[RESOLVED] Event doesn't fire when filling external combobox with sendmessage

[tahi.laci]

REI need to use the "Save As" dialog box to save a file on the Desktop. (Windows XP) To do that I made this code to change value of the combobox on the top combobox to "desktop". When I run it, the text changes to desktop, but the change event doesn't fire, which means it will still save in the default folder. If I click on the combobox and away maually after running this code that fires the event and the destination folder actually changes, but I can't do this with code. I don't want to use sendkeys and simulated mouse clicks as they are not so reliable. If I could simulate typing "Desktop" in the combobox that could also work, but I didn't manage to that either.

Option Explicit
Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
Private Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Integer, ByVal lParam As Any) As Long
Private 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
Const CB_FINDSTRINGEXACT = &H158
Const CB_SETCURSEL = &H14E

Sub test()
Dim hwnd As Long, cbox As Long, itemid As Long
hwnd = FindWindow("#32770", "Save as")
cbox = FindWindowEx(hwnd, 0&, "combobox", vbNullString)
itemid = SendMessage(cbox, CB_FINDSTRINGEXACT, 0, "Desktop")
SendMessage cbox, CB_SETCURSEL, ByVal itemid, ByVal itemid
End Sub

Please help it took me really long time to get this far.

P.S: There's no easier way. This is part of an exporting process of non-microsoft application which uses the "Save As" dialog box.

[Max187Boucher]

First of all you should never name your combobox "combobox".

Second your FindWindow is wrong change the &O0 to 0&

Third your SendMessage is also wrong having combobox as name is not good, and even if it did work you need it's HWND so it would be combobox.hwnd

I did not test your code, I am on my phone

[tahi.laci]

I changed the variable name from "combobox", and &O0 to 0&. The result is still the same. If I put .hwnd after the variable name in sendmessage I get "Invalid Qualifier" error.

[Doogle]

Even when the code is corrected, the API doesn't seem to cause any ComboBox events. I suggest you move the code in the _Click event to a Subroutine (eg Sub ComBoxClicked) and call that subroutine immediately after you've sent the CB_SETCURSEL.
e.g

Sub test()
Dim hwnd As Long, lngCombobox As Long, itemid As Long
hwnd = FindWindow(vbNullString, "Save as")
lngCombobox = FindWindowEx(hwnd, 0&, "ThunderComboBox", vbNullString)
itemid = SendMessage(lngCombobox, CB_FINDSTRINGEXACT, 0, "Desktop")
SendMessage lngCombobox, CB_SETCURSEL, ByVal itemid, ByVal 0&
cmbClicked
End Sub

Private Sub cmbClicked()
Debug.Print cmb.Text
End Sub

Private Sub cmb_Click()
cmbClicked
End Sub

Private Sub Command_Click()
test
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
cmb.AddItem "Fred"
cmb.AddItem "Bert"
cmb.AddItem "Desktop"
End Sub

If you need to, you could do the same with the _Change event code, if you don't want to use the _Click event. Whichever method you use the idea is to simulate the event after using the API to do what you want.

[tahi.laci]

On the cmb.text line I get the "Variable not defined." error. If I leave that part out the code does the same as it used to.

[tahi.laci]

I used sendmessage to double-click on the combobox, which fires the Click event. I'm sure this is not the "official" solution, but it works and I believe it's reliable.

Option Explicit
Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
Private Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Integer, ByVal lParam As Any) As Long
Private 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
Const CB_FINDSTRINGEXACT = &H158
Const CB_SETCURSEL = &H14E
Const WM_LBUTTON_DOWN = &H201
Const WM_LBUTTON_UP = &H202


Sub test()
Dim hwnd As Long, cmb As Long, itemid As Long
hwnd = FindWindow(vbNullString, "Save As")
cmb = FindWindowEx(hwnd, 0&, "ComboBox", vbNullString)

Call SendMessage(cmb, WM_LBUTTON_DOWN, ByVal 0&, 0&)
Call SendMessage(cmb, WM_LBUTTON_UP, ByVal 0&, 0&)

itemid = SendMessage(cmb, CB_FINDSTRINGEXACT, 0, "Desktop")
SendMessage cmb, CB_SETCURSEL, ByVal itemid, ByVal 0&

Call SendMessage(cmb, WM_LBUTTON_DOWN, ByVal 0&, 0&)
Call SendMessage(cmb, WM_LBUTTON_UP, ByVal 0&, 0&)
End Sub

I had to make a little change. In the program I use wrong values were selected. when I put the two "mouse -clicks" next to each other. Apparently when you click on the combobox in that program the list of values change. I believe before you click on the combobox all the possible values are included but when you click the currently selected value will be removed.

[westconn1]

i did an example to do this, with an IE saveAs dialog, in office development forum, but i am sure it is no better than your solution, i remember i had to put a delay, for similar reasons