QuickPrompts

QuickPrompts is a small ActiveX (COM) component designed to easily facilitate displaying user interface dialog boxes from scripting environments such as VBScript and JScript. QuickPrompts can be used with any development tool or scripting language capable of working with COM automation objects.

QuickPrompts forms are created entirely in code and require no GUI-based designer/editor - hence the suitability to scripting languages.

Although scripting tools such as VBScript and JScript are extremely flexible and have found a broad range of applications, one of the main restrictions is the inability to easily display even the most basic user interface dialogs. QuickPrompts gets around this restriction, and even allows reasonably complicated dialogs to be displayed with very little effort. What's more, these dialogs can be built entirely in code keeping the script self contained.

10 Second Tutorial

To get an idea of what QuickPrompts is all about, the following example (in VBScript) demonstrates how to create and display a simple form that prompts the user to enter their name.

'Create the form object
dim form
set form=CreateObject("QuickPrompts.Form.2")

'Create a textbox control
form.CreateControl "TextBox", "txtName", "Please Enter Your Name:"

'Display the form
if form.DoModal then 
	'Display user's name
	MsgBox form.txtName
end if

The above code produces the following dialog:

Note the following about the above example:

• The form is automatically arranged. QuickPrompts automatically arranges dialogs, however this can generally be overridden to achieve nearly any layout.
• QuickPrompts automatically provides an OK and Cancel button although they can be removed or customised.
• The call to the CreateControl method creates both the control and its label.
• Creating a control causes a new property to be added to the form object. Notice the call to MsgBox refers to a form property named "txtName" - which matches the name passed to CreateControl.
• DoModal returns True if the user presses OK; otherwise False.

Also note that this example is extremely simple and does not demonstrate all of QuickPrompts features. For a complete tutorial refer to the QuickPrompts Help file included with the QuickPrompts setup program. (See Download QuickPrompts below)

Typical Uses

Typical uses of QuickPrompts include:

• Windows Scripting Host Scripts
• Windows Scripting Components
• HTML web pages (browser must support COM capable scripting)
• Microsoft Developer Studio Macros
• Any VBA enabled application
• Any ActiveScript capable application
• etc, etc...

Features

Some of QuickPrompts features/capabilities include:

• Completely code based form/dialog generation. (no GUI based designer required)
• Flexible set of controls - text boxes, list boxes, combo boxes, check boxes, radio buttons, push buttons, group boxes, labels and hyperlink labels.
• Automatic form layout including ability to "fine tune" layout.
• Event handling mechanism.
• Control Arrays (multiple controls with the same name).
• Automatic URL encoding of form.
• Single Small DLL - ~150Kb (~70K in compressed CAB file).
• Extremely easy to use.

Screen Shots

The following screen shots are taken directly from the sample code included with QuickPrompts (see Download QuickPrompts below) and demonstrate some simple dialogs created with QuickPrompts.

Screen Shot 1 - UserName/Password Dialog

 

Screen Shot 2 -A simple calculator developed entirely in JScript

 

Screen Shot 3 - Times Table Generator

 

Screen Shot 4 - Number Guessing Game

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I redistribute QuickPrompts?

Yes.  If you have purchased QuickPrompts Professional or Site Licence you are entitled to redistribute QuickPrompts as specified by the QuickPrompts Help file.  Refer to the topic titled "Redistribution of QuickPrompts" in the help file for more information.

How does event handling work?

Events are handled by passing the Form object (via the EventHandler property) a reference to an object implemented by your script with appropriately named methods. QuickPrompts will then call these methods as events occur.

For VBScript this can be done using the Class functionality in VBScript 5.0. For JScript this can be done by creating JScript objects.

You can also set the EventHandler property to "me" in VB/VBA/VBScript or "this" in JScript and then simply implement the appropriate event handler methods without creating an extra class.

The Tutorial and Samples included in the online help describe in further detail how to setup event handlers.

Where can I get sample code?

The Help file included with QuickPrompts contains several samples and a complete tutorial on all aspects of using QuickPrompts.

Is it possible to remove the QuickPrompts branding?

Yes. By purchasing a QuickPrompts Site Licence, you can have the QuickPrompts branding removed from all QuickPrompts forms.

(By branding we mean the small QuickPrompts caption that appears in the lower right hand corner of each form).

Is QuickPrompts "Safe for Scripting"?

Yes. QuickPrompts can be used in scripting environments that require objects to be safe for scripting. QuickPrompts does not provide ways for malicious scripts to damage files or information on the host computer.

Why doesn't QuickPrompts work in Microsoft Developer Studio (DevStudio)

Some early versions of Microsoft DevStudio do not support creation of external objects.  To get around this problem make sure you are using DevStudio 6.0 and have DevStudio Service Pack 3 installed.

Does QuickPrompts work in Netscape Navigator?

No. Netscape Navigator does not support creation of ActiveX (COM) objects in its scripting environment.

NCompassLabs however, has developed a plug-in that allows creation of ActiveX controls and objects in Netscape Navigator.  See http://ncompasslabs.com for more information.

Please note that Topten Software has not tested QuickPrompts in conjunction with the above product and makes no claims as to its suitability, nor does Topten Software endorse the above product in anyway. 

Is it possible to change the standard OK/Cancel buttons?

Yes. The QuickPrompts Help file contains detailed information on removing and/or customizing the standard OK and Cancel buttons.

Can QuickPrompts forms be displayed modelessly?

No. At present only modal dialog boxes are supported.

Can QuickPrompts be downloaded with a web page using Microsoft's Internet Component Download?

Yes. The QuickPrompts Setup program includes a code signed and compressed CAB file containing the QuickPrompts component file (ttsqpr2.dll) that works correctly with Internet Component Download.

Can I develop my own controls for QuickPrompts?

No. Although technically QuickPrompts can host third part controls, this has not been documented and is not supported by Topten Software. It is not known yet whether this will be supported in the future or not.

If you are interested in developing your own controls, please email us at for more information.

How Does QuickPrompts Licencing Work?

QuickPrompts licencing works in one of two ways. On purchasing QuickPrompts you will be sent a .reg file and a licence key string. These can be used in the following ways:

1. The .reg file can be used to install the licence key into the licenced computer's registry and will fully enable QuickPrompts on that computer. This is the preferred method when using QuickPrompts in scripts and macros that don't need to be redistributed.
2. The licence key string can be used when developing scripts or macros that need to be redistributed. In this case, the LicenceKey property of the QuickPrompts form object should be set to the supplied licence key string as shown in the following code sample:

   Dim Form
   Set Form = CreateObject("QuickPrompts.Form.2")
   Form.CreateControl etc...
   Form.LicenceKey = "<supplied licence key string>"
   Form.DoModal
   

If you have further questions about QuickPrompts Licencing, please email and we'll be more than happy to answer your questions.

Download QuickPrompts

The following download is the QuickPrompts Setup Program. 

The QuickPrompts Setup Program contains:

• The QuickPrompts Component (ttsqpr2.dll).
• The QuickPrompts Help file containing a Tutorial, Samples and Programmers Reference.

QuickPrompts2Setup.exe

Pricing and Ordering

For current pricing or to place and order for QuickPrompts, Click Here.

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