Actual usability of GUI control functions in AutoIt

[daluu]

I'm just wondering, how effective are the GUI control functions (for setting or getting values of GUI controls) in AutoIt?

Anybody have good/bad experiences to comment? Here's mine:

I've tested control detection and manipulation (set value/text and get value/text) via the Controlxxxx group of functions against eyeBeam, X-Lite, and one of our companies applications (which I don't know if they use standard or special third party controls for some of there GUI Windows form controls).

And I've ran the same test with another automation tool called Ranorex to compare with AutoIt.

In my tests, AutoIt was not able to detect a control properly in eyeBeam/X-Lite (the Missed calls list, which should be control ID 1 on eyeBeam). It was also not able to set or get some controls' value in my companies application. The controls were a textbox and a combo box (drop down menu).

With Ranorex, I was able to detect the eyeBeam control (I think but I need a bit more testing), and I was able to set text of textbox. Ranorex could not set text of combo box but I could read the value of the combox box, such that I could set its value using a loop to change the values in the list (via keyboard commands) and read value to compare against expected value.

I also use AutoIt through AutoItX and VBScript via Windows Scripting Host, though I would assume that doesn't make a difference compared to regular AutoIt program. If my assumption is wrong, let me know.

I'd love to use AutoIt more but from my experience, it seems the GUI control automation needs more work. But a great tool for a free product. Too bad Ranorex is free only for personal & non-commerical use.

[PsaltyDS]

Hmm...

Go to the Ranorex download page and download RanorexSpy (their window info tool) and run it side-by-side with AutoIt Window Info tool... interesting.

Hmm...