Using autoit for realtime passthrough of mouse/keyboard events over network

[windspire]

Hi,

I just found out about AutoIT and I think it'll fill a need I have.

I'm not asking for any help or anyone to write it for me, and I've done a search of this forum for network to see what kind of posts have come up (saw some examples of client / server / TCP code that I will probably make use of later).

I AM looking for comments though on the feasibility of using AutoIT for my purpose (described below) and whether I should continue with this line or follow an alternate path (suggestions would be great too).

I would like to build a tool for the duplication of mouse/keyboard commands to remote machines in realtime. That is, when I click on my master machine, I want to send a mouse click event to the remote machine and have it issue a real input event. When I type on the keyboard, I want it to, again, issue a real event. I will probably try to add functionality to map keys on slave machines (ie, receiving a F, but pushing a H into the event queue) and the ability to introduce time delays between receiving and passing on the events.

Anyone care to comment on the performance of autoit over a network in realtime?

This is all going to run over machines on a local lan, not WAN, so hopefully performance will be excellent (on par with Remote Desktop on a local LAN).

Going to start delving into the autoit user manual now. Thanks for reading.

[Paulie]

I am almost positive that what you describe is possible to do in Autoit.

As you said, the TCP functions will definitely be your friend here.

[qazwsx]

depending on what your using it for, it kinda sounds like it might be for it maybe, check out the example scripts someone just made a beta it helper maybe you guys could work together.

[Paulie]

Finally found this courtesy of Autoit Smith

http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/index.ph...c=20589&hl=

That should at least get you started.

[windspire]

Thanks Paulie. I already saw that thread earlier when I did a search for network. The network part looks pretty straight forward. I can just send the keyboard/mouse clicks (with a position) and it's obviously super easy to simulate the actual events on the slave.

BUT, it seems autoit doesn't have a lot of support for 'detecting' events... haha. I was thinking how easy everything looked with the built in function calls to do the events, I forgot that the main purpose of autoit is to execute canned events. Other than _ispressed, I'm not sure how to globally capture KM events. Using ispressed doesn't seem feasible with it's requirement for a key to check against.

Looks like I may have to go back to a basic C/VB program that hooks the keyboard/mouse and do it that way. Just messier I guess..

Thanks for your help though, much appreciated.

Finally found this courtesy of Autoit Smith

http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/index.ph...c=20589&hl=

That should at least get you started.

[qazwsx]

to record events you could look into hook.dll and maybe windows messages?

[PsaltyDS]

Thanks Paulie. I already saw that thread earlier when I did a search for network. The network part looks pretty straight forward. I can just send the keyboard/mouse clicks (with a position) and it's obviously super easy to simulate the actual events on the slave.

BUT, it seems autoit doesn't have a lot of support for 'detecting' events... haha. I was thinking how easy everything looked with the built in function calls to do the events, I forgot that the main purpose of autoit is to execute canned events. Other than _ispressed, I'm not sure how to globally capture KM events. Using ispressed doesn't seem feasible with it's requirement for a key to check against.

Looks like I may have to go back to a basic C/VB program that hooks the keyboard/mouse and do it that way. Just messier I guess..

Thanks for your help though, much appreciated.

Capturing all keyboard events would be a remote key logger, and that type of script will not be found or discussed on this forum.

[tAKTelapis]

By the sounds of it, he is not talking about capturing from 50 computers and bringing back to one, he is doing it in reverse..

Key logging issues aside, I would be interested in seeing what you come up with for the other options.

Though i can see a few restrictions, Screen Resolution for a start. If one computer is at a different res, then passing along mouse click co-ords is going to be a pain.

Not to mention how some applications open in a slightly different spot each time. (CMD is a prime example of this, and it is not the only program that does it)

[ShaggyStyle]

I'm not sure if it can help you, but I think this is what you are looking for:

A program that lets you easily share a single mouse and keyboard between multiple computers with different operating systems, each with its own display, without special hardware. It's intended for users with multiple computers on their desk since each system uses its own monitor(s).

It still exist and is called Synergy (http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/)

[windspire]

That part alone may sound like a key logger, but using autoit for something like that hardly seems the best way to do it (avoid detection, etc).

@tAKTelapis - screen resolutions aren't a problem since it'll be run in our office over the LAN and all machines have the exact same monitors.

@ShaggyStyle - someone recommended that a while back to me, but it's really more of a VNC/remote desktop app and doesn't fulfill the need to send events to multiple computers simutaneously.

Thanks for everyones input. I'm going to do this outside of autoIT, so probably best to let this thread die.

Capturing all keyboard events would be a remote key logger, and that type of script will not be found or discussed on this forum.

[circlesoffire]

I know this is a long shot -- given the date stamp on this thread -- but I'm seeking to perform exactly this action (sending a mouse-click from a controller computer across an LAN network to many computers simultaneously). I create visual effects on computers with mouse-click triggers to advance through my pre-set effect, and usually only work on one computer at a time. But I'm trying to make a whole room (of about fifty computers) change at the same time. I don't need any recording of the events -- just a mouse-click cue transmitted simultaneously across a network. 

Windspire, did you ever make progress on solving for this? If so, I'd love to hear about it. And if anyone has any other suggestions, please let me know!

I've got a mixed space of Macs (OSX 10.7, running Apple Remote Desktop) and PCs (Win 7, running TightVNC). Most are connected directly to an LAN network, though I have two that have to connect wirelessly to my network, so ideally the solution could operate reasonably well via both. My preferred controller computer is a MacBook Pro, though I have access to another PC running Windows 7 I could use too. 

Thanks for any help you can offer... 

[BrewManNH]

windspire hasn't been back here in 6 years, I don't think he/she will be answering any time soon.

[Bert]