HouseBot

Scott:

Thanks for the input...definately a valid point. I added the functionality and will leave it to the user to disable "always on top".

Find the latest version here with the new features I mentioned in my post above:

REMOVED

Please give feedback and let me know about bugs.

Osler

Not having much luck with the install. . . I get a "could not create directory: C:\Program Files\HouseBot_Browser\" error. I tried making it manually, but it didn't make any difference.

Then it gets around to Application Removal, which sits at 0%. If I minimize the big window, I see an Error in loading DLL, Error attempting to run the application removal program to remove temporary installation files.

Ideas?

here is the logfile-

%% PLEASE DO NOT MODIFY OR DELETE THIS FILE! %%
%% This file contains information about the installation of an application. %%
%% It will be used to automatically remove all application components from your computer if you choose to do so. %%


NOTE: Beginning of the bootstrapper section

CONFIG: Title: "HouseBot_Browser"

ACTION: RegKey: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion", "SharedDLLs"

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\VB6STKIT.DLL"
(File currently on disk was already up to date)

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\COMCAT.DLL"
(File currently on disk was already up to date)

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\STDOLE2.TLB"
(File currently on disk was already up to date)

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\asycfilt.dll"
(File currently on disk was already up to date)

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\olepro32.dll"
(File currently on disk was already up to date)

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\oleaut32.dll"
(File currently on disk was already up to date)

ACTION: SystemFile: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\msvbvm60.dll"
(File currently on disk was already up to date)

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\COMCAT.DLL"

*** ERROR: Error trying to register file 'C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\STDOLE2.TLB'
*** DURING THIS ACTION: TLBRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\STDOLE2.TLB"

ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\olepro32.dll"

*** ERROR: Error trying to register file 'C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\oleaut32.dll'
*** DURING THIS ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\oleaut32.dll"

*** ERROR: Error trying to register file 'C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\msvbvm60.dll'
*** DURING THIS ACTION: DllSelfRegister: "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\msvbvm60.dll"

NOTE: End of the bootstrapper section

NOTE: Now spawning the main Setup program 'Setup1.exe'....

*** ERROR: Could not create directory: C:\Program Files
*** DURING THIS ACTION: CreateDir: "C:\Program Files"

*** ERROR: Could not create directory:
*** ERROR: C:\Program Files\HouseBot_Browser\
*** ERROR: (User Responded with 'Cancel')

*** WARNING: Setup is not yet complete.
*** WARNING: If you quit now, this product will not be correctly installed.
*** WARNING: Quit the setup of this product?
*** WARNING: (User Responded with 'Yes')

*** WARNING: HouseBot_Browser Setup was interrupted before your new software was fully installed.
*** WARNING: You can run HouseBot_Browser Setup in its entirety at a later time to complete the installation.
*** WARNING: (User Responded with 'OK')

I am running W2K.

I hope you can help me get this working- It would be very useful for me!

Thanks

Markd

This is a really cool device and will allow all kinds of fun stuff!!! Thanks for sharing.

Now for a question - in my playing so far I've wanted to be able to load a new URL on the fly but I can't figure out how. I thought I could just change the URL property and then set the Reload property to True. This only seems to have the affect of reloading the current page though - even though the URL property is showing the new URL. Am I missing something? Can I do what I want and if so how?

I want to use this as a way to pop an IMDB page for the movie I'm currently watching. I can create the IMDB URL on the fly but I just need to figure out how to refresh the browser.

-- Dave

Everything works for me with the latest version. Great work Osler!

Thank so much for the contribution. I guess it's time for me to get off my butt and write something.

Terry

It *appears* that the resolution settings are actually off by 60 pixels. I had an 800 x 600 panel and I found that if I set the ResolutionX and ResolutionY to 740 and 540 respectively the panel was entirely covered. If I set them to 800 x 600 it actually went beyond the boundaries of the panel. Has anyone else seen this?

-- Dave

roussell:

Phew...dude, don't start throwing log files at me. I was a little worried til your later post.

dlmorgan999:

When you change the URL in the device it should update automatically. You don't have to set the reload at all. The issue is the update interval. What is your TimerInterval set to? This is the frequency with which the browser checks HB for any changes to its setting in milliseconds. A value of 500 to 1000 is reasonable...250 works better if you are going to use the Scroll<direction> properties. Also, once the URL changes the load rate is dependent on your connection speed just like a regular browser

Keep me posted. I will happily make any changes required for your particular uses. This was a relatively easy app to code in VB (I'd hate to think what it would look like in C), so changes aren't that big a bother. If any of you want the source code (project file) let me know and I will gladly oblige (VB 6).

Osler

Resolution is an "estimate". Things get a bit screwy when I go to make the browser "flat". They should be pretty close when it is set to 3D, though. I tried to give you the ability to finely adjust things to accomodate whatever you wanted to do. Just use the resolution settings that work for you.

I do a twips to pixel calcualtion within the program.....but I wouldn't trust my ability to do math :).

Osler

It appears that there is some kind of issue either with the way I'm using it, the way it got installed or *maybe* a bug. I have three property change buttons on my panel. Each one sets a different value for URL. Going between them works sometimes but other times nothing happens (I've waited quite a while to make sure it wasn't a loading issue). My TimerInterval is set to the default (500, I think - I'm on another computer right now).

Right now I'm running it on my test HB server. Pretty soon I'll install in on my production server and then I'll see if the issue is "global" or not.

I do a large amount of VB6 coding at work and I am curious to see how you wrote this. Since you offered I would love to see the source. Thanks!

-- Dave

Sorry its not working for you. I've tried this on three seperate machines here and it appears to work for me. Alas, these issues are why I don't do this for a living. The source can be downloaded from here:

REMOVED

Do what you need to with it to make it work for you. If I can help, let me know. The dll's you need should have been installed with setup.exe.

Osler

Thanks much for posting this! I'll let you know if I find anything interesting.

-- Dave

I downloaded the zip file but I can't seem to unzip it. I'm getting a message that it's corrupted. I've downloaded it twice. Can you see if it works for you?

-- Dave

Try this link. There was a burp during upload of the other.

REMOVED

Osler

Got it this time - thanks.

Please post any improvements you make or send the project file back to me so I can create an updated installation package. I hope you get this to work. I have yet to try this in a theme so this may be a more general issue. Keep me posted.

Osler

I will definitely keep you up-to-date and share anything I do. Thanks again!