How to use an open IE window and then open a new IE tab?

[TXTechie]

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking for a way to use an already open Internet Explorer (IE) window (if one is up and running) and then navigate to a new URL in a new IE tab.

I thought that _IECreate would easily meet my needs. However, when I use the following script:

#include <IE.au3>

Local $oIE = _IECreate("https://" & $Server & ":8444/", 1, 1, 0, 1)

...with one or more open IE windows, it still opens yet a new IE window.

Are there any other ideas for how to reliably use an already open IE windows and then how to open a new tab in IE to navigate to a new URL?

Regards,

TX Techie

[FrancescoDiMuro]

@TXTechie

Look at _IEAttach to use an already existing instance of IE, and use the method .Navigate with the flag navOpenInNewTab to open the webpage in a new tab.

Post your script (as you already did) if you need further assistance

[TXTechie]

@FrancescoDiMuro

Thank you for your assistance.

I guess I should have stated that I haven't had any luck with _IEAttach either. Here's my code:

#include <IE.au3>

Const $navOpenInNewWindow = 1
Const $navOpenInNewTab = 2048
Const $navOpenInBackgroundTab = 4096
Const $navOpenNewForegroundTab = 65536
Const $sPrimaryServer = "server"

Local $oIE = _IEAttach("", "instance")
$oIE.Navigate("https://" & $sPrimaryServer & "/", $navOpenInNewTab)

And I receive the following error:

Quote

--> IE.au3 T3.0-2 Warning from function _IEAttach, $_IESTATUS_NoMatch
"C:\Users\TXTechi\Desktop\Test.au3" (11) : ==> Variable must be of type "Object".:
$oIE.Navigate("https://" & $sPrimaryServer & "/", $navOpenInNewTab)
$oIE^ ERROR

What am I doing wrong?

Edited June 18, 2019 by TXTechie

[TXTechie]

In fact, NONE of the _IEAttach examples from the AutoIt Help file work on my PC - they all throw the same "--> IE.au3 T3.0-2 Warning from function _IEAttach, $_IESTATUS_NoMatch" error!

I'm running a fully patched Windows 10, 64-bit (release 1809) PC.

What's going on?

[Nine]

It usually means there is no instance of IE running.  But if you get the error with the examples...What version of autoit are you using ? 

Have you checked if you can get the handle of the running IE Window ?

 

 

[TXTechie]

I'm using the latest release version of AutoIt (3.3.14.5) and I can successfully get a Window handle for my open IE window using WinList:

#include <IE.au3>

Const $navOpenInNewWindow = 1
Const $navOpenInNewTab = 2048
Const $navOpenInBackgroundTab = 4096
Const $navOpenNewForegroundTab = 65536
Const $sPrimaryServer = "server"

; Retrieve a list of window handles.
Local $aList = WinList()

; Loop through the array displaying only visable windows with a title.
For $i = 1 To $aList[0][0]
    If $aList[$i][0] <> "" And BitAND(WinGetState($aList[$i][1]), 2) Then
        If StringInStr($aList[$i][0], "Internet Explorer") > 0 Then
            ConsoleWrite("Title: " & $aList[$i][0] & @CRLF & "Handle: " & $aList[$i][1] & @CRLF)
            Local $oIE = _IEAttach($aList[$i][1], "hwnd")
            $oIE.Navigate2("https://" & $sPrimaryServer & ":8444/", $navOpenInNewTab)
        EndIf
    EndIf
Next

But, when I pass the handle from WinList into _IEAttach, I get the same "--> IE.au3 T3.0-2 Warning from function _IEAttach, $_IESTATUS_NoMatch" error!:

Quote

Title: Calabrio ONE - Internet Explorer
Handle: 0x000A0D82
--> IE.au3 T3.0-2 Warning from function _IEAttach, $_IESTATUS_NoMatch
"C:\Users\TXTechie\Desktop\NewTest.au3" (22) : ==> Variable must be of type "Object".:
$oIE.Navigate("https://" & $sPrimaryServer & "/", $navOpenInNewTab)
$oIE^ ERROR
->14:15:14 AutoIt3.exe ended.rc:1

 

[Nine]

You are not running under sandbox, are you ?  Have you tried #RequireAdmin ?

[TXTechie]

Wow! This is crazy! I must have something weird going on with my primary (and AutoIt developer) PC!

I compiled one of my scripts that use _IEAttach and copied it to my 2 test PCs (1 = Win10 and 1 = Win7) and it worked fine on both!

Sounds like it's time to "refresh" my primary PC. What a pain! 😥

@FrancescoDiMuro & @Nine - I want to thank you both, very much, for your assistance (and patience)!

[FrancescoDiMuro]

@TXTechie

Happy to have helped