MISSION- CONTROL

Mission- Control launches a windows application and passes text or keystrokes to it
on start-up, via the icon command line.

A sample use could be:
    Defining an icon to launch Notepad and put you in the file request dialog
    with a wildcard like *.ini rather than the '*.txt' or '*.*' Notepad options.

    The possibilities are endless.

Syntax: (when MC is in your windows directory, or include path to MC)
MC <text> path:\application [optional path:\application filename]

where <text> is:
	C    for escape key            D    for down arrow key
	E    for enter key             F(n) for function key (1-10) 
	H    for home key              L    for left arrow key
	N    for end key               S    for space key
	P(n) for a (1-9) sec. pause    [xx] for literal text

Text to be sent must be enclosed within [] (square braces), NOT "" (quotes).

Each command (except P, or [TEXT]), may be preceeded by %, ^, or +, which modify
the state of the key sent.  The modifier must be repeated for each key to be
modified.  Modifiers have the following meanings:

 % = {ALT}plus the key      ^ = {CTRL}plus the key      + = {SHIFT}plus the key

Any command key (not [text]) may be followed by a SINGLE digit representing the
number of times to send the key- ie: T2 means send two tab presses.

The F command is followed by a SINGLE digit for function keys 1 through 10, where
F0 means function key 10 and F1 means function key 1, etc.

There is also a pause command P followed by a SINGLE digit for the number of
seconds to pause before sending more key strokes.  If P is used without a number
following it, the pause will be .5 second.  A delay may be needed on some
machines if the keys are sent to the application faster than the application can
respond.  In this case, a dialog will alert you to add some pauses into the
command string, but some keystrokes will be lost.

The icon properties for the sample use (The Notepad *.ini thing) would be:

Description      : INI Edit (or whatever)
Command Line     : MC %[FO*.INI]T2E NOTEPAD.EXE
Working Directory: Wherever you want it to start looking
Hot Keys         : (Use 'em for a super quick launch from ProgMan.!)

The best way to set up an icon is to start the program to be run normally and
work through the program using only the keyboard, writing down the keypresses
used.  Then build the Mission- Control command line based on your notes.

If Mission- Control complains and pops up a dialog, then insert a pause or two
(usually when opening an application dialog and trying to feed it more
keystrokes). The above example in this case might be changed to:

Command Line: MC %[FO*.INI]P1T2E

This gives a one second pause after sending '{alt}F O *.INI', and before sending
two {TAB}s and an {ENTER}, giving the dialog box time to breathe (draw).

Spaces are critical! There needs to be ONE space between 'MC' and your commands,
ONE between your commands and the launced applications name, and if you are
optionally loading an application's file, ONE between the application name and
the file name.  Do NOT include quote marks (") or square braces ([]) in the command
string to be sent.

One final example:
MC t[FooBar]te Notepad.exe

launches Notepad and sends it:
{TAB} FooBar {TAB} {ENTER}

Have fun.

Genuine Beer-ware; written in Visual Basic 3.0 (needs VBRUN300.DLL to run).

This program has a 11/60/1/3 BCSJ rating (Beer/Cigarettes/Sodas/Junk-food consumed
while being written).

Now the panhandling... I, like some (most?) of you, hate my stinkin' job.  But I 
gotta eat.  The vision is: maybe I can make a living writing computer stuff and
drinkin' beer. (I doubt it).

If you want to help, send me a few bucks or whatever you think is reasonable for
the use of this program.

Jim Davis
413 Willington Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20904

Cheeers.