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Dr. Dread

I'm trying to insert data into another (non-VDS) program. You know the drill:

Skit3000 · Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2003 5:12 pm Post subject:

I don't know in which language the other program is made, and I don't know if you made the program yourself, but maybe you can use DDE?

SnarlingSheep · Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2003 5:27 pm Post subject:

Windows has a setting to keep programs from just popping into view, instead it flashes the taskbar button. I believe I've seen a program that had it's own option to forcefully activate it's window when it was done doing something.
I'm wondering if you can't send 2 or maybe even 3 WINDOW ACTIVATE commands.
If that doesn't do it, probably the only other option is DDE like Skit said.

Dr. Dread · Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2003 6:42 pm Post subject:

Aaaah, man! Why didn't DDE cross my mind Question

(banging head at keyboard).

Just made a quick test, and the darn proggie actually has a DDE server!! So I just have to
find out which commands it supports (hopefully the ones I need) Very Happy

I may just live to see the next day now Shocked

Thanks, guys (hmmm, actually why is programming such a male thing?)

Greetz
Dread

SnarlingSheep · Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2003 6:54 pm Post subject:

So I take it my idea of sending ACTIVATE more than once didn't work?

Dr. Dread · Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2003 7:25 pm Post subject:

Skit3000 · Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2003 7:37 pm Post subject:

Maybe you can download a tool like the Windows Spy, but then named as DDE Spy or something... Or you can go to the website of the program you use, and look for an API...

Mac · Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2003 8:30 pm Post subject:

Coupla thoughts (ya may have tried these already)...

Use a @tab() or @enter() after WINDOW ACTIVATE, or ....

WINDOW ICONIZE
WINDOW NORMAL

And ya might need a WAIT for the window to get focused. Wink

Cheers, Mac Smile

Hortalonus · Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2003 3:58 pm Post subject:

I have the same problem... only the program I'm trying to interact with is not a DDE server. I'm trying to close the program, stop a service, restart the service, then run the program again. All of it works except the part where the program closes. When it receives the WINDOW CLOSE command it pops up a confirmation dialog that doesn't have a taskbar button. The confirmation dialog either pops up under the main dialog or it pops up on top of it but doesn't have the focus... and there is no taskbar button to use Mac's suggestion.

I want the send the Y key to the confirmation dialog. I can get the window handle of it with WinSpy but when my program tries to grab it, the script freezes... then if you manually click the Yes button, my script continues as usual. Wierd, eh? Not sure how to get around this one without the handle of the confirmation dialog because activating the main dialog does not focus the confirmation dialog, but I'm not sure why I can't seem to get the handle of it either.

Mac · Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2003 4:07 pm Post subject:

The window "handle" will usually be different each time the
popup window is open - try using the class name instead,
and WINDOW ACTIVATE or WINDOW ONTOP.

You might hafta check for both the correct program being
open, AND the popup class. Sometimes popup windows
share class names. Wink

Cheers, Mac Smile

marty · Professional Member Joined: 10 May 2001 Posts: 789

here's what I do:

Dr. Dread · Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2003 6:26 pm Post subject:

Got the thing going through the DDE interface - when it's there it's really a powerful
way of manipulating another program.

While trying to figure out my target program's DDE, I played with DDE in Internet Explorer -
if anyone is interested, I could tidy things up a bit and post it.

Greetz
Dread

Skit3000 · Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2003 6:30 pm Post subject:

That kind of things are what I like... Wink