PMRobot is a tool I wrote that allows you to batch-process groups of files, by creating macros that will control any Windows program that can be controlled by keystrokes ( as opposed to requiring the mouse ).  You can store any number of macros, and sample macros with comments and instructions are included to help you write your own, either by modifying the samples, or completely from scratch.

    To use PMRobot, you first select a macro, and then select the files to run it against.  PMRobot is network-aware.  When you click on 'Run all files', PMRobot will execute your macro against each of the files you selected.

    Some examples of possible uses :

    Batch printing -  Let's say you have a project that has accumulated a quantity of engineering drawings from Visio, or some other program ( AutoCad, IntelliCad, whatever ).  At the end of the project, you are faced with the task of separately opening, printing, and closing each of hundreds of drawings.  Instead of all that, using PMRobot you can simply select the appropriate macro, select all those files, and hit 'Run all files' once.  Then take lunch while PMRobot prints them all for you. 

     Batch file conversion, example 1 -  Let's say you have a set of graphics files you need to convert from one format to another.  Simply create a macro to control your graphics program, whatever it may be, to read each file in, convert it, and save it.

    Batch file conversion, example 2 -  Let's say you have a bunch of files that were sent to you in TXT format, that contain comma-delineated data, and you want to import them into Excel, control the Import Wizard to correctly separate each line into columns, resize the columns to fit the data, and then save each one as a spreadsheet ( XLS format ).  No problem - there's even a sample macro included to do that. 

    Any other function of any Windows program that can be controlled by keystrokes -  If you have a task that you need to apply against a set of files, PMRobot can be used to automate that task, as long as it can be done via the keyboard ( no mouse ).  PMRobot will open the program, open the files, perform your task, and close the files and the program when done.

    Due to limited online disk space, I have placed here a self-extracting zip file PMRobotInstall.exe , which contains only the actual program, and all the sample macros and help files.  It does not contain the associated Visual Basic support files, such as the VB 6 runtime DLL, and some other common OCX's.  Chances are good that you already have these.  Try extracting ( running ) the PMRobotInstall.exe file, and running the resulting PMRobot program.  If it runs, you have all the needed files.   If not ( and you get an error saying something like 'Could not find file xxxxx.ocx' ), please email me, and I will email back a complete install program that contains everything except the huge VB 6 runtime DLL, which you can get below.

    Download PMRobotInstall.exe ( 54 KB )

    Email PJM@POBOX.COM to request the full install ( which will be 1.3 meg )

    This program is freeware.   Download it here.  It requires the Microsoft VB 6 run-time library called Msvbvm60.dll, if you don't have it already in your Windows / System directory ( check and see - you might not need to download this 1 meg file again ).   Get a self-installing EXE of the VB 6 run-time direct from Microsoft here.