automate distortion graphics program

[shokan]

I would like to write a program that automates the functions of a commercial program.

This commercial program allows users to drag pixels around of an imported pic. It's an amusement program to create funny distorted faces. This controlling application I write would, for example, enable me to outline a person's nose and then my controlling app would automatically do the click and drag movements of a cursor in a radial fashion within that outline. The outline would be obviously different for each pic imported. The program would have to do cursor movements that I program in to the controlling application. The movements would always be the same within the constraints of the outline, but proportionately different each time due to the different outline I trace around facial features for different pics.

There are many other functions of this program I wouild like to automate.

My question is: since I do not know any programming language yet, is VB a good choice for this project?

[Sastraxi]

Yea, everything you need is in the API calls - MouseEvent and SetCursorPos. You can set the location of the cursor with the 2nd API and click the mouse button (and release when you want to) with MouseEvent. (or something like that). Ask about them in the API section.

[shokan]

Thanks.

1) And about the outlines I do each time for new pics: will I be able to code in a function that allows me to have the same type of cursor movements within an outline, but constrained according to the fit of the outline (which will be different for each pic)?

2) One other thing also: what VB version will be more than adequate for this? I want to buy older and cheaper if possible on eBay for example. I list having VB6 on this forum, but I actually do not have anything yet. Will a working version supplied with VB texts work (I think you cannot distribute a program you write or something like that with those VB apps on book CD's, not sure)? Thanks again.

[Si_the_geek]

1 depends on your abilities, but probably yes.

2 - Vb5 will do, and you are right about the book versions ("working model" i think). If you want to distribute get Standard (pro and enterprise just have extra bits you don't really need)