Easiest Macro/scripting language for n00bs?

Hi, I want to be able to make a shortcut that will launch several applications at once. I don't know anything about programming really, except what I remember about batch files from my old MS DOS days.

The programs I would like to launch together are

Adaware, Spybot S&D, Spywareblaster, Nod32 scanner, TrojanHunter, and Ace Utilities.

I started out trying to make a batch file to lauch all these applications. Then, much to my chagrin, I find out I need to convert the long filenames to the shorter old DOS names (lame!).

ie, going from START c:\program files\trojanhunter\trojanhunter.exe to
START c:\PROGRA~1\TROJAN~1\TROJAN~1.exe. The problem though, I must be missing something on converting these filenames, or am just doing it plain wrong, since half the apps just won't launch. I've looked up tutorials and whatnot but they just tell me to do what I am already doing. I also tried doing a dir /d in the command prompt to try to have it give me the shortened filenames, but this is not much of a help either, since it only seems to convert half the directories and filenames over to the shortened version.

Apparently the batch file is so outdated with Windows XP, I should not be bothering with it anymore. What simple scripting languages would you programming gurus recommend for me? And any faq/tutorial/how-to links on this subject would be greatly appreciated!

As I said before, I have no programming experience, and don't really care to learn something very in depth. My scripting needs are relatively simple I think. I have had javascript and VB script recommended to me, but I just don't know where to begin on this. People tell me this thing called "php" is good and worth learning, but isn't that for html/www only? I don't even know html...

I also tried looking or a free, and simple macro recorder/player. But looking for a free one of those seems to be an exercse in futility.

Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated! It would be really nice clicking on only one shortcut to open all those apps when it comes time to do system maintenance and scanning.

If you feel the batch file would still be best suited for my needs, please let me know if there is a small app I can use that will convert the long filenames to the shorter ones on a textfile or clipboard for me. I searched around for one on google, but all I seem to find are file renamers! And I certianly don't want to do that heh.

Again, much obliged, thanks for your time!


John

 

John,
I am such a nOOb at this that I hesitate to post. But, this may be of some help. I have heard of this thing called Python that is supposed to be fairly easy to learn and quite useful. Don't know what all it does, but here are some links:

http://www.python.org/

http://www.python.org/doc/faq/windows.html

Regards,
Robert

 

yeah i've heard of python. seems a little too hardcore for me heh.

 

I hear you,
but,
I think that if you give it a go, you may be surprised. I hear that it is a real "up-and-coming" thing.
I myself am very new at this type of thing. I am trying to learn C. Some people say don't do that for your first language, but I will not heed thier advice. I know that many people all over the world are learning C right now, and I must not be denied!