Need assistance how to set Focus on (Win10) Notepad & send key-presses to it.

[ocnuybear]

Hi I'm new to Delphi with some background in VB.Net & have done the Lazarus Tutorial, would like to know how to automate other win apps like setting focus on it and sending it key strokes or hotkeys.

I have tried this code:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
2.   var notepad, edit: HWND;
3. begin
4.   notepad := FindWindow('notepad', nil);
5.   edit := FindWindowEx(notepad, FindWindow('Edit', nil), nil, nil);
6.  
7.   SendMessage(edit, WM_CHAR, dword('H'), 0);
8.   SendMessage(edit, WM_CHAR, dword('e'), 0);
9.   SendMessage(edit, WM_CHAR, dword('y'), 0);
10. end;

But it is complaining about the HWND, so my question is how is HWND declared or is there any additional packages needed?

Or is there an better way to do it?

[taazz]

Hi I'm new to Delphi with some background in VB.Net & have done the Lazarus Tutorial, would like to know how to automate other win apps like setting focus on it and sending it key strokes or hotkeys.

I have tried this code:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
2.   var notepad, edit: HWND;
3. begin
4.   notepad := FindWindow('notepad', nil);
5.   edit := FindWindowEx(notepad, FindWindow('Edit', nil), nil, nil);
6.  
7.   SendMessage(edit, WM_CHAR, dword('H'), 0);
8.   SendMessage(edit, WM_CHAR, dword('e'), 0);
9.   SendMessage(edit, WM_CHAR, dword('y'), 0);
10. end;

But it is complaining about the HWND, so my question is how is HWND declared or is there any additional packages needed?

Or is there an better way to do it?

add lcltype in the uses clause of your unit

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. unit Unit1;
2.  
3. {$mode objfpc}{$H+}
4.  
5. interface
6.  
7. uses
8.   Classes, SysUtils, FileUtil, Forms, Controls, Graphics, Dialogs, StdCtrls,
9.   lcltype;//add this
10.  
11.  

[ocnuybear]

Thank you, but now it says when compiling:

Compile Project, Target: project1.exe: Exit code 1, Errors: 1
unit1.pas(9,3) Fatal: Syntax error, "IMPLEMENTATION" expected but "identifier LCLTYPE" found

[taazz]

Thank you, but now it says when compiling:

Compile Project, Target: project1.exe: Exit code 1, Errors: 1
unit1.pas(9,3) Fatal: Syntax error, "IMPLEMENTATION" expected but "identifier LCLTYPE" found

that's because you did not do it properly (I guess). Check to make sure that between the key word uses and the last unit name on that clause, in this case I guess it is lcltype) there are no semicolons except the one after the last unit name. if everything else fails post the complete unit code (assuming only has code for the problem at hand) so we can see where things wend of road.

[ocnuybear]

Ok I saw I had this:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. uses
2.   Classes, SysUtils, FileUtil, Forms, Controls, Graphics, Dialogs, StdCtrls;
3.   lcltype;
4. type    

that should have been this:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. uses
2.   Classes, SysUtils, FileUtil, Forms, Controls, Graphics, Dialogs, StdCtrls,
3.   lcltype;
4. type    

[/code]

the lcltype works now, but now it asks this:

Compile Project, Target: project1.exe: Exit code 1, Errors: 9
unit1.pas(44,14) Error: Identifier not found "FindWindow"
unit1.pas(45,11) Error: Identifier not found "FindWindowEx"
unit1.pas(45,33) Error: Identifier not found "FindWindow"
unit1.pas(47,3) Error: Identifier not found "SendMessage"
unit1.pas(47,21) Error: Identifier not found "WM_CHAR"
unit1.pas(48,3) Error: Identifier not found "SendMessage"
unit1.pas(48,21) Error: Identifier not found "WM_CHAR"
unit1.pas(49,3) Error: Identifier not found "SendMessage"
unit1.pas(49,21) Error: Identifier not found "WM_CHAR"

[Pascal]

Place your cursor on FindWindow and press F1 and you'll see (after a while) that FindWindow is located
in unit windows. Add it to your uses clause.

[ocnuybear]

Mouse over the error says the compiler does not know this symbol and pressing F1 says "No Help found"

[ocnuybear]

I presume sending keystrokes to an application is not so straightforward?

[Pascal]

Never mind! Just add windows to the used units.

[ocnuybear]

Finally it is working after adding Windows - thank you all 

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. unit Unit1;
2.  
3. {$mode objfpc}{$H+}
4.  
5. interface
6.  
7. uses
8.   Classes, SysUtils, FileUtil, Forms, Controls, Graphics, Dialogs, StdCtrls,
9.   lcltype,Windows;
10. type
11.  
12.   { TForm1 }
13.  
14.   TForm1 = class(TForm)
15.     Button1: TButton;
16.     Button2: TButton;
17.     procedure Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
18.     procedure Button2Click(Sender: TObject);
19.   private
20.  
21.   public
22.  
23.   end;
24.  
25. var
26.   Form1: TForm1;
27.  
28. implementation
29.  
30. {$R *.lfm}
31.  
32. { TForm1 }
33.  
34. procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
35.   var notepad, edit: HWND;
36. begin
37.   notepad := FindWindow('Notepad', nil);
38.   edit := FindWindowEx(notepad, FindWindow('Edit', nil), nil, nil);
39.  
40.   SendMessage(edit, WM_CHAR, dword('H'), 0);
41.   SendMessage(edit, WM_CHAR, dword('e'), 0);
42.   SendMessage(edit, WM_CHAR, dword('y'), 0);
43. end;
44.  
45. procedure TForm1.Button2Click(Sender: TObject);
46. begin
47.      showmessage('Quitting');
48.      Close;
49. end;
50.  
51. end.
52.  

[ASerge]

Finally it is working after adding Windows - thank you all 

Do not forget to check the result of the function call

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. uses Windows;
2.  
3. procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
4. var
5.   NotepadApp, NotepadEdit: HWND;
6.   C: Char;
7. begin
8.   NotepadApp := FindWindow('Notepad', nil);
9.   if NotepadApp = 0 then
10.     Exit; // No Notepad running
11.   NotepadEdit := FindWindowEx(NotepadApp, 0, 'Edit', nil);
12.   if NotepadEdit = 0 then
13.     Exit; // Notepad without edit ?!?
14.   for C in 'Hello' do
15.     SendMessage(NotepadEdit, WM_CHAR, WPARAM(C), 0);
16. end;

[ocnuybear]

Ok thank you will do