How to Detect a Key Pressed from Outside my VB App like Getting the Cursor Positon

[lvramanan]

Hi,
With the GetCursorPos API we can get the Position of the Cursor even when a VB APP is not in Focus. ie., wherever the mouse is moved the Mouse Position can be traced with the GetCursorpos API. Is there any API to trace out the Keyboard hit events and trace the value of Key Pressed. Say suppose if the Enter Key is Pressed I should get a value like the KeyAscii Value. Is it Possible... If Possible then can anyone explain it to me with a working Example... I will be greatly thankful to you.

[Pieter]

You can use the GetAsyncKeyState() API Function.
Example:

Public Declare Function GetAsyncKeyState Lib "user32.dll" (ByVal vKey As Long) As Integer

Dim State as Integer
State = GetAsyncKeyState(vbKeyH)
If State And &H8000 Then
    'Key is pressed
Else
    'H Key is not pressed
End If

[Megatron]

The hook method is more accurate, but the disadvantage, as Vlatko pointed out, is that it's harder to do.

[lvramanan]

Hi Vlatko,
I tried your Program, It's giving me a error called Invalid AddressOf usage (something like that). What should I do now. And from where can I get the Value of Keypressed and in What Format. Whether Keycode or KeyAscii, Or anyother Different value. Please help me...
Anyway thanks for ur code....

[Vlatko]

Note that the first code (with the TimerProc) has to be in a module and not in a form.

Put this declarations in the module also.

Public Cnt As Long, sSave As String, sOld As String, Ret As String

The value you get is a character not ASCII code but the letter.

[lvramanan]

Hi Vlatko,
If I pressed the Normal Character Keys and the Number Keys then it'll give a Character then how about about the Mask keys namely Alt, Ctrl and Shift Keys. Also how about the Function Keys... Have any Idea....

[Vlatko]

Search the web and the VB sites. There is a lot of code for fully functional keyloggers.

[Megatron]

Planet-Source-Code.com has some examples. Click here to view them.

[lvramanan]

Hi Megatron,
I got them and thanks for it. I've not yet tried them. After trying I'll contact you. Can u give ur mail id. It would be easy for me to contact you there.
Regards

[eric445]

Is there any way yo get the name of the window text is typed into?

[Megatron]

Originally posted by lvramanan
Hi Megatron,
I got them and thanks for it. I've not yet tried them. After trying I'll contact you. Can u give ur mail id. It would be easy for me to contact you there.
Regards

Sure, it's [email protected]