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Ctrl+Alt+Esc using Send()?


SeanMay
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Update: Send("^!{ESC}") did indeed work as expected, and the correct shortcut was utilized within the application we were interacting with. This thread wouldn't even have been necessary if I had realized I was mistakenly confusing the expected functionality of Ctrl+Alt+Esc with Ctrl+Shift+Esc... /facepalm.

 

Hi folks,

I understand that sending a Ctrl+Alt+Del through AutoIT isn't possible, but what about Ctrl+Alt+Esc? I've tried the following with no luck:

Send("^!{ESC}")
Send("{CTRLDOWN}")
Send("{ALTDOWN}")
Send("{ESC}")
Sleep(1000)
Send("{CTRLUP}{ALTUP}")
Send("{CTRLDOWN}{ALTDOWN}{ESC}")

The first scenario seemed like it was the most direct method, however it basically ignores the Ctrl and just does an Alt+Esc.

Any clarification on what I might be doing wrong, or confirmation that there's no way to get this to work, would be greatly appreciated.

Edited by SeanMay
Issue fixed
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14 minutes ago, AutoBert said:

Isn't possible for security reasons , read helpfile.

Where? I can't find where that limitation is mentioned in the help file (searched Send and Send Key List help topics).  Also...help me understand...what does ctrl+alt+esc have to do with shutdown?  Doesn't appear to do anything on my Win 7 machine.

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Quote

N.B. Windows does not allow the simulation of the "CTRL-ALT-DEL" combination!

...

Table with codes

...

To send the ASCII value A (same as pressing ALT+065 on the numeric keypad)
    Send("{ASC 065}")

If you want to shutdown windows use ShutDown.

Edited by AutoBert
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ctrl+shift+esc to bring up taskmanager?  But really, sending keystrokes is probably unnecessary if you would reveal the endgame.

,-. .--. ________ .-. .-. ,---. ,-. .-. .-. .-.
|(| / /\ \ |\ /| |__ __||| | | || .-' | |/ / \ \_/ )/
(_) / /__\ \ |(\ / | )| | | `-' | | `-. | | / __ \ (_)
| | | __ | (_)\/ | (_) | | .-. | | .-' | | \ |__| ) (
| | | | |)| | \ / | | | | | |)| | `--. | |) \ | |
`-' |_| (_) | |\/| | `-' /( (_)/( __.' |((_)-' /(_|
'-' '-' (__) (__) (_) (__)

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what does ctrl+alt+esc do?  on my win 10 (14905.rs_prerelease) it has no function.

,-. .--. ________ .-. .-. ,---. ,-. .-. .-. .-.
|(| / /\ \ |\ /| |__ __||| | | || .-' | |/ / \ \_/ )/
(_) / /__\ \ |(\ / | )| | | `-' | | `-. | | / __ \ (_)
| | | __ | (_)\/ | (_) | | .-. | | .-' | | \ |__| ) (
| | | | |)| | \ / | | | | | |)| | `--. | |) \ | |
`-' |_| (_) | |\/| | `-' /( (_)/( __.' |((_)-' /(_|
'-' '-' (__) (__) (_) (__)

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@AutoBert

The OP acknowledged Ctrl+Alt+Del is not permitted...he asked about Ctrl+Alt+Esc.  :blink:
 

10 hours ago, iamtheky said:

ctrl+shift+esc to bring up taskmanager?  But really, sending keystrokes is probably unnecessary if you would reveal the endgame.

Agreed, to both the former and latter
 

Both ctrl+shift+esc and ctrl+alt+esc work perfectly fine for me under W10:

What does Ctrl+Alt+Esc do on your machine?

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On my pc it seems Ctrl+Alt+Esc minimizes the currently selected windows?

If that's the goal then i would suggest something like:

WinSetState( $hWnd, "", @SW_MINIMIZE )

 

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or alt+m for most everything

,-. .--. ________ .-. .-. ,---. ,-. .-. .-. .-.
|(| / /\ \ |\ /| |__ __||| | | || .-' | |/ / \ \_/ )/
(_) / /__\ \ |(\ / | )| | | `-' | | `-. | | / __ \ (_)
| | | __ | (_)\/ | (_) | | .-. | | .-' | | \ |__| ) (
| | | | |)| | \ / | | | | | |)| | `--. | |) \ | |
`-' |_| (_) | |\/| | `-' /( (_)/( __.' |((_)-' /(_|
'-' '-' (__) (__) (_) (__)

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Hi folks,

Ctrl+Alt+Esc should bring up the task manager. If you're seeing behavior resulting in a minimized application, you're probably pressing Alt+Esc, or the Ctrl isn't being recognized, which is what happens to me when I try and use ^!{ESC}.

In my case, a customer is opening a 3rd party remote control application (think VNC), but sometimes the Ctrl+Alt+Del screen is presented when the machine isn't already logged on. Ctrl+Alt+Esc is the keyboard shortcut to "send" a Ctrl+Alt+Del through the app according to the makers of the app. I find it a bit odd that they didn't choose some other unused combination of keys to trigger that action within their software, but that's another story.

So, we're definitely not looking to minimize a screen, and we're definitely not trying to pass a Ctrl+Alt+Del.

Thanks everyone for your replies (even those that thought this was about Ctrl+Alt+Del :) ).

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For me, Ctrl+Shift+Esc has always been the reliable way to quickly launch task manager (unless disabled by policy).  

Is there a menu item to send Ctrl+Alt+Del in the 3rd party (VNC like) app?  

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2 hours ago, SeanMay said:

Hi folks,

Ctrl+Alt+Esc should bring up the task manager. If you're seeing behavior resulting in a minimized application, you're probably pressing Alt+Esc, or the Ctrl isn't being recognized, which is what happens to me when I try and use ^!{ESC}.

In my case, a customer is opening a 3rd party remote control application (think VNC), but sometimes the Ctrl+Alt+Del screen is presented when the machine isn't already logged on. Ctrl+Alt+Esc is the keyboard shortcut to "send" a Ctrl+Alt+Del through the app according to the makers of the app. I find it a bit odd that they didn't choose some other unused combination of keys to trigger that action within their software, but that's another story.

So, we're definitely not looking to minimize a screen, and we're definitely not trying to pass a Ctrl+Alt+Del.

Thanks everyone for your replies (even those that thought this was about Ctrl+Alt+Del :) ).

You could possibly bring up the on-screen keyboard on the remote machine, through accessibility or the like. Other than that Windows Remote Desktop isn't really that feature packed.

Edited by rcmaehl

My UDFs are generally for me. If they aren't updated for a while, it means I'm not using them myself. As soon as I start using them again, they'll get updated.

My Projects

WhyNotWin11
Cisco FinesseGithubIRC UDFWindowEx UDF

 

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Quote

 

Hi folks,

Ctrl+Alt+Esc should bring up the task manager.

 

No, it shouldnt, unless you have an application or driver that has mapped this behavior.  

Its like saying "Ctrl+Alt+Down Arrow doesnt flip my screen 180 degrees!", the problem would not be the keystrokes, it would be your lack of a video driver that responds to that keystroke.

Edited by iamtheky

,-. .--. ________ .-. .-. ,---. ,-. .-. .-. .-.
|(| / /\ \ |\ /| |__ __||| | | || .-' | |/ / \ \_/ )/
(_) / /__\ \ |(\ / | )| | | `-' | | `-. | | / __ \ (_)
| | | __ | (_)\/ | (_) | | .-. | | .-' | | \ |__| ) (
| | | | |)| | \ / | | | | | |)| | `--. | |) \ | |
`-' |_| (_) | |\/| | `-' /( (_)/( __.' |((_)-' /(_|
'-' '-' (__) (__) (_) (__)

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1 minute ago, iamtheky said:

 

No, it shouldnt, unless you have an application or driver that has mapped this behavior.  

Its like saying "Ctrl+Alt+Down Arrow doesnt flip my screen 180 degrees!", the problem would not be the keystrokes, it would be your lack of a video driver that responds to that keystroke.

If you read through the Description. He's using a Remote Desktop Client, in which Ctrl + Alt + Esc = Ctrl + Alt + Del. So based on that, Ctrl + Alt + Esc would give you an option to open up task manager.

My UDFs are generally for me. If they aren't updated for a while, it means I'm not using them myself. As soon as I start using them again, they'll get updated.

My Projects

WhyNotWin11
Cisco FinesseGithubIRC UDFWindowEx UDF

 

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I did, but that first sentence prior tries to dismiss everybody elses explanation of what they are seeing.  If the OP cant even reveal which flavor of RDP is being used, then this thread will be rather circular.

,-. .--. ________ .-. .-. ,---. ,-. .-. .-. .-.
|(| / /\ \ |\ /| |__ __||| | | || .-' | |/ / \ \_/ )/
(_) / /__\ \ |(\ / | )| | | `-' | | `-. | | / __ \ (_)
| | | __ | (_)\/ | (_) | | .-. | | .-' | | \ |__| ) (
| | | | |)| | \ / | | | | | |)| | `--. | |) \ | |
`-' |_| (_) | |\/| | `-' /( (_)/( __.' |((_)-' /(_|
'-' '-' (__) (__) (_) (__)

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Yup, sorry for the confusion - Ctrl+Shift+Esc brings up the Task Manager. Not sure why my brain confused the two since I've been using Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open the task manager for like 13 years, but there you have it...

Ctrl+Alt+Esc appears to just minimize whatever the active window is, which is effectively the same thing as Alt+Esc. Either way though, at least now I know why my test AutoIT scripts weren't working the way I thought they would. Oi.

So, even though the problem might be solved by that simple clarification, the application we're interacting with is called NetSupport. For the purposes of this thread that wasn't really relevant. We had already been in contact with them to see what keystrokes we might be able to use to leverage their built-in "Send Ctrl+Alt+Del" button/menu option, and Ctrl+Alt+Esc was what they gave us.

Thanks for the input!

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Sounds good.  If you still can't get the Ctrl+Alt+Esc keystroke to work, you might be able to use the WinMenuSelectItem function to automate click the  "Send Ctrl+Alt+Del" button/menu option.

Ok, I'm done. :)

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have you tried sending {LCtrl}+{LALT}+{ESC}?

,-. .--. ________ .-. .-. ,---. ,-. .-. .-. .-.
|(| / /\ \ |\ /| |__ __||| | | || .-' | |/ / \ \_/ )/
(_) / /__\ \ |(\ / | )| | | `-' | | `-. | | / __ \ (_)
| | | __ | (_)\/ | (_) | | .-. | | .-' | | \ |__| ) (
| | | | |)| | \ / | | | | | |)| | `--. | |) \ | |
`-' |_| (_) | |\/| | `-' /( (_)/( __.' |((_)-' /(_|
'-' '-' (__) (__) (_) (__)

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