Editing existing non-auoit window?

[4ggr35510n]

On this YT movie (presenting MS Minesweeper bot, I hope this doesn't qualifies to forbidden game-bots topics ;D):

We can clearly see, that the script modifies Minesweeper window, adding buttons "Exit" and "Defuse".

How come? How it is possible? How can I do same thing?

Thank for your answers!

BR,

4gr

@Edit:

Okay, I've found source code of this program.

Apparently, those buttons are just a small GUI window, bounded (and even not in smart way) to Minesweeper window.

But still... Is there any way to actual modify windows of other programs? Or rather not?

Source code of this minesweeper bot (added three lines [selecting name/lang ver, since I've not-eng windows] by myself, whole credit is QBall) for curious. Kinda nice anyway. Doesn't work with win7, since it's using "hack/bug" present only in older MS OS's.

expandcollapse popup

#include <GUIConstants.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
#NoTrayIcon
If WinExists('Defuse') Then Exit

; Ur language version of game name
$WindowName = 'Minesweeper'
;minesweeper in ENG

$aq = 0
While 1
    If WinExists($WindowName) Then
    Else
        GUICreate('Defuse', 150, 45)
        GUICtrlCreateLabel('Start Saper to begin!', 10, 0, 135, 15)
        GUICtrlCreateLabel('Created by: Sean Buckley', 10, 15, 135, 15)
        GUICtrlCreateLabel('Email: Q-BALL@mail.com', 10, 30, 135, 15)
        GUISetState()
    EndIf
    Do
        $m = GUIGetMsg()
        If $m = -3 Then Exit
    Until WinExists($WindowName)
    GUIDelete()
    GUICreate('Defuse', 77, 17, -100, -100, $WS_POPUP, $WS_EX_TOPMOST)
    $exit = GUICtrlCreateButton('Exit', -1, -1, 30, 19)
    $gob = GUICtrlCreateButton('Defuse', 38, -1, 40, 19)
    GUISetState()
    WinActivate($WindowName)
    While WinExists($WindowName)
        $m = GUIGetMsg()
        If $m = -3 Or $m = $exit Then Exit
        If $m = $gob Then first()
        If WinActive($WindowName) Or WinActive('Defuse') Then
            $i = WinGetPos($WindowName)
            If IsArray($i) Then WinMove('Defuse', '', $i[0] + 80, $i[1] + 30)
        Else
            WinMove('Defuse', '', -100, -100)
        EndIf
        $dimention = WinGetClientSize($WindowName)
        If IsArray($dimention) Then
            If $dimention[0] = 500 Then
                $hibox = 16
                $widebox = 30
            EndIf
            If $dimention[0] = 276 Then
                $hibox = 16
                $widebox = 16
            EndIf
            If $dimention[0] = 164 Then
                $hibox = 9
                $widebox = 9
            EndIf
        EndIf
    WEnd
    GUIDelete()
WEnd
Func first()
    $qw = 0
    WinActivate($WindowName)
    $dimention = WinGetClientSize($WindowName)
    If $dimention[1] = 319 Then
        If $dimention[0] = 500 Then $qw = 1
        If $dimention[0] = 276 Then $qw = 1
    EndIf
    If $dimention[1] = 207 Then
        If $dimention[0] = 164 Then $qw = 1
    EndIf
    If $qw = 1 Then
        second()
    Else
        MsgBox(0, 'Error', 'Unrecognized window.' & @CRLF & 'Defuse works only with the three standard levels.' & @CRLF & 'This error can also be caused by a title bar width other than 25.')
    EndIf
EndFunc   ;==>first
Func second()
    BlockInput(1)
    $dimention = WinGetClientSize($WindowName)
    WinActivate($WindowName)
    Send('xyzzy')
    Send('+{enter}')
    $qqpos = WinGetPos($WindowName)
    MouseMove($qqpos[0] + 20, $qqpos[1] + 110, 0)
    $pos = MouseGetPos()
    MouseMove($pos[0] - 16, $pos[1], 0)
    $hi = 0
    $ii = 0
    Do
        $wide = 0
        $hi = $hi + 1
        Do
            $wide = $wide + 1
            d()
            If WinActive($WindowName) Then
            Else
                $ii = 1
            EndIf
        Until $wide = $widebox Or $ii
        $pos = MouseGetPos()
        MouseMove($pos[0] - 16 * $widebox, $pos[1] + 16, 0)
    Until $hi = $hibox Or $ii
    WinActivate($WindowName)
    Send('xyzzy')
    Send('+{enter}')
    SplashTextOn('', '', 1, 1, 0, 0, 1)
    SplashOff()
    BlockInput(0)
EndFunc   ;==>second
Func d()
    $pos = MouseGetPos()
    MouseMove($pos[0] + 16, $pos[1], 0)
    Sleep(1)
    main()
EndFunc   ;==>d
Func main()
    $color = PixelSearch(0, 0, 1, 1, 0xFFFFFF)
    If $color = 1 Then
    Else
        MouseClick('main')
    EndIf
EndFunc   ;==>main
Func done()
    Exit
EndFunc   ;==>done

Edited August 31, 2010 by 4ggr35510n

[kaotkbliss]

While I can see the extreme usefulness of being able to do this, I can also see the extreme harm someone with little knowledge could cause if code were to start being put up.

I would think that to do what you suggest would involve creating a program that could modify an existing program, much like a

-censored- does.

[Richard Robertson]

If your controls were placed into the window of another program, that program would receive the window messages associated with the controls and not yours. You'd have a huge mess trying to get the controls there and reading the messages will be just as complicated.