Automating third-party applications

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Guest

I want to write a program that can automate another program, by supplying it
with mouse and text events. First, is this possible? Second, how would I go
about doing this?

Basically, the other program is visible on-screen, and I want to have my
program simulate me clicking on it and typing in information.


Also, in order to get feeback, I would like to perform a screen capture on
this other program. How do I do that?
 
jonsolo11 said:
I want to write a program that can automate another program, by supplying
it
with mouse and text events. First, is this possible?
Click to expand...

Yes. If the program to be automated supports the accesibilty interface

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/msaa/msaaccrf_87ja.asp

it is straightforward.
Second, how would I go about doing this?
Click to expand...

If it does not, you can send keyboard and mouse events to an application
with SendInput(). You retrieve text in edit controls by sending a WM_GETTEXT
message.
Also, in order to get feeback, I would like to perform a screen capture on
this other program. How do I do that?
Click to expand...

For windows that support either of the WM_PRINT or WM_PRINTCLIENT messages,
you may be able to send them a message. You might want to ask about that in
the graphics group

microsoft.public.win32.programmer.gdi

Regards,
Will
 
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