Can I inject keystrokes into an input form?

[coghlan]

Would it be possible to create a text file containing thousands of keystrokes and use this tools to inject them into the fields of a Windows form displayed by a 3rd-party app?

I need to import data from one app into another. If the vendor is not willing to provide me with a tool that can import a metafile that I would create, then I thought I might be able to simulate the entry of this data into one of the app's forms.

[Jos]

Check the helpfile for au3info and Control* commands ....

[coghlan]

Check the helpfile for au3info and Control* commands ....

U mean install it first?

I just want to know its capabilities before doing any installs.

[PsaltyDS]

Would it be possible to create a text file containing thousands of keystrokes and use this tools to inject them into the fields of a Windows form displayed by a 3rd-party app?

I need to import data from one app into another. If the vendor is not willing to provide me with a tool that can import a metafile that I would create, then I thought I might be able to simulate the entry of this data into one of the app's forms.

U mean install it first?

I just want to know its capabilities before doing any installs.

That is exactly the kind of thing AutoIt is best at. JdeB already pointed out Au3Info, which will allow you to see what kinds of controls are in the target window. Some types, like Flash, don't use Windows APIs and can't be seen/automated by AutoIt. But any app that uses the standard Windows APIs to draw its dialogs and windows can be automated with AutoIt.

You don't have to install AutoIt to use Au3Info. You can download the zip version and just extract and run the Au3Info.exe executable as a stand-alone.

Edited November 13, 2007 by PsaltyDS