Knowledge Base

How To Automate Internet Explorer 4 to Open a Specific Web Page

Article ID: 184761

Article Last Modified on 6/29/2004

APPLIES TO

This article was previously published under Q184761

SUMMARY

This article shows how to use AppleScript to start an instance of Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 and automatically go to a valid website address.

MORE INFORMATION

This example takes an Internet address stored in a file and uses AppleScript to start Internet Explorer 4.0, read the address from the file, and direct Internet Explorer to the desired address. The article assumes that Simple Text created the text file because the "Open For Access" command in AppleScript only reads files that have the TXT creator type. One can create a text file using FoxPro and later change the creator type. To do this, please refer to the article listed in the REFERENCES section.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

  1. Create a text file named ztest.txt, using the Simple Text application, that contains the following Web address:

    http://www.microsoft.com

    Save the file to the root folder of your hard drive.
  2. Open the Apple Script Editor and type the following commands: 
          set filename to (open for access alias "HD_name:ztest.txt")
      set mydata to (read filename)
      close access filename
      tell application "HD_name:Internet Explorer 4.0 Preview 1:Internet
      Explorer 4.0" to run
      tell application "HD_name:Internet Explorer 4.0 Preview 1:Internet
      Explorer 4.0" to GetURL (mydata)
    NOTE: Each line listed above should be type as a complete line within the Apple Script Editor. To ensure that you have typed the Apple Script commands correctly, press the Check Syntax button in the Apple Script Editor.

    Please note that you must give a complete path to the text file and Internet Explorer. If you do not, an error will occur. If you are not sure of the exact path, press the Apple key and "F" to invoke the File Find dialog and search for the application. In the example above, substitute the name of your Macintosh hard drive for "HD_name" and specify the path where Internet Explorer is installed.
  3. Save the AppleScript file as a Compiled Script type with the name ZIE4test to the home folder of FoxPro.
  4. Run the Apple Script from FoxPro or Visual FoxPro using the following command: 
          RunScript ZIE4test

REFERENCES

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

109482 How to Change the Creator and Type Set by FCREATE()

"ApplesScript Handbook 2nd Edition," Danny Goodman, Random House, pages 127-129, 1994

Keywords: kbhowto KB184761


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