.NET Framework - PowerShell and Click Once

Asked By Vlinc

02-May-07 02:37 PM

Hello, first time poster!

I'm currently investigating if PowerShell can:
-Open an Internet Explorer browser.
-Navigate to a given URL
-Click on the given hyperlink which is basically a .application
i.e.: <a href="myApp.application">Click here to launch application</a>
-Once the hyperlink is clicked, the application basically launches and waits
for a username and password.

So far I've manage to make PS open a IE Browser and navigate to a specific
URL but I haven't found how to make it click the hyperlink so that the
application launches...

Oh and...while I'm here...is there a quick and dirty way to monitor when the
application is finished downloading so I can start "login" in.

Thanks in advance for any help on this.
Sincerely

Vince

02-May-07 04:46 PM

On my machine, if io open Internet Explore and type the following URL in the
address bar: http://www.myserver.com/myApp.application
And press ENTER

My application automaticaly starts downloading...

When doing the following in PowerShell, nothing happens:
$oIE=new-object -com internetexplorer.application
$oIE.Visible = $true
$oIE.navigate2("http://www.myserver.com/myApp.application")

So why is nothing happening when this is invoked from PS but if I simply
copy/paste the URL inside the address bar, the application starts downloading
on my machine.

Why is that?
Thanks in advance

Sincerely
Vlince

05-May-07 06:53 PM

- Yes
- Yes
- Darn difficult - you have to use the DOM to grab the link and execute its
Click method, and I'm not sure if the ad-hoc adaptation of the IE COM object
will let you at it. Take a look at the MSDN DHTML reference - it's got some
examples of this.


--
Don Jones
Windows PowerShell MVP
Founder: www.ScriptingAnswers.com
Co-Author: "Windows PowerShell: TFM"