  BingThing 1.5.2.0 Browser Launch/Search Utility

  Copyright 2016 milesaheadsoftware.org

  Unzip to an empty folder.  Run BingThing.exe and press
  F1 for all you need to know.  Sort of true, but a bit more
  info.  :)

  Do not delete the index.html file.  BingThing uses that
  to get the default browser when you press the left most
  blank button to choose a browser.

  Also it is best in Windows 7 and later not to use a
  folder under Program Files or Program Files (x86)
  as the location.  The OS will give an error or pop
  up the UAC when the program tries to write files
  to its own folder.  Either that or it will make you
  run it as Administrator when there is no need to
  do so otherwise.  I make a folder C:\Utils for all
  these portable utilities and make a subfolder for
  each one on every Windows machine I use
  but that is your preference.

  The basic idea, you want to be able to have a browser
  come up without waiting to type or paste into the
  address bar.  Or you want to copy/paste a url or
  search phrase from most any progam, into a
  browser's address bar without doing it manually.
 Or you want to be able to open several tabs at once
  using any browser that supports multiple urls on
  the command line.

  BingThing makes this a bit easier.  I suggest that
 when you link a browser to a button the browser
  should be set to open new links in tabs and that
  it support multiple urls on the command line to
  do so.  However sometimes it is useful to link
  a fast light browser even if it does not support
 multiple urls, such as K-meleon.

  The hotkey to automate the copy paste is not
  built into the program.  The reason is it can be
  done better with a few lines of AutoHotkey.
 What BingThing does have is "single instance"
  behavior so that you can add anything to the
  BingThing command line and it will be passed
  into the Input Line if BingThing.exe is already
  running or use the newly started exe otherwise.

 An AutoHotkey snippet to do the copy paste is
  included in the zip.  Bing AutoHotkey to download
  the free Windows tools and learn how it works.

  A word about the history list filtering.  It is still
  a bit rough but useful.  Assuming the history has
   a bunch of lines and you wish to zero in on something
  you used before, type a substring into the Input Line and
  press the Filter List Button.  If any part of the line contains
  the substrng it will be displayed.  To get the entire history
  showing again, empty the Input Line then press the
  Filter List Button again.  Note that in the new release I have
set the Filter List Button as default.  This way you can hit the
Enter key to filter the list without having to use the mouse.

  Once you have something you want to launch or search
  for in the Input Line, press one of the square buttons on
  the bottom of the program window.  If the button is blank
  it will allow you to select a browser exe file to be associated
  with that button.  Then it will run the browser with the Input
  Line contents on the command line.  To change a button to
  a different browser hold the Shift key while clicking it.

  If the Launch radio button has the bullet then the browser
  gets the string just as it is in the Input Line, as command
  line param.  If the Search radio button has the bullet, the
  Input Line contents will be appended to the Bing search
  string, then added to the browser command line.

  Once the Input Line is used with a browser it is blanked and
  a copy of the contents added to the top of the history list.
  Any exact copies already in the list will be deleted.  This way
  the Most Recently Used items should be near the top of the
  list.  At the present time the history list has a max of 128
  lines.

  Once I get a few more bugs out I will add a method of donating.
  Probably by adding a button to the About Box.  But I don't
  believe in nag screens for small utilities like mine.  So no need
  for paranoia.  :)

  You are free to use this program at your own risk.
  It is meant for Windows XP and later English language
  versions of Windows running on a PC.


Revisions

1.5.2.0  Set Filter List Button as default.  Pressing Enter while typing in the Input Line will
press it.  This makes it easier to try different History List filters while keeping your fingers
on the keyboard.



