For the last few months I've been trying to figure out the "best" way to automate as much as possible.

The problem is, each of us have different skills and budgets. So I want this system to work for most of us. It's not perfect, but it takes into consideration things like easy to learn, low cost, etc.

I've tried 6+ different macro programs. Too much of a learning curve for our purpose. By the time you learn how to use the macro program, you probably could have done the work "by hand".

I've tried Pete's programs for creating accounts. They are too undependable.

SENuke is too expensive, at $100 per month.

Here's what you'll need for this system:
1. Multiple clipboard utility. If you have one, use your's. If you don't know what they are, use and REALLY LEARN this one:
http://m8software.com/clipboards/spartan/spartan.htm

There's a free trial for "200 uses". Be prepared to pay $20 for it.

2. Directory Submitter - I bought rights for it...Download it FREE from the "Downloads" thread.

3. Google email "verifier" program. These will log into a gmail account, open all your email, and click the "verification" links automatically for you. Of course, you can do this "by hand", but for those that would rather pay for a program there are options.

It's essential that you really learn each of these programs.

Our goal is to be able to quickly and easily be able to create VARIOUS accounts for VARIOUS services as quickly and efficiently as possible.

For example, you want to create blogs on third party sites, or create accounts for bookmarking, or video submission accounts, etc.

We want to make this as fast and painless as possible, without a huge learning curve.

Directory Submitter can do a lot of this for us, but it's not perfect. I'll post lists of services that you can easily add to Directory Submitter in the future so you can semi-automate signing up for various types of resources.

This will extend the power of Directory Submitter from being used to submit your URLs to various directories, to helping you create blog accounts, bookmarking accounts, etc.

Quick poll:

Do you use, or have you ever used, a multple clipboard program?

Yes?
No?

Thanks...

Hi Kurt,

No,

I have never used a multi clipboard program

Ron

Hi Kurt

Never even hear about Multi Clipboard

Bill

Never heard of it, but will check it out.

No, never used one.

Wow...I'm really amazed at the answers. I thought <almost> everyone that worked on the Net used a multi clipboard.

Honestly, when I need to reinstall software, a multi clipboard program is essential and I give it the same priority I do installing email, web browser, FTP, text program, etc.

Here's what it does:

Your normal clipboard lets you copy something, then paste it somewhere else, the store it until you copy something else again, or restart your PC. Once you copy something else, the clipboard is erased.

A multi clipboard lets you keep the past 25-50 things you copy, and doesn't erase every clip each time. It also saves the clipboard if you reboot your PC.

In most paid multi clipboards, you can save and store clips permanently. When you have bought something from me, I have my "after sales" letters stored in a multi clipboard, and I'm just one click away from sending my most common messages.

I also use it to store little snippets of code...Things like CSS styles, SSI tags, html, etc, that I can easily paste wherever I want.

Let's say we were going to sign up for 15 bookmarking accounts at different services. We copy each common element into our multi clipboard, then visit each page and use the clipboard to automatically fill in each bit of info.

For example, you would copy each line below as a single clip, then paste them in the approprate forms:

Kurt Melvin
Kurt
Melvin
www.dombom.com
lvha@aol.com
MyUserName
MyPassword

Now, instead of typing each one every time, I simply copy/paste each one.

Again, I consider a multi clipboard to be essential...Not only for what we do, but for anyone that works on the Net.

We'll be using a multi clip board along with Directory Submitter to create all sorts of various accounts. Directory submitter will fill in the forms about 2/3s of the time. The stuff it misses, we'll use a multi-clipboard to fill in for us.

Here is a free multi clipboard that will do everything you need for this specific task. However, it won't permanently store various clips and you are limited to the last 25 clips you copied:
http://m8software.com/clipboards/freeclip/freeclip.htm

Here's one for $20 that lets you create categories of clips and will store them for you permanently, as well as store your last 25 clips:
http://m8software.com/clipboards/spartan/spartan.htm

LAST EDITED ON Dec-19-08 AT 02:38 PM (PST) by Kurt (admin)
 
I've tried 6+ different macro programs. Too much of a learning curve for our purpose. By the time you learn how to use the macro program, you probably could have done the work "by hand".

Kurt, what do you think is the most practical macro to use
I was considering macro express since there is also kind of user handbook available

Nice to have for storing information is also azz cardfile (was a recommendation here "on board" and of course roboform

Note: I edited the c o d e tag Karsten used because it stretched the forum table too far. I didn't change his content at all.

Hi Karsten,

I didn't like any of the macro programs for signing up for multiple accounts. I found the learning curve to be too high and the time spent learning a macro program is better spent actually being productive.

However, if you already know a macro program very well, then that's probably a better choice.

Hi Kurt,

I use clipmate for my multi clip board. Couldn't live without it!

I use macroexpress to automate redundant chores.

Merry Christmas,

Ed

I had never even heard of such a thing before, Kurt, and I have been online since the days of covered wagons. (OK, not quite that long.) I sure could have used it in the past. Thanks for bringing it up.

>I had never even heard of such a thing before, Kurt, and I
>have been online since the days of covered wagons. (OK, not
>quite that long.) I sure could have used it in the past.
>Thanks for bringing it up.

HI Sandra and All...

This really suprises me. I would have guessed that 80-90% of us use a multi clipboard.

Man, was I wrong. If I make any tutorials, I'll need to keep this in mind.

As Ed said, it's something we can't live without and I consider a multi clip a requirement for anyone doing what we do.

I use the clippings plugin for firefox:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1347
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/1347

You can also get it for thunderbird as well.

I use both.

You can easily organize your clippings into folders, move them around, whatever you want. You can also export the clippings file to an html file or I believe it's an rdf file. I've always exported to html. You can also title each clipping.

Years ago I used a multi clip app for support - it was great except it didn't title anything. I had some great responses and notes in this thing and had to go thru it file by file. Total pain.

The clippings plugin is free.

Hi Kurt

Have you had a look at Mike Chen's Bizautomator?

http://www.bizautomator.com (Not aff link)

It sits in the system tray and can be activated with a 'hotkey' combo, and can fill any text input field with pre-configured text, sig files, logins, repeated emails, etc.

A bit like a multi-clipboard, but a bit more automated and with a somewhat larger capacity.

I don't have any resale rights on my copy, but if you go to the url above you'll get the full 'skinny' on it.

HTH

Kind regards

Ian