Have Windows Authentication use default login page instead of popup dialog in Sharepoint 2010 - sharepoint-2010

Question

Is there a way to have simple windows authentication for a public facing site (anonymous viewing is enabled so as to view the login page) but insatead of it popping up the windows auth dialog, to use a login page (aspx). I saw something similar when i switched to mixed mode authentication. SharePoint has a dropdown with "windows authentication" or "forms authentication". What i need is something similar, but just the "windows authentication" option.
I've seen similar questions on SO, but they all involve creating a custom login page. The ideal solution would involve no new pages and no coding.
Is this possible?

Answer 1

This could be done by launching the sharepoint page's address in internet explorer, and using some pinvoke api to send keys or settext to the login box.
I fanagled this setup for a vb.net forms application. It works on my XP. I haven't tried it in Windows 7 yet, but I'm sure it needs some adjustment for it to work there.
This uses a library called WindowScraper, from here: http://www.programmersheaven.com/download/56171/download.aspx
This library has a bunch of winapi and pinvoke built in. If your assembly won't allow it (because you are using VS 2010, perhaps), saying it doesn't have a strong name, then use SharpDevelop and rebuild the solution after adding your own certificate.
Then put the dll in your application directory and add a reference.
Then add the imports:
Imports WindowScrape
Imports WindowScrape.Constants
Imports WindowScrape.Types
Finally, the code (put all this in a module or class):
Private Property PortalAddress As String = "http://myportal#somewhere.com"
Private Property logintitle As String = "Connect to myportal#somewhere.com"
Public Sub openPortal()
If My.Computer.Info.OSFullName = "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" then
LoginToPortalXP()
Else
msgbox("Someday, we will be able to log you in automatically" & vbCr & "But it isn't ready yet.")
End If
End Sub
Private Function IsWindowReady(Optional ByVal timeout As integer = 10000)
Dim isready As Boolean = false
Dim timer As Integer = 1000
Do Until Not loginBox is nothing or timer = timeout
Thread.Sleep(1000)
loginbox = HwndObject.GetWindowByTitle(logintitle)
timer = timer + 1000
loop
If Not loginbox is nothing then isready = true
Return isready
End Function
Sub LoginToPortalXP()
Try
Dim TheBrowser As Object = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")
TheBrowser.Visible = True
TheBrowser.Navigate(PortalAddress)
If Not IsWindowReady then debug.print("failed") : Exit sub
Dim sys As HwndObject = loginbox.GetChildren(1) 'SysCredential
sys.GetChildren(1).Text = "myUserName" 'username box
Thread.Sleep(500)
sys.GetChildren(4).Text = "myPassword" 'password box
Thread.Sleep(500)
loginbox.GetChildren(2).Click() 'push the okay button
Catch ex As Exception
msgbox("ERROR AutoLogging into Portal: " & vbcr & & ex.Message)
Finally
End Try
End Sub
I added the timer just in case it takes longer. You can change the timeout, of course.