Visual Basic

28-Dec-03 0:39

OK, I'm builing an app (in VB6 as I know it much more than .NET) that has only two form items. A combo box and a button. The combo box has about twenty options that the user can select and it will launch IE and take the user to the specified page. The user can also type in a fully qualified domain name and it will take them to that page.

All that works perfectly.

However, I am trying to add the ability for users to search google by typing "Google:blah" replacing blah with whatever they want to search for. The way it's working right now is that it is trying to open a webpage with the name "google:blah" and of course, IE can't find it.

I have it coded to select the first 7 characters in the text box, but can't get it to remove them and search google if the first sever characters are "Google:". Any help? I'm just not sure how to remove the selected text. I was trying the following code, but it's not working:

go = go - cboChoose.selText
'I also tried this:
go = go - cboChoose.selLength

Here's a copy of the current file so you can see what I mean.

Any help?

skrtbh28-Dec-03 8:07

28-Dec-03 8:07

I think I've got the solution for your problem:

'Variables<br />
Dim go As String<br />
Dim totallength As Integer 'the total length _<br />
'of the google:blah expression<br />
Dim searchlength As Integer<br />
'the length of the expression the user _<br />
'wants to search for (e.g. blah)<br />
go = cboChoose.Text<br />
totallength = Len(go)<br />
searchlength = totallength - 7<br />
go = Right(go, searchlength)<br />
'now the string variable go contains the expression<br />
'the user wants to search for

This code might not be perfect, but it works! Smile | :)

compukeith28-Dec-03 14:23

28-Dec-03 14:23

Very cool! It worked perfect (with a few mods so it works with my code).

Can you test it out now? I'm including a link to download a zip file which contains the app plus source.

I also have another thing i'd like to do. I have it setup so that the button "Go" is not the default because if it is, then the Google: search feature doesn't work if you hit return. I am trying to fix that by adding code that will capture if a user presses the Return key and it will then call the function "cmdGo_click". It's explained more in the source.

Source and App

Thanks,
Keith

skrtbh29-Dec-03 9:05

29-Dec-03 9:05

The following code should work:

Private Sub Form_KeyDown(Keycode As Integer, _
Shift As Integer)
If Keycode = vbKeyReturn Then
cboChoose.SelLength = 7
cmdGo_Click
End If
End Sub

But there's still another problem:
Your application only works with English
Windows versions. I use Windows XP Home
German, and the program crashed because
the name of the 'Program Files' directory
is translated into the OS' language. Frown | :(

compukeith29-Dec-03 11:30

29-Dec-03 11:30

Well, the application was designed for in-house use at the company I work for, but I can see that it will be cool to release. So, what directory is equivelent to "Program files"? I know that there's a system command that can be used as the root folder (like Windows is %sysdir% or something like that. Anyone know that command?

I'm releasing another version that incorporates the above code (i put it in cboChoose instead of Form so it'll work).

Yet another version

Thanks again M_M_G

skrtbh29-Dec-03 9:11

29-Dec-03 9:11

One important thing that I forgot in the message above:
Make sure the form's KeyPreview property is
set to true!

compukeith29-Dec-03 12:01

29-Dec-03 12:01

I forgot it and changed it and it doesn't seem to matter either way. Odd thing, it won't do the Google: feature the very first time i press enter. I have to close the IE windows that comes up and press enter in my app again for it to correctly search Google.

The program works perfectly for all features when just pressing the cmdGo button manually.

skrtbh30-Dec-03 7:28

30-Dec-03 7:28

I don't really know why , but I finally got it to work the first time I press enter. This is what I changed:

Dim GoogleCheck<br />
GoogleCheck = Left(go, 7)<br />
If GoogleCheck = "Google:" Then <br />
[...].

I don't know how to get the name of the program files directory. This would be MUCH easier when using VB.NET!

compukeith30-Dec-03 7:57

30-Dec-03 7:57

Holy crap! It works! Big Grin | :-D

Thanks a ton M_M_G.

I'll have to start coding in VB.NET so I can actually get this to work right. If you want, send me the directory that's equivalent to "Program Files" in the german version of windows and I'll write in a if then statement to determine which version the user's using.

skrtbh30-Dec-03 8:46

30-Dec-03 8:46

Cool...

The German name of the directory is:
C:\Programme\Internet Explorer .

Will it be possible to download the final version from your website?

compukeith30-Dec-03 9:45

30-Dec-03 9:45

Cool.

Yeah - I'll post a final version later tonight. What sites do you want in there? The ones that are in there now are just for work purposes, so if you give me a list of some popular sites, I'll enter them in place of what I currently have in there.

Thanks again.
Keith

compukeith30-Dec-03 11:01

30-Dec-03 11:01

OK - I added in an error handler so it will catch your directory.

Here's the newest version - complete with a "working" Google: search tool, direct website access via combo box, and by typing in the address.

I personally will modify mine to be my most used sites and will take it with me on a flash drive.

Again, thanks a ton for your work on this. I'm going to clean up the code and post a zip file soon with complete source available.

If you post it though, I can recompile it with a list with whatever you want. Just tell me how you want it to look in the combo box and what sites you want listed. (ex: in my combo box, i have every categorized).

-Keith

skrtbh31-Dec-03 7:18

31-Dec-03 7:18

Thanks for this offer, but I don't know which sites to include at the
moment. Please post a link to the source code .zip file, so I can modify the program on my own.

compukeith31-Dec-03 11:50

31-Dec-03 11:50

No problem.

Here's a link to the source and program. I've added a "about" form that describes how to use the app and it also gives you credit for the Google stuff.

If you just alter the "goasp" variable to point to just IE instead of also referencing a specific site, it can get to your list correctly.

-Keith

skrtbh1-Jan-04 2:03

1-Jan-04 2:03

The about form looks really good! Big Grin | :-D

Well, I've still got another question:
May I translate this app into German and offer the executable (or a setup program) on my web site? Possibly I'll also make a .NET version.

This would be really cool! Cool | :cool:

compukeith1-Jan-04 15:27

.NET version now available!

1-Jan-04 15:27

Sure! All I ask is that you mention me somewhere - even if it's just in the source.

Post a link once you're done. I'd like to see it in .NET!

skrtbh3-Jan-04 1:50

Re: .NET version now available!

3-Jan-04 1:50

I've just finished work at Quick Access.NET version 1.0!

I added some new features:
- a 'notify icon' that is displayed in the systray. Double-click it and Quick Access will open. You can also right-click the icon to bring up a context menu.
- AutoComplete function for the ComboBox
- Support for WinXP look-and-feel

You can download the MSI package here:
www.madcode.net/download/quickaccess/quickaccess_setup.msi[^]

If you want something changed or if I shall send you the source code via email, please contact me: webmaster@madcode.net

compukeith3-Jan-04 2:01

Re: .NET version now available!

3-Jan-04 2:01

Cool! I really like it. That makes me really want to start learning .NET.

Cool and thanks for the really good update!

skrtbh3-Jan-04 8:31