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SENDKEYS Problem

I am using SENDKEYS to manipulate an application that I have not been able to figure out how to get VB to interact with. I hate SENDKEYS but was the best and only way to get it to work.

First question would be how to get VB to work with this program.

Second problem is as follows:

'Opens a file using a non VB application.

1 Result = ShellExecute(0, "Open", "C:\Capacity Folder\TKS.psr", "", "", SW_SHOWNORMAL)
2
3 Call Sleep(5000)
4 SendKeys "%S" 'Alt+S to activate the "SAVE AS" button
5 Call Sleep(5000)
6 SendKeys "C:\Capacity Folder\TKS.txt" 'File name and location
7 SendKeys "{ENTER}" 'Enter to save file
8 Call Sleep(5000)
9 SendKeys "Y" 'Yes to replace old file
10 Call Sleep(5000)
11 SendKeys "%{F4}" 'Close Application

I use the Call Sleep to try and pause and wait for the next window to appear.

The program get's all the way to the line 4 or 5 and skips the rest. My guess was that the Sleep time wasn't enough time but if I increase the time, it still doesn't help. I am looking for solutions or alternatives.

AJ

ajpelkey

ASKER

Also, the SENDKEYS has the following syntax:

SENDKEYS [STRING], [WAIT]

What is the [WAIT] used for?

vinnyd79

It sounds like the window being called to enter a filename is a modal window,which means your code will not continue until the window is closed.I don't think SendKeys will work for you.

ajpelkey

ASKER

Thx Vinnyd79,

Can you explain "modal window".

Do you have any suggestions?

AJ

KeyPakt

A modal window is a window like a message box. You can't continue with your code until you have clicked the Ok button. A window that is modal less this means that you can switch between this window and the window that you opened this window from.

Wait can either be true of false in the SendKeys command and means:
false (default) = after your "%S" has been sent the code immediately continues to the Call Sleep(5000) even if the place where you sent the "%S" has not been able to process these.
ture = code will continue only if the place where you sent the keys has processed the keys.

Basically this means that you can skip the Sleep command if you use sendkeys with Wait = true.

ajpelkey

ASKER

I know if I use MacroAngel, I can specify which window to send the keystrokes to. Is there a way to do that in VB. Also, is there a way to determine the windows name.

KeyPakt

Well. Since you use the ShellExecute and you recieve a Result - in your case it's called reuslt also :) - which means that you have a handle to the application you started. Using the AppActivate command like AppActivate Result (your handle) you have control of the application you started.

The handle returned from the ShellExecute command is valid for as long as you have not exited your code.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

wuttrain

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ajpelkey

ASKER

wuttrain,
Your answer helped me more than you know. I am now only using SendKeys once. I think I can eliminate it but I need some help with a function.

I am looking at a window called CRDB PSR Viewer - [C:\CAPACITY FOLDER\TKS.PSR]. in the window, on the right hand side is a Button with Save As with S underlined (basically &Save As, I assume). When I use the following code:

hwndWord = FindWindow(vbNullString, "CRDB PSR Viewer - [C:\CAPACITY FOLDER\TKS.PSR]")
hwndButton = FindWindowEx(hwndWord, 0, "Button", "&Save As")

hwndButton returns a value of 0. It could not find the button. I am not sure if the FindWindoEx is not seeing it as a button or if it's just not finding &Save As.

Do you have any suggestions on how to find out the properties of the window so I can find the &Save As so I can execute it. Let me know.

Thx
ajpelkey

wuttrain

Is the Save As button part of the window "CRDB PSR Viewer - [C:\CAPACITY FOLDER\TKS.PSR]"? or is it on a different window? It could be a child of a different window that's why it returns 0.

You can try Spy++, look for the Save As button and check if it is a child of the specified window.

ajpelkey

ASKER

wuttrain,

I think it might be a child window so my next question would be, how do I get it to read the button on a child window? As I look at it, the tree shows as follows:

"CRDB PSR Viewer - [C:\CAPACITY FOLDER\TKS.PSR]" FNWND380
"" MDIClient
"C:\CAPACITY FOLDER\TKS.PSR" FNWND380

Any help would help.

Thx,
ajpelkey

fantasy1001

I noticed that this will be a different issue if the Save As button is on a toolbar.
Because &Save As can be trigger with ALT+S,

Private Declare Sub keybd_event Lib "user32.dll" (ByVal bVk As Byte, ByVal bScan As Byte, ByVal dwFlags As Long, ByVal dwExtraInfo As Long)

AppActivate "CRDB PSR Viewer - [C:\CAPACITY FOLDER\TKS.PSR]"
keybd_event 18, 0, 0, 0
keybd_event 83, 0, 0, 0
keybd_event 83, 0, &h2, 0
keybd_event 18, 0, &h2, 0

~ fantasy ~

ajpelkey

ASKER

Thanks Fantasy1001,
I have actualy gotten way past keyboard events now. I am now down to just one keyboard issue and I am trying to figure out how to get rid of that one.

AJ

wuttrain

is there a way you can access the Save As button using the Menu, because if you can, then don't bother accessing it through the toolbar. Access it the same way I access Save As submenu in Notepad. let me know if it's possible

hwndWord = FindWindow(vbNullString, "test.txt - Notepad")
hMainMenu = GetMenu(hwndWord)
hMenu = GetSubMenu(hMainMenu, 0) 'get into the File Menu 0
MenuID = GetMenuItemID(hMenu, 3) 'select on Save As submenu
lRet = PostMessage(hwndWord, WM_COMMAND, MenuID, 0&) 'send the command to click Save As submenu

ajpelkey

ASKER

wuttrain,

Nope. It's a special viewer and the only thing in the one menu item is Open & Exit.

Also, I am using your method in another program I use. The problem I run into is that to logon, I have 2 "Edit" classes with Null names. How do I define which one to put the User ID in and which one to put the password in. Right now, it just finds the first Edit.

AJ

wuttrain

for example, you will have this Enter Network Password dialog when trying to login to a website. i can find the handles of these edit boxes by using the function below. hope that helps.

anyway, is there a way i can try using the viewer program you are using so I can test it also.

Function FindEdits()
Dim lHwnd1 As Long
Dim lHwnd2 As Long
Dim tempHwnd As Long

tempHwnd = FindWindow(vbNullString, "Enter Network Password")

lHwnd1 = FindWindowEx(tempHwnd, 0, "Edit", vbNullString)
lHwnd2 = FindWindowEx(tempHwnd, lHwnd1, "Edit", vbNullString)

End Function

ajpelkey

ASKER

wuttrain,

I can get you the viewer in itself, no problem. By itself, it's useless. You need a *.psr report and as far as I know, it's only available in the company I work for and it is proprietary. I wish I could, it would make it SOOOO much easier.

The other solution worked perfect.

I am getting ready to award points but continue to post a question to see if you can help me with something else.

Here's the problem:

I run the code pretty much as you gave me and it works from start to finish on my XP machine. The only problem is that when it finishes on my XP machine, I get the following error:

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x dwwin.exe - Application Error x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The exception Breakpoint
A breakpoint has been reached.
(0x80000003) occurred in the application at location 0x77f75a58

Any idea why?

I run the same code on my NT machine and I get the following:

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x dwwin.exe - Application Error x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The instruction at "0x11553381A" referenced memory at "0x02591bec" The memory could not be "Read".

Any idea why?

Thx
AJ

wuttrain

I am using win98 when testing the codes I gave you and just tested it in XP, and it works fine. Not tested it on NT though. And I'm not sure why it's happening.

have you posted this as a new question, I suggest that you do that so others can also work and help with you.

ajpelkey

ASKER

wuttrain,
not yet, it was my next course of action.

Thx for your help. It's been invaluable.

AJ