interface with another app

my program needs to be able to read and display information that is in another app's textboxs. how do i do this?

for example:

i need to get the text out of aol instant messenger's screen (the screen that shows the converstation)
i then need to put the text in my own textbox



thanks in advance for any help!!!

you have to read the handle of the aol form/screen using api
and you go from there

*i never have done it so i wodn't know EXACTLY how it would be* but you will be using some apis to do this

I believe this is what you want:

Code:

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Public Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
Public Declare Function FindWindowEx Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowExA" (ByVal hWnd1 As Long, ByVal hWnd2 As Long, ByVal lpsz1 As String, ByVal lpsz2 As String) As Long
Public Declare Function SendMessageLong& Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, ByVal lParam As Long)
Public Declare Function SendMessageByString Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, ByVal lParam As String) As Long
Public Const WM_GETTEXT = &HD
Public Const WM_GETTEXTLENGTH = &HE

Private Sub Command1_Click()
Dim aimimessage As Long, wndateclass As Long, ateclass As Long
aimimessage = FindWindow("aim_imessage", vbNullString)
wndateclass = FindWindowEx(aimimessage, 0&, "wndate32class", vbNullString)
ateclass = FindWindowEx(wndateclass, 0&, "ate32class", vbNullString)
Dim TheText As String, TL As Long
TL = SendMessageLong(ateclass, WM_GETTEXTLENGTH, 0&, 0&)
TheText = String(TL + 1, " ")
Call SendMessageByString(ateclass, WM_GETTEXT, TL + 1, TheText)
TheText = Left(TheText, TL)
Text1.Text = TheText
End Sub

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that looks good, but what if the application isnt aim?

my problem is my program is made to interface with multiple programs. it there a way to send a message box to the user every time he sets the focus on a new window and ask him if this is the window that he wants my program to interface with?

sorry if this is kindof confusing. if it is tell me and i'll try to clear it up.

thanks to everyone who replied so far.

to Matthew Gates (or anyone who knows):

in this line of the code you gave me:

Code:

---

aimimessage = FindWindow("aim_imessage", vbNullString)

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how did you come up with: "aim_imessage" (in quotes)

how do you know automatically what name it goes by?


[Edited by HAVocINCARNATE29 on 09-07-2000 at 09:14 PM]

You use a spy program such as Spy++. I can email you VB source to one if you want.

aim_imessage is the class.

I used PatorJK's Api Spy 5.0 to get the class. There's also an option to get a windows text on there.

Or you could switch it:

Code:

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aimimessage = FindWindow(vbNullString, "Notepad")
'to find it with the windowtitle.

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first,parksie please send me that source.

second:

now i know whet i need to do. 1 question first.

is there an api call to get the class of the window that has the focus?

how could i do what that does but with mirc ?

okay, i got the code to work, but it only tracks one window... how can i make it loop through all the open AIM windows??