A lot of web forms encode what is entered in the URL. Like google
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=NOTAR+helicopters+&btnG=Google+Search&meta=lr=lang_en
where q= the search terms.
Create a text file and paste these lines in and name it WhateverYouWant.vbs. In this example it cuts and pastes between two windows. See below for sendkeys docs.
set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.SendKeys "%{TAB}^c%{TAB}^v"
[above sends Alt + Tab, Ctrl + C, Alt + Tab, then Ctrl + V]
Then set a shortcut to the scripts (right click it and choose Copy, go to the Desktop, a sub folder of the desktop, or on the Start Menu somewhere [right click Start and choose Open] and right click a blank area and choose Paste Shortcut) and set a hotkey for the shortcut (see help - but right click shortcut and choose Properties and look on the general tab - a lot of keys aren't available).
You may want to know these additional commands.
WSHShell.Run("c:\command.exe", 0, True)
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With Param 1 being the command, Param 2 the window style (see below), and Param 3 a flag to indicate if to wait at this command untill the program started has exited - True it does and false it doesn't. Look in the Shortcut's Properties of the Start Menu shortcuts to see some command lines. You can also put document names in and have the Open command run on them.
Window Style
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0 Hides the window and activates another window.
1 Activates and displays a window. If the window is minimized or maximized, the system restores it to its original size and position. An application should specify this flag when displaying the window for the first time.
2 Activates the window and displays it as a minimized window.
3 Activates the window and displays it as a maximized window.
4 Displays a window in its most recent size and position. The active window remains active.
5 Activates the window and displays it in its current size and position.
6 Minimizes the specified window and activates the next top-level window in the Z order.
7 Displays the window as a minimized window. The active window remains active.
8 Displays the window in its current state. The active window remains active.
9 Activates and displays the window. If the window is minimized or maximized, the system restores it to its original size and position. An application should specify this flag when restoring a minimized window.
10 Sets the show-state based on the state of the program that started the application.
WSHShell.AppActivate "window title"
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In determining which application to activate, the specified title is compared to the title string of each running application. If no exact match exists, any application whose title string begins with title is activated. If an application still cannot be found, any application whose title string ends with title is activated. If more than one instance of the application named by title exists, one instance is arbitrarily activated.
Use this to switch between windows and to make sure your sendkeys go to the right window.
WScript.Sleep 50
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Sends your program to sleep for the milliseconds specified. Sometimes you may need to do this to give the recieving program the ability to process your commands (as you are blocking it from running by sending it keystrokes) or more frequently to give a process enough time to complete.
SendKeys Syntax
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Sends one or more keystrokes to the active window (as if typed on the keyboard).
object.SendKeys(string)Arguments
object
WshShell object.
string
String value indicating the keystroke(s) you want to send.
Remarks
Use the SendKeys method to send keystrokes to applications that have no automation interface. Most keyboard characters are represented by a single keystroke. Some keyboard characters are made up of combinations of keystrokes (CTRL+SHIFT+HOME, for example). To send a single keyboard character, send the character itself as the string argument. For example, to send the letter x, send the string argument "x".
Note To send a space, send the string " ".
You can use SendKeys to send more than one keystroke at a time. To do this, create a compound string argument that represents a sequence of keystrokes by appending each keystroke in the sequence to the one before it. For example, to send the keystrokes a, b, and c, you would send the string argument "abc". The SendKeys method uses some characters as modifiers of characters (instead of using their face-values). This set of special characters consists of parentheses, brackets, braces, and the:
a.. plus sign "+",
b.. caret "^",
c.. percent sign "%",
d.. and tilde "~"
Send these characters by enclosing them within braces "{}". For example, to send the plus sign, send the string argument "{+}". Brackets "[ ]" have no special meaning when used with SendKeys, but you must enclose them within braces to accommodate applications that do give them a special meaning (for dynamic data exchange (DDE) for example).
a.. To send bracket characters, send the string argument "{[}" for the left bracket and "{]}" for the right one.
b.. To send brace characters, send the string argument "{{}" for the left brace and "{}}" for the right one.
Some keystrokes do not generate characters (such as ENTER and TAB). Some keystrokes represent actions (such as BACKSPACE and BREAK). To send these kinds of keystrokes, send the arguments shown in the following table:
Key Argument
BACKSPACE {BACKSPACE}, {BS}, or {BKSP}
BREAK {BREAK}
CAPS LOCK {CAPSLOCK}
DEL or DELETE {DELETE} or {DEL}
DOWN ARROW {DOWN}
END {END}
ENTER {ENTER} or ~
ESC {ESC}
HELP {HELP}
HOME {HOME}
INS or INSERT {INSERT} or {INS}
LEFT ARROW {LEFT}
NUM LOCK {NUMLOCK}
PAGE DOWN {PGDN}
PAGE UP {PGUP}
PRINT SCREEN {PRTSC}
RIGHT ARROW {RIGHT}
SCROLL LOCK {SCROLLLOCK}
TAB {TAB}
UP ARROW {UP}
F1 {F1}
F2 {F2}
F3 {F3}
F4 {F4}
F5 {F5}
F6 {F6}
F7 {F7}
F8 {F8}
F9 {F9}
F10 {F10}
F11 {F11}
F12 {F12}
F13 {F13}
F14 {F14}
F15 {F15}
F16 {F16}
To send keyboard characters that are comprised of a regular keystroke in combination with a SHIFT, CTRL, or ALT, create a compound string argument that represents the keystroke combination. You do this by preceding the regular keystroke with one or more of the following special characters:
Key Special Character
SHIFT +
CTRL ^
ALT %
Note When used this way, these special characters are not enclosed within a set of braces.
To specify that a combination of SHIFT, CTRL, and ALT should be held down while several other keys are pressed, create a compound string argument with the modified keystrokes enclosed in parentheses. For example, to send the keystroke combination that specifies that the SHIFT key is held down while:
a.. e and c are pressed, send the string argument "+(ec)".
b.. e is pressed, followed by a lone c (with no SHIFT), send the string argument "+ec".
You can use the SendKeys method to send a pattern of keystrokes that consists of a single keystroke pressed several times in a row. To do this, create a compound string argument that specifies the keystroke you want to repeat, followed by the number of times you want it repeated. You do this using a compound string argument of the form {keystroke number}. For example, to send the letter "x" ten times, you would send the string argument "{x 10}". Be sure to include a space between keystroke and number.
Note The only keystroke pattern you can send is the kind that is comprised of a single keystroke pressed several times. For example, you can send "x" ten times, but you cannot do the same for "Ctrl+x".
Note You cannot send the PRINT SCREEN key {PRTSC} to an application.
