AutoIT

[Guest Joey]

I was just wondering if AutoIT was a certain type of langauge like c++. I wanted to buy a book on how to program on it. This might be a dumb question but I just woke up bare with me

[ezzetabi]

AutoIt v3 is a BASIC-like scripting language designed for automating the Windows GUI.  It uses a combination of simulated keystrokes, mouse movement and window/control manipulation in order to automate tasks in a way not possible or reliable with other languages (e.g. VBScript and SendKeys).

AutoIt was initially designed for PC "roll out" situations to configure thousands of PCs, but with the arrival of v3 it is also well suited to performing home automation and the scripting of repetitive tasks.

Auto can:

Execute Windows and DOS executables

Simulate key strokes (supports most keyboards layouts)

Simulate mouse movements and clicks

Move, resize and manipulate windows

Interact directly with "controls" on a window (set/get text, move, disable, etc.)

Work with the clipboard to cut/paste text items

Work with the registry

This program is intended for performing GUI automation tasks in Windows. It is not intended as the "be-all and end-all" of scripting. When performing complex tasks such a COM manipulation I would recommend using AutoIt in conjunction with a fully-fledged scripting language (such as WSH or Kixtart - both free) and using AutoIt to "fill in the gaps".

I personally use AutoIt for large PC rollouts. I use WSH for complex scripting/COM and then use it to call AutoIt (or AutoItX/AutoItDLL) when I need to perform configurations that can only be usually achieved by manual input (software installation, configuring control panel, changing drive letters, sending keys and clicking the mouse, etc.).

However, there are many who use AutoIt as a general scripting language (and with v3 this is much more realistic) and are very happy with it

- Jon