send message problem

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Dec 27th, 2004, 01:02 AM
westconn1

send message problem
i am doing a small project that i would like to send a string from a list box and an option "enter" to the next top window, similar to the program in http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=316373.

my problems are, when i try to get the hwnd for the target program several have a zreo value, ones that i get a value for do not get the value for the textbox or other control where i want the message to go (i have been using apispy to check the correct value).

if i hard code the hwnd for the control i can send message, but it is not correct

i have an array of list boxes wish to send the listbox text to the control that has focus on the applicaton then return to select another item.
VB Code:
```
Private Const WM_COPY = &H301
Private Const WM_PASTE = &H302
Private Const WM_SETTEXT As Long = &HC
 
 
Private Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA"_
 (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long,_
 lparam As Any) As Long
Private Declare Function GetActiveWindow Lib "user32" () As Long
 
 
 
Private Sub List1_Click(index As Integer)
Dim newtext As String
newtext = List1(index).Text
Debug.Print Me.hwnd
 
Me.Hide
wind = GetActiveWindow
Debug.Print wind
Me.Show
 
 ' hwind for text box on program i was trying to paste to, detected by apispy
'wind = 329952 
 SendMessage wind, WM_SETTEXT, 0&, List1(index).Text
 
List1(index).SetFocus
End Sub
```
Dec 27th, 2004, 01:07 AM
ice_531

Re: send message problem

Hello westconn,

First off, let me just say that window handles change ( they are not normally static ) so you setting wind to 329952 might not work unless when you found the window you used classname AND window caption to make sure it's getting the correct handle every time.

I can't tell if you did from the code you've posted thus far.

Let me know if i am not understanding you :(
Dec 27th, 2004, 01:13 AM
RobDog888

Re: send message problem

Usually its best to use the FindWindow and FindWindowEx APIs to drill down
the window structure to your target window. You can't hard code handles
either because they are dynamic and can change during window state
changes (min/max/normal) and instance runs of the third party program.

HTH
Dec 27th, 2004, 01:14 AM
RobDog888

Re: send message problem

Doh! Sorry Ice, I'm typing to slooow because I'm getting a cold. :sick:
Guess I'll go to bed now.

later.
Dec 27th, 2004, 01:15 AM
westconn1

Re: send message problem

i realise that the handle changes, and just put that in to test what happen when i did the sendmessage, as i said it did not produce the right message, but at least it went to the right place.

i am trying to detect which application i want to send to using getactive window.

but when that does return a value other than zero, it is not for the control with focus.
Dec 27th, 2004, 01:20 AM
westconn1

Re: send message problem

i got the getactive window code from an example posted by tec-nico in the thread i mentioned before

rgds peter
Dec 27th, 2004, 01:33 PM
Tec-Nico

Re: send message problem

Did you try Manavo's code?
Option Explicit

Private Declare Function AttachThreadInput Lib "user32" (ByVal idAttach As Long, _
ByVal idAttachTo As Long, _
ByVal fAttach As Long) _
As Long
Private Declare Function GetForegroundWindow Lib "user32" () As Long
Private Declare Function GetFocus Lib "user32" () As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowThreadProcessId Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long, _
lpdwProcessId As Long) _
As Long
Private Declare Function GetCurrentThreadId Lib "kernel32" () As Long

Private Const WM_COPY = &H301
Private Const WM_PASTE = &H302

Private Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, lparam As Any) As Long

Public Sub Paste(ByVal hwnd As Long)
SendMessage hwnd, WM_PASTE, 0&, ByVal 0&
End Sub

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
Dim hFore As Long, hFocus As Long

hFocus = GetFocus

If hFocus = 0 Then
hFore = GetForegroundWindow()
Call AttachThreadInput(GetWindowThreadProcessId(hFore, 0&), GetCurrentThreadId, True)
hFocus = GetFocus
Call AttachThreadInput(GetWindowThreadProcessId(hFore, 0&), GetCurrentThreadId, False)
End If
Paste hFocus
Me.Caption = hFocus

End Sub
Dec 27th, 2004, 10:24 PM
westconn1

Re: send message problem
tec-nico,

i set up the code you posted, without the timer, so that when i select the list item it runs the code, the results were very erratic, if i kept just clicking the list box item i got the results from debug.print pasted from the immediate window

Code:

hwnd 460454 gettickcount 8737640 '460454 application vbide hwnd 460454 gettickcount 8738953 'nothing pasted, ide was hwnd 460454 gettickcount 8739593 'running so it wouldn't hwnd 460454 gettickcount 8740156 hwnd 460454 gettickcount 8741328 hwnd 460454 gettickcount 8742046 hwnd 460454 gettickcount 8742640 hwnd 460454 gettickcount 8743265 hwnd 460454 gettickcount 8744015 hwnd 460454 gettickcount 8744656 hwnd 460454 gettickcount 8745265 hwnd 460454 gettickcount 8745890 hwnd 460454 gettickcount 8746484 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8773218 '67388 application hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8773796 'word document hwnd 0 gettickcount 8774312 ' nothing pasted hwnd 0 gettickcount 8774828 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8775890 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8776359 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8777312 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8777734 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8778203 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8779125 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8780000 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8780890 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8781328 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8782062 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8782890 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8783734 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8784171 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8784625 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8785093 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8785531 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8786406 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8786843 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8787281 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8787750 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8788750 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8789296 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8789843 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8790453 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8791031 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8791734 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8792312 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8792906 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8793515 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8794046 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8794593 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8795156 hwnd 0 gettickcount 8795687 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8796703 hwnd 67388 gettickcount 8797203 hwnd 1246594 gettickcount 9059625 '1246594 application, previous hwnd 0 gettickcount 9060109 'exe of this program, hwnd 0 gettickcount 9060921 'pasted to textbox when hwnd 0 gettickcount 9061500 'hwnd not 0 hwnd 0 gettickcount 9062468 hwnd 0 gettickcount 9063437 hwnd 0 gettickcount 9064015 hwnd 0 gettickcount 9065062 hwnd 1246594 gettickcount 9065890 hwnd 1246594 gettickcount 9066562 hwnd 1246594 gettickcount 9067015 hwnd 1246594 gettickcount 9067421 hwnd 1246594 gettickcount 9067953 hwnd 1246594 gettickcount 9068515 hwnd 1246594 gettickcount 9069046 hwnd 1246594 gettickcount 9069625 hwnd 0 gettickcount 9070203 hwnd 1246594 gettickcount 9070765 hwnd 1246594 gettickcount 9071203 hwnd 1246594 gettickcount 9071671 hwnd 1246594 gettickcount 9072171 hwnd 1246594 gettickcount 9072625 hwnd 0 gettickcount 9073093 hwnd 0 gettickcount 9074046 hwnd 0 gettickcount 9074578 hwnd 0 gettickcount 9075109 hwnd 1246594 gettickcount 9076281

here is the code i am using
VB Code:
```
Public Sub Paste(ByVal hwnd As Long)
SendMessage hwnd, WM_PASTE, 0&, ByVal 0&
Debug.Print "hwnd  "; hwnd; "  gettickcount "; GetTickCount
 
End Sub
 
Private Function gethwnd()
Dim hFore As Long, hFocus As Long
 
hFocus = GetFocus
 
If hFocus = 0 Then
hFore = GetForegroundWindow()
Call AttachThreadInput(GetWindowThreadProcessId(hFore, 0&), GetCurrentThreadId, True)
hFocus = GetFocus
Call AttachThreadInput(GetWindowThreadProcessId(hFore, 0&), GetCurrentThreadId, False)
End If
Paste hFocus
Me.Caption = hFocus
End Function
 
Private Sub List1_Click(index As Integer)
Dim newtext As String
newtext = List1(index).Text
Clipboard.Clear
Clipboard.SetText List1(index).Text
Me.Hide
gethwnd
Me.Show
List1(index).SetFocus
End Sub
```
this program will be very useful to me if can get it to work properly, but also i am trying to learn a lot more about api calls and just to make them work.

thanks for your help peter

edit: anyone, how do you make the quote boxs have sroll bar to reduce size??

figured that out now...........
Dec 31st, 2004, 02:01 AM
westconn1

Re: send message problem

i am still floundering on this problem is anyone able to offer any further suggestions or alternatives

:mad: :mad: :mad:

peter
Dec 31st, 2004, 07:56 PM
Tec-Nico

Re: send message problem

Don't get desperate... I have been trying to make it work as well. So sooner or later I might find a solution. :wave:
Dec 31st, 2004, 08:30 PM
manavo11

Re: send message problem
Hey Tec :)

This seems to work :)
VB Code:
```
Me.Hide
[b]DoEvents[/b]
gethwnd
Me.Show
```
It doesn't have time to hide your application and set focus to the notepad or whatever application you expect to have focus. I think :)
Dec 31st, 2004, 09:07 PM
westconn1

Re: send message problem

Quote:

Hey Tec

This seems to work

visual basic code:Me.Hide
DoEvents
gethwnd
Me.Show

It doesn't have time to hide your application and set focus to the notepad or whatever application you expect to have focus. I think

Thanks manavo, this cretainly fixes the reliability problem for using to notepad or to my copiled vb program.
if MS word or a different project vbide window nothing pastes, but i will compile this now and test a lot more.

thanks again
Dec 31st, 2004, 09:08 PM
Tec-Nico

Re: send message problem

Hey Manavo! I owe you one :wave:
Dec 31st, 2004, 09:40 PM
manavo11

Re: send message problem

Quote:

Originally Posted by westconn1

Thanks manavo, this cretainly fixes the reliability problem for using to notepad or to my copiled vb program.
if MS word or a different project vbide window nothing pastes, but i will compile this now and test a lot more.

thanks again

You're welcome :)

Actually I just tried Word and I couldn't get it to work either... Weird though, I expected it would :ehh:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tec-Nico

Hey Manavo! I owe you one :wave:

:bigyello:
Jan 1st, 2005, 12:25 AM
westconn1

Re: send message problem

hahaha

the program i mainly wanted to use this with (which isn't on my computer) doesn't get the paste, like Word, can i try to sendmessage the listbox text, instead of using sendmessage paste, (bypass the clipboard) and what would be the sendmessage command to do it.

p.
Jan 3rd, 2005, 06:48 PM
manavo11

Re: send message problem

Well, the other option would be to use the WM_SETTEXT although that would cause all the data in that textbox (if it is a simple textbox or richtextbox at least) to be lost... I'll have to see if there is another way. SendKeys somes to mind although I don't think it's the best way...
Jan 3rd, 2005, 07:46 PM
Dmitri K

Re: send message problem

Your sendmessage declaration is wrong, that's why it doesn't work, but the syntax is right.

If you're using WM_, you must change sendmessage declaration. Last parameter (lParam as any) must be ByVal lParam As String.

The modified sendmessage is often refered to as SendMessageByString

Original sendmessage:
Public Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, lParam As Any) As Long

Modified sendmessage:
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
Jan 3rd, 2005, 08:06 PM
westconn1

Re: send message problem

dmitri

Quote:

Modified sendmessage:
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

i changed my program to use the modified send message,

it still pastes fine into notepad, but nothing pastes to msword

thanks peter
Jan 3rd, 2005, 08:36 PM
Dmitri K

Re: send message problem

Hmm, maybe wm_settext doesn't work with msword.

As far as I can think right now, keyb_event is your only option, but someone may know a way.

Post the code if not a problem. I'll tinker with it.
Jan 3rd, 2005, 08:52 PM
manavo11

Re: send message problem

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dmitri K

Hmm, maybe wm_settext doesn't work with msword.

As far as I can think right now, keyb_event is your only option, but someone may know a way.

Post the code if not a problem. I'll tinker with it.

Problem is you need the window to be active :(
Jan 3rd, 2005, 09:41 PM
westconn1

Re: send message problem

dmitri, the code is the same as i posted earlier, with 2 changes
1 change to sendmessagebystring
2 set the form to hide during the paste process

as i am starting the process by clicking a listbox item, so i don't know if a k_board event would help.

i initially wrote this for a specific program, but now i would like it to work with as any as possible including visual basic ide.

thanks p.

Re: send message problem

Hmm, well this is the only way I found this to work.

VB Code:

newtext = "test"
SetForegroundWindow wind 'wind is your msword handle
For x = 1 To Len(newtext)
  vk = VkKeyScan(Asc(Mid(newtext, x, 1))) And &HFF
  keybd_event vk, 0, 0, 0
  keybd_event vk, 0, 2, 0
Next x

Jan 23rd, 2005, 05:26 AM
westconn1

Re: send message problem

thanks to all for help on this

i finally found why it didn't work

the sendmessage of any type sent to MsWord and some other programs set the window text (that is the caption). in word it doesn't show at all, but in vb6 you could actually see caption of the code window reset.

i now have the program working exact how i wanted, no api at all, just using sendkeys

rgds pete