sending keystrokes by send-keys

[Kazendar]

Does PowerShell v.1 has an ability to use [red]send-keys[/red] as keystrokes to with Windows programs ? like in VBS

 

[Zelandakh]

Not that I know - what are you trying to achieve?

 

[Kazendar]

Thanks, i need it to run some Windows programs, like ArcView from ESRI. It is easer for me to create
a script as macro with sendKeys

 

[Zelandakh]

Maybe VB would be better than PS then?

 

[Kazendar]

I used VBS in the past, but not anymore.
Today i am trying to write scripts in PowerShell v1 if possible .

 

[crobin1]

Maybe try this?

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/topics/winpsh/convert/wshSendKeys.mspx

Also check this thread on Egghead Cafe:

http://www.eggheadcafe.com/software/aspnet/31883987/sendkeys-to-cmdexe.aspx

 

[Kazendar]

Thanks crobin, i checked the thread on Egghead Cafe, and find some strange letters, so i did not try it, maybe the script for [red]CTP2[/red] !!!

I found the script from MicroSoft very usefull, and write the next script. I hope some enhancement

<code>
# test_notePad.ps1

function wait {
param([int]$stop = 3)
Start-Sleep -seconds $stop
}

[void] [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("'Microsoft.VisualBasic")
& "$env:WinDir\Notepad.exe"
$a = Get-Process | Where-Object {$_.Name -eq "Notepad"}
wait
[Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction]::AppActivate($a.ID)
[void] [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("'System.Windows.Forms")
wait
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("{F5}{ENTER}")
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("~Name:{TAB}$env:UserName~")
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("ABCDEFGHIJKLM~")
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("ABCDEFGHIJKLM{BACKSPACE}~")
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("^{HOME}{RIGHT}{RIGHT}{RIGHT}{RIGHT}{RIGHT}~{DELETE}")
wait
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("%F")
wait
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("X")
wait
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("N")
exit
</code>

 

[Kazendar]

Hy Crobin1,

Please, may you explain the script from EggHeadCafe ?

http://www.eggheadcafe.com/software/aspnet/31883987/sendkeys-to-cmdexe.aspx

 

[crobin1]

The odd characters equate to dashes and quote marks. I'm guessing there was a character set mismatch between the original poster and Web site.

There are 2 ways to send key strokes. One way is by going through the .Net Framework as in the example from Microsoft. The other way is by calling Windows Script Host as a COM object as in the example on Egghead Cafe.

In the Egghead Cafe post, the outline is this:
1. Create a new Windows Script Host COM object (new-object)
2. Start the desired application (.Run)
3. Make sure the application started (.AppActivate)
4. Send keystrokes to the application

The original poster had a problem with step 3 because he didn't have the application's Window Title correct.

Note, as listed in one of the comments on the Egghead Cafe thread, you may want to check out "Windows Automation Snapin for PowerShell",

http://wasp.codeplex.com/.

So this

$a = Get-Process | Where-Object {$_.Name -eq "Notepad"}
wait
[Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction]::AppActivate($a.ID)
[void] [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("'System.Windows.Forms")
wait
[System.Windows.Forms.SendKeys]::SendWait("{F5}{ENTER}")

becomes

Select-Window notepad | Send-Keys "{F5}{ENTER}"