User32.dll

[Craig]

I'm trying to figure out the fastest/easiest way of sending text to another
application. I've got the SendInput and keybd_event methods working well
enough... is one better than the other? Is there something else I should try
out? Is there a way to send text to another window without giving that
window focus? Below is the code I'm using.

Thanks in advance.
*************** **************
[DllImport("user 32.dll")]
static extern uint SendInput(uint nInputs, ref INPUT pInputs, int
cbSize);

[StructLayout(La youtKind.Explic it)]
public struct INPUT
{
[FieldOffset(0)]
public int type;
[FieldOffset(4)]
MOUSEINPUT mi;
[FieldOffset(4)]
public KEYBDINPUT ki;
[FieldOffset(4)]
HARDWAREINPUT hi;
}

struct MOUSEINPUT
{
int dx;
int dy;
int mouseData;
int dwFlags;
int time;
IntPtr dwExtraInfo;
}

public struct KEYBDINPUT
{
public char wVk;
public short wScan;
public int dwFlags;
public int time;
public IntPtr dwExtraInfo;
}

struct HARDWAREINPUT
{
int uMsg;
short wParamL;
short wParamH;
}

[DllImport("user 32.dll")]
static extern short VkKeyScan(char ch);

[DllImport("user 32.dll")]
static extern void keybd_event(byt e bVk, byte bScan, uint dwFlags,
UIntPtr dwExtraInfo);

[DllImport("user 32.dll", EntryPoint = "FindWindow ")]
private static extern int FindWindow(stri ng _ClassName, string
_WindowName);

[DllImport("User 32.dll")]
public static extern Int32 SetForegroundWi ndow(int hWnd);

public const int KEYEVENTF_KEYUP = 0x2;

static void Main(string[] args)
{
int i = FindWindow("Not epad", null);
SetForegroundWi ndow(i);
string str1 = "CRAIG";
for (int j = 0; j < str1.Length-1; j++)
{
PressKey((char) str1[j]);
}
for (int j = 0; j < str1.Length; j++)
{
PressKey2(str2[j]);
}
}
}
}

public static void PressKey2(char keyCode)
{
INPUT mInput = new INPUT();
KEYBDINPUT ki = new KEYBDINPUT();
mInput.type = 1;
mInput.ki = ki;
mInput.ki.wVk = keyCode;
mInput.ki.dwFla gs = 0;
unsafe
{
SendInput(1, ref mInput, sizeof(INPUT));
}

mInput.type = 1;
mInput.ki.wVk = keyCode;
mInput.ki.dwFla gs = KEYEVENTF_KEYUP ;
unsafe
{
SendInput(1, ref mInput, sizeof(INPUT));
}
}

public static void PressKey(char keyCode)
{
const int KEYEVENTF_KEYUP = 0x2;
keybd_event((by te)VkKeyScan(ke yCode), 0x9e, (uint)0, (UIntPtr)0);
keybd_event((by te)VkKeyScan(ke yCode), 0x9e,
(uint)KEYEVENTF _KEYUP, (UIntPtr)0);
}

[Dmitriy Lapshin [C# / .NET MVP]]

Hi Craig,

You can also use the SendMessage API to send messages like WM_CHAR or
WM_KEYDOWN to the application. I am not sure though they will be correctly
processed without the target window having input focus.

--
Sincerely,
Dmitriy Lapshin [C# / .NET MVP]
Bring the power of unit testing to the VS .NET IDE today!
http://www.x-unity.net/teststudio.aspx

"Craig" <Cr***@discussi ons.microsoft.c om> wrote in message
news:61******** *************** ***********@mic rosoft.com...

I'm trying to figure out the fastest/easiest way of sending text to another application. I've got the SendInput and keybd_event methods working well
enough... is one better than the other? Is there something else I should try out? Is there a way to send text to another window without giving that
window focus? Below is the code I'm using.

Thanks in advance.
*************** **************
[DllImport("user 32.dll")]
static extern uint SendInput(uint nInputs, ref INPUT pInputs, int
cbSize);

[StructLayout(La youtKind.Explic it)]
public struct INPUT
{
[FieldOffset(0)]
public int type;
[FieldOffset(4)]
MOUSEINPUT mi;
[FieldOffset(4)]
public KEYBDINPUT ki;
[FieldOffset(4)]
HARDWAREINPUT hi;
}

struct MOUSEINPUT
{
int dx;
int dy;
int mouseData;
int dwFlags;
int time;
IntPtr dwExtraInfo;
}

public struct KEYBDINPUT
{
public char wVk;
public short wScan;
public int dwFlags;
public int time;
public IntPtr dwExtraInfo;
}

struct HARDWAREINPUT
{
int uMsg;
short wParamL;
short wParamH;
}

[DllImport("user 32.dll")]
static extern short VkKeyScan(char ch);

[DllImport("user 32.dll")]
static extern void keybd_event(byt e bVk, byte bScan, uint dwFlags,
UIntPtr dwExtraInfo);

[DllImport("user 32.dll", EntryPoint = "FindWindow ")]
private static extern int FindWindow(stri ng _ClassName, string
_WindowName);

[DllImport("User 32.dll")]
public static extern Int32 SetForegroundWi ndow(int hWnd);

public const int KEYEVENTF_KEYUP = 0x2;

static void Main(string[] args)
{
int i = FindWindow("Not epad", null);
SetForegroundWi ndow(i);
string str1 = "CRAIG";
for (int j = 0; j < str1.Length-1; j++)
{
PressKey((char) str1[j]);
}
for (int j = 0; j < str1.Length; j++)
{
PressKey2(str2[j]);
}
}
}
}

public static void PressKey2(char keyCode)
{
INPUT mInput = new INPUT();
KEYBDINPUT ki = new KEYBDINPUT();
mInput.type = 1;
mInput.ki = ki;
mInput.ki.wVk = keyCode;
mInput.ki.dwFla gs = 0;
unsafe
{
SendInput(1, ref mInput, sizeof(INPUT));
}

mInput.type = 1;
mInput.ki.wVk = keyCode;
mInput.ki.dwFla gs = KEYEVENTF_KEYUP ;
unsafe
{
SendInput(1, ref mInput, sizeof(INPUT));
}
}

public static void PressKey(char keyCode)
{
const int KEYEVENTF_KEYUP = 0x2;
keybd_event((by te)VkKeyScan(ke yCode), 0x9e, (uint)0, (UIntPtr)0); keybd_event((by te)VkKeyScan(ke yCode), 0x9e,
(uint)KEYEVENTF _KEYUP, (UIntPtr)0);
}