Daily Dilbert - visual basic, vb, active server pages (ASP),j

program,Downloads,archive,page,from,extracts,

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Windows API/Global Declarations:

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    //**************************************
    //     
    //Windows API/Global Declarations for :D
    //     aily Dilbert
    //**************************************
    //     
    Declare Function SystemParametersInfo Lib "user32" Alias "SystemParametersInfoA" (ByVal uAction As Long, ByVal uParam As Long, ByVal lpvParam As Any, ByVal fuWinIni As Long) As Long

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By using this code, you agree to the following terms...
1) You may use this code in your own programs (and may compile it into a program and distribute it in compiled format for langauges that allow it) freely and with no charge.
2) You MAY NOT redistribute this code (for example to a web site) without written permission from the original author. Failure to do so is a violation of copyright laws.
3) You may link to this code from another website, but ONLY if it is not wrapped in a frame.
4) You will abide by any additional copyright restrictions which the author may have placed in the code or code's description.


    //**************************************
    //     
    // Name: Daily Dilbert
    // Description:This program Downloads th
    //     e archive page from 
    ' http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/dilbert 
    ' extracts the file name of the picture. Download it. Convert it to bitmap. 
    ' Changes the desktop wallpaper to the new dilbert strip.
    // By: Bjorn Larsson
    //
    // Returns:2 files on c:\ dilbert.gif an
    //     d dilbert.bmp
    ' A changed wallpaper.
    //
    // Assumes:You must have an internet con
    //     nection..
    //
    // Side Effects:Sometimes the desktop wa
    //     llpaper is not visible 
    ' unless you refresh the desktop yourself 
    ' or select it manually. I don't know why this happends...
    //
    //This code is copyrighted and has    // limited warranties.Please see http://
    //     www.Planet-Source-Code.com/xq/ASP/txtCod
    //     eId.3201/lngWId.-10/qx/vb/scripts/ShowCo
    //     de.htm    //for details.    //**************************************
    //     
    
    ' 1. Create a new form.
    ' 2. Add a Textbox,a pictureBox and an Inet control.
    ' 3. Let them all have their default name. 
    ' 4. Put all the code expect the global decleration in the "form load procedure"
    Dim Pos As Integer
    Dim Pos2 As Integer
    Dim Bilden() As Byte
    Dim NrString As String
    Text1.Text = Inet1.OpenURL ("http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/dilbert/archive/") 'Download the page.
    Pos = InStr(1, Text1.Text, "/comics/dilbert/archive/images/dilbert")
    Pos2 = InStr(Pos, Text1.Text, ".gif")
    NrString = Mid(Text1.Text, Pos, Pos2 - Pos)
    Text1.Text = "http://www.unitedmedia.com" + NrString + ".gif" ' Debug filename
    Bilden() = Inet1.OpenURL("http://www.unitedmedia.com" + NrString + ".gif", icByteArray) ' Download picture.
    Open "C:\dilbert.gif" For Binary Access Write As #1 ' Save the file.
    Put #1, , Bilden() 
    Close #1 
    Picture1.Picture = LoadPicture("c:\dilbert.gif") 'Reload it to PictureBox
    SavePicture Picture1.Picture, "c:\dilbert.bmp"'Converted to bmp.. 
    Call SystemParametersInfo(20, 0, "c:\dilbert.bmp", 1) 'Change the wallpaper.
    Unload Me ' Exit program

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Other User Comments

9/7/1999 10:58:00 PM:Björn Larsson

If you're always connected to the 
internet, put the program in the 
autostart folder.. :-) 
This makes the 
program daily.. :-)

9/9/1999 1:44:00 PM:Randal

Best Program Ever!

9/13/1999 8:18:00 AM:Jonthan Shields

What Internet Control are you using?  
The Microsoft Internet Control does not 
seem to work. 
Thanks,
Jonathan

9/13/1999 12:30:00 PM:Shawn Verrall

I had the same problem Jonathan did.  
You nned to use Microsoft Internet 
Transfer Control (6.0 for me)

9/15/1999 11:17:00 AM:hwilliam@my-deja.com

I could not get this code to work!
I 
get an invalid procedureor arguement 
error, 
on the line where nrString has 
it's first
assignment 
made.
HELP!
hwilliam@my-deja.com

9/15/1999 9:29:00 PM:Tax Man

Actually, it would be nice if this 
thing would update the windows 
wallpaper.  If you guys want to know 
how to do this, MSDN has a whitepaper 
on changing the wallpaper 
at:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library
/techart/msdn_msdn192.htm
Take a 
look and enjoy!

9/16/1999 7:19:00 AM:Akhilesh

This is good Idea, but can be improved 
at lot.
Well, Good Attempt.
   With Best Wishes,
          Akhilesh

9/20/1999 7:02:00 PM:MadArse

Sounds cool, but which component has 
the Internet Control?  Im using VB5 
sp3

9/27/1999 9:00:00 PM:EM Dixson

A nice try but I have tried the MS 
Internet Control and t doesn't fly. 
Sorry guy. 
VISIT MY SITE: 
http://developer.ecorp.net
FREE Visual 
Basic Source Code

10/2/1999 2:41:00 PM:zaid

guys i tried this and after executing 
my program 2 or three times i get some 
system error saying "System Error. Call 
not colintialized" any can help me 
please???
thnks

10/12/1999 2:56:00 PM:kennyle

Great Program
I have a question 
What 
are other datatypes for inet 
control
beside icByteArray?

10/20/1999 9:23:00 AM:Scott Hutchinson

It worked great. I modified it to use 
the SetTimer API so it automatically 
refreshes ever 12 hours. Unfortunately, 
I don't have a way to turn it off 
(except using the Task Manager to kill 
the process). Other than giving it its 
own systray icon, I'm not sure how else 
to do it. Unless I could make it an NT 
service?

10/25/1999 7:39:00 AM:Road Dogg

This works great, exept when i make it 
an .exe and run it I get a "The memory 
could not be read", this is probly 
becuse i use this program on an NT 
workstation, does anybody know what 
changes have to be made to avoid this 
error on an nt workstation.

10/28/1999 5:14:00 PM:Tom Williams

This is a pretty need demonstration and 
it works great on Win95 and Win98.  
However, the SystemParametersInfo() API 
call does not effect Windows 
NT.
Does anyone know how to get 
around this.  If have done a search on 
MSDN and have not located any other 
functions for NT.
Thanks in advance.

10/28/1999 6:55:00 PM:Tom Williams

I also found that this code will blow 
up the first time that you use it.  It 
is like it doen't recognize that the 
new Dilber.Gif exists in the hard 
drive.  However, once you have the 
first file on your hard drive it works 
pretty good.
On NT though I found 
that you can get the image to show.  
You have to get the properties for your 
Desktop and then close it out.  It is 
like the picture has been set for your 
desktop but the screen just has not 
been updated.  F5 doesn't even do 
it.
If someone has a workaround let 
me know.

10/28/1999 8:12:00 PM:Tom Williams

Ok Last Time...
When I close the 
Application on an NT system I get a 
Doctor Watson error stating; Could not 
attach to the application, Windows NT 
Error Code=87.
What's up with 
that????

11/23/1999 12:32:00 PM:Thorsten

Excellent code... I was wondering, how 
would you take this code and apply it 
to a page that has a gif image on it 
but the image is not archived. The 
image is reproduced by an external 
program. Email me if you need more 
info.
Thanks

12/19/1999 9:21:50 PM:Mouse

THANKS!!! this werks GREAT!!!!
you 
have made my life just that much 
easier! keep up the great werk!!!!

1/12/2000 4:36:21 PM:Zaid

hi there,
the wallpaper thingy 
does'nt work for winNT. any solutions???

1/16/2000 11:22:44 PM:LNZ

This Kode Roques, Keep ^ the good WERK.

4/25/2000 7:15:30 PM:Benii

When I try to run it it give a pop up 
window that says "Compiler error: 
invalid outside procedure" and 
highlights 
"http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/dilbe
rt/archive/" from Text1.Text = 
Inet1.OpenURL("http://www.unitedmedia.co
m/comics/dilbert/archive/") Does anyone 
know how I could fix this?

11/8/2000 10:32:29 AM:Steven Denman

I have VB 6.0 and have loaded the inet 
transfer control. Although it doesn't 
set the text box (stays blank) so the 
prog gets baffed. any ideas ? 
thx
denmsd94@christs-hospital.org.uk

11/21/2000 3:06:56 PM:v0doo600

How exactly do i make this work?
as 
soon as i compile the program
and 
iopen it the thing hides or something.

11/21/2000 3:10:38 PM:v0doo600

in other words the file will get saved 
to my drive C:
but it wont make my 
background the comic

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