping
it, to avoid mistakes.
Click to expand...

I actually cut and pasted your commands, so no chance of mistakes there.
Since I cannot see what you did, I am unable to assist you
further. I can see three options for you, listed in order of preference:
- You drop the idea.
- You become familiar with AutoIT (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/autoit)
or with Keyboard Express (http://www.keyboardexpress.com/ )
as suggested by Sid Elbow.
- You let me have a look at your machine by remote access.
If you're interested in finding out more about the third option,
drop me a line (pegasus_fnlATyahooDOTcom) within 24 hours.
Target" under
WinXP and
Click to expand...

I still feel that I was very close to getting this thing to work. The only
stumbling
block for me was how to create a shortcut that invokes the command
"cscript //nologo c:\Windows\MyName.vbs". Shortcuts can point to files on
your
disc, but how can they invoke commands?

I will continue to study this problem, as it has become somewhat of an
obsession
for me. I'll let you know if I make any discoveries.

Thanks,

Sherwin
 
Back
Top