How to create a shortcut to PC Settings?

Question

my latest learning project was a counting asp, using VBscript. While i got mit for loops correct and my if, deciding if it's the loop for counting up or counting down, the Link with the button, to go back to the HTML default page, that has a choice of links to other ASP sites. It's saved in the same folder and the name in the link is spelled correct.

If there is no user entry, and i klick the link i get a type missmatch error at the secon loop that counts down. Ifit has run once, then nohtings happening.

Why is this so?

<form action = "countdown.asp" method = "get">
   <h1 align = "center">Dies ist ein Zähler!<h1>
    <table border = "1" align = "center">
      <tr>
        <td>
          Bitte einen Startwert eingeben.
        </td>
        <td>
          <input type = "number" name = "f_start" value = "<%=l_start%>"
        </td>
        <td width = "100">
          &nbsp;
        </td>
        <td>
          Bitte einen Zielwert eingeben.
        </td>
        <td>
          <input type = "number" name = "f_goal" value = "<%=l_goal%>"
        </td>
        <td>
          <input type = "submit" value = "Go!" \>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>
          Gez&auml;hlte Zahlen:
        </td>
        <td>
          <%
            if request.querystring(("f_start")) < request.querystring(("f_goal")) then 
              For i = l_start To l_goal
                response.write("" & i & ",<br />")
              Next
            else
                For i = l_start To l_goal step -1
                response.write("" & i & ",<br />")
              Next
            end if
          %>
        </td>
      </tr>
    </table>
</form>
  <br>
    <table align = "center">
      <tr>
         <td>
          <a href = "default.html">
            <button>
              Zur&uuml;ck zur Auswahl
            </button>
          </a>
        </td>
      </tr>
    </table>
  </body>

Solution 1

In the end, I used the approach recommended by @Ryan. However, I did create a shorter script, that is less error prone (sort of):

Send("#i")
Sleep (100)
Send("{END}")
Sleep (50)
Send("{ENTER}")

If you don't want to create the script yourself, you can download the final result from an article I published on the topic. It is a small executable with a nice icon, etc.

Download a Desktop Shortcut to PC Settings, for Windows 8

Appreciate everyone's input on the topic. It was definitely useful.

Solution 2

If you are open to hacks, then I've got one for you. I'm using AutoHotKey to do it. I have a 1920x1080 screen, so if your resolution is different, the mouse click command will have to be different. Here's the script, using Win+S as the shortcut to fire this:

#s::
Send #i
Sleep 1000
Click 1756,1050
Return

Any time I hit Win+S, it will send the Win+I command, wait for it to pop open, then click on "Change PC Settings." I didn't spend too much time playing with the sleep time, but feel free to adjust that down if your computer is faster than mine.

EDIT:

A screen resolution independent script is provided below:

#s::
Send #i
Sleep 1000
Send {Down}{Down}{Down}{Down}{Down}{Down}{Enter}
Return

Solution 3

The Settings charm has a keyboard shortcut of Windows logo key + I.

If that's the one you are looking for, you can either just use this keyboard shortcut instead of a desktop shortcut, or use a macro product such as AutoHotkey to create a compiled script that can be called via a desktop shortcut and that will issue this combination of keys.

Even if that's not the solution, a AutoHotkey script might be able to reproduce all the mouse actions that one uses to call up PC Settings on Windows 8 (however, not having Windows 8, I cannot verify).

Comments

[Aristos]

This is not asp.net, so I change the tags.

[keling]

That keyboard combination takes you to the Settings charm, not PC Settings. But I am looking into some custom scripting right now, based on keyboard shortcuts and key presses to make it work every time.

[keling]

I found a solution that is very similar to what you suggest. After lots and lots of thinking and testing, I think this approach works best. Thanks!

[Rex_Dracones]

I use the same link, exactly as shown here on four other sites and it works perfectly, and both the default page, and the counddown page are in the same Intranet folder. I gues somehting is maybe wrong with my Syntax on this page.

[Glenn]

I see nothing with the syntax of the link, it will most likely be the path to the page.

[Glenn]

Have you tried putting the link outside of the table?

[Rex_Dracones]

Yes doesn't work. My guess is that the greater than operator could be interpreted a non closed html tag bracket. could this be possible?

[Glenn]

The best way to check the link is working correctly is to try and link to any webpage. If this works then it is the path to the .html page. <a href="https://www.google.com">Link</a>

[Glenn]

Try this: <button type="button" onclick="location.href='default.html'">Test</button>

[Rex_Dracones]

Thanks for al the suggestions.