Can't Run OSK.exe

[Skizmata]

Long time lurker rare poster.

What's the deal with osk.exe?  Why is it's behavior so much different than calc.exe or other built in Windows stuff?  I have a tablet app that I need to be able to launch the OSK for the user when it's time to use it.  And I can't figure out an easy way to do it.

 

The code example below should illustrate the different ways I am trying and their results. 

;  This isn't working at all... not output
Run('osk.exe')

sleep(2000)

; This one pops up a message box that looks like...
; MsgBox(16, 'On-Screen Keyboard', 'Could not start On-Screen Keyboard.')
ShellExecute(@WindowsDir & '\system32\osk.exe')

sleep(2000)

; As stupid as it is this way works every time.
Send("#r")
sleep(100)
Send("osk.exe{enter}")

Run(@WindowsDir & '\system32\osk.exe')
ShellExecute('osk.exe')

don't work either in exactly the same way as the examples above.

Thanks so much.  AutoIt has been a huge part of my life/career for the past 12+ years.

Edited August 4, 2018 by Skizmata

[water]

Please try it the other way round:

Run(@WindowsDir & '\system32\osk.exe')
ShellExecute('osk.exe')

According to the help file (which is your friend BTW):
Run: The full path of the program
ShellExecute: The name of the file to run

If needed set the working directory parameter so the program can find config files etc.

[Skizmata]

Neither one of those work.  Did they work for you? I'll add them to my example code.  They do the same thing as the code already in my example. 

The run and the shell execute aren't failing do to path issues.  They both use the system path and system32 is in the path.

[Jos]

These work both when ran in x64 mode for me:

#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y
Run(@ComSpec & " /c " & @WindowsDir & '\system32\osk.exe','',@SW_HIDE)
;-or-
#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y
ShellExecute(@WindowsDir & '\system32\osk.exe')

Jos

Edited August 4, 2018 by Jos

[Skizmata]

Thanks Jos that works for me too.  I'd love an explanation of what makes osk.exe not run from an x32 script if you have the time.

Thanks again. Jos "You da real MVP" <insert meme>

[Jos]

If it were to work there should be a osk.exe in c:\windows\syswow64 since that is the c:\windows\system32  when running in x86 mode.
I believe there's only a x64 version of the OSK.exe on win10 x64.

Jos

[BrewManNH]

7 minutes ago, Skizmata said:

I'd love an explanation of what makes osk.exe not run from an x32 script if you have the time.

Because there's no program osk.exe in the SysWOW64 directory which is the folder looked into when you use system32 in your command when running under x86. Do a search for turning off folder redirection.

[Skizmata]

Fantastic, interesting stuff.  You guys are great.

Thanks again.

[hmxdenis]

Hello I hawe car-pc end I wont to run automatical the osk when input text cursor blink, end exit osk aftre some inactivity blink time 

While 1
$cursor = MouseGetCursor()
If $cursor = 5 or $cursor = 0 Then ShellExecute('"C:\Windows\system32\osk.exe"')
Sleep(750)
WEnd

 

[hmxdenis]

I thought I was the only one who did not know, but now I see that I'm not

[Tony4219]

I know this is an old topic, but for HOURS now, I tried unsuccessfully to get autoIT to launch osk.exe in Win10. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING worked. 

The feedback in the DOS prompt, when using autoIT, was usually something like "there is no such file as C:\Windows\system32\osk.exe". 

Yet, there it was, and it worked if I ran from WinExplorer or even if I used a cmd prompt.

Thanks Jos!!  for the explanation and an autoIT example that will (haven't tried it yet) finally work.

 

[ioa747]

Edited April 28, 2024 by ioa747