Best practices for controlling Windows Dialogs and/or Websitelinks

[IE404]

Hi there,

i just want to make sure my strategy in controlling windows programs or web-based-applications is the best one.

Right now, lets say i want to oben the settings dialog in a (already running) notepad++ file with a shortcut. then my concept is this :

I look for a keyboard shortcut (ALT+SOMEKEY for example) to "reach" the Top horizontal Notepad Menu, then send Arrow-Keys-Down to reach the desired setting, and press enter.

Is this the right/best/only way to do it?

The same questions apllies to Web-Based-Applications. There, i "count" how often i have to use the "TAB" Key, to reach the desired Link, and then send a "Mouse Click".

 

From my understanding this is the only way (apart from pixel search, which is not recommended if i read this forum right).

i hope you get my question, english is not my native language

[Bert]

depends on the application you are using. You may want to look at this:

 

[Danp2]

Look up WinMenuSelectItem in the help file. Also, there are various UDFs to control web browsers, so sending keystrokes and mouseclicks should be used as a last option when dealing with a browser.

[junkew]

It depends on your requirements. Simulating real user activity then sendkeys and clicks are fine. Just speed up your actions in a robust and more stable way then element recognition is a better approach. If there is an api thats most quick and stable bypassing gui then use that.