Im currently using the InputSimulator v0.1.0.0 to simulate keypresses and/or mouse events over Remote Desktop. Basic keypresses (for example pressing 'a') works, but special characters, like 'tab', 'enter' dont. I simulate entering texts with:
InputSimulator.SimulateTextEntry("blabla");
but the following only works locally:
InputSimulator.SimulateKeyPress(VirtualKeyCode.TAB);
or
InputSimulator.SimulateKeyPress(VirtualKeyCode.RETURN);
I searched over the net for working examples but i havent found anything useful. Anyone has idea how to make it work?
Thanks in advance!
-------------------------OWN ANSWER----------------------------------
After googling some more, i have found this article:
http://www.pinvoke.net/default.aspx/user32.keybd_event
in which there is a good code, that does not solve the InputSimulator problem, but does exactly that i need. Here is the code, and how i used that:
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
public struct KEYBOARD_INPUT
{
public const uint Type = 1;
public ushort wVk;
public ushort wScan;
public uint dwFlags;
public uint time;
public IntPtr dwExtraInfo;
}
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
struct MOUSEINPUT
{
public int dx;
public int dy;
public uint mouseData;
public uint dwFlags;
public uint time;
public IntPtr dwExtraInfo;
};
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Explicit)]
struct KEYBDINPUT
{
[FieldOffset(0)]
public ushort wVk;
[FieldOffset(2)]
public ushort wScan;
[FieldOffset(4)]
public uint dwFlags;
[FieldOffset(8)]
public uint time;
[FieldOffset(12)]
public IntPtr dwExtraInfo;
};
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
struct HARDWAREINPUT
{
public uint uMsg;
public ushort wParamL;
public ushort wParamH;
};
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Explicit)]
struct INPUT
{
[FieldOffset(0)]
public int type;
[FieldOffset(4)]
public MOUSEINPUT mi;
[FieldOffset(4)]
public KEYBDINPUT ki;
[FieldOffset(4)]
public HARDWAREINPUT hi;
};
[DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
static extern uint SendInput(uint nInputs, IntPtr pInput, int cbSize);
And this is how i called the 'press TAB' event:
keybd_event(0x09, 0x0f, 0, 0); // Tab Press
keybd_event(0x09, 0x0f, 0x0002, 0);
As suggested i copy my solution as an answer. I hope these will help for anyone working on similar problems. :) The solution is a bit long, but the problem was not only 'how-to-press a button programatically', but also 'how-to-make it work via remote desktop' and 'how-to-make a general solution for different keyboards'. Well, im not 100% sure that the last problem is completely solved, but the solution below may be used for further developing. I also know that the code is not optimal and sometimes ugly, but im still testing and developing it! :)
//m_text is the whole text i want to write. It may contain special characters,
//like 'enter', 'tab', lower/upper-case chars, and chars with shit/alt is
//pressed, like ';'.
//Test with this string, its difficult-enough. :)
string m_text = "123qweQWE;{tab}!{eNTer}*|";
IntPtr keyboardLayout = GetKeyboardLayout(0);
while (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(m_text))
{
int m_Index = 0;
//Enter, tab and similar keys are in {} brackets
//(for example {tab}). We get the 'tab' from the
//string and pass this to our method. Key combinations
//are separated by a '+' like {alt+tab+tab}, from this
//we will get 'press the alt, then press the tab, then
//press the tab again'.
if (m_text[m_Index] == '{')
{
#region [ Special chars ]
string m_SubString = m_text.Substring(
m_Index + 1, m_text.IndexOf("}") - 1);
string[] m_Splitted = m_SubString.Split(new char[] { '+' });
for (int i = 0; i < m_Splitted.Length; i++)
{
//If the string is longer than 1 char it means we are processing a tab-like key.
if (m_Splitted[i].Length > 1)
PressSpecial(m_Splitted[i]);
else
{
//If the char is 1-char-long, it means we previously pressed a tab-like key,
//and now we press a simple key, like in the case of {altgr+w}.
//Get the virtual key of the char.
short vKey = VkKeyScanEx(
char.Parse(m_Splitted[i]), keyboardLayout);
//Get the low byte from the virtual key.
byte m_LOWBYTE = (Byte)(vKey & 0xFF);
//Get the scan code of the key.
byte sScan = (byte)MapVirtualKey(m_LOWBYTE, 0);
//Press the key.
//Key down event, as indicated by the 3rd parameter that is 0.
keybd_event(m_LOWBYTE, sScan, 0, 0);
}
}
Application.DoEvents();
//We have pressed all the keys we wanted, now release them in backward-order
//when pressing alt+tab we beed to release them in tab-alt order! The logic is the same.
for (int i = m_Splitted.Length - 1; i > -1; i--)
{
if (m_Splitted[i].Length > 1)
ReleaseSpecial(m_Splitted[i]);
else
{
short vKey = VkKeyScanEx(
char.Parse(m_Splitted[i]), keyboardLayout);
byte m_LOWBYTE = (Byte)(vKey & 0xFF);
byte sScan = (byte)MapVirtualKey(m_LOWBYTE, 0);
//Key up event, as indicated by the 3rd parameter that is 0x0002.
keybd_event(m_LOWBYTE, sScan, 0x0002, 0); //Key up
}
}
Application.DoEvents();
#endregion
//We do not use the '{' and '}' brackets, thats why the '+2'. :)
m_Index = m_SubString.Length + 2;
}
else
{
#region [ One char ]
short vKey = VkKeyScanEx(m_text[m_Index], keyboardLayout);
//Hi-byte indicates if we need to press shift, alt or other similar keys.
byte m_HIBYTE = (Byte)(vKey >> 8);
byte m_LOWBYTE = (Byte)(vKey & 0xFF);
byte sScan = (byte)MapVirtualKey(m_LOWBYTE, 0);
//Press the special key if needed.
if ((m_HIBYTE == 1))
PressShift();
else if ((m_HIBYTE == 2))
PressControl();
else if ((m_HIBYTE == 4))
PressAlt();
else if ((m_HIBYTE == 6))
PressAltGr();
//Press, then release the key.
keybd_event(m_LOWBYTE, sScan, 0, 0); //Key down
keybd_event(m_LOWBYTE, sScan, 0x0002, 0); //Key up
//Release the special key if needed.
if ((m_HIBYTE == 1))
ReleaseShift();
else if ((m_HIBYTE == 2))
ReleaseControl();
else if ((m_HIBYTE == 4))
ReleaseAlt();
else if ((m_HIBYTE == 6))
ReleaseAltGr();
#endregion
//Get the next char from the string.
m_Index++;
}
//Remove the already processed chars from the string.
if (m_Index < m_text.Length)
m_text = m_text.Substring(m_Index);
else
m_text = string.Empty;
}
So, this was the logic that processes a string. Lets see the helper methods that will handle the events:
Press and release special keys are the same, only the first two parameters are different. Check msdn to get the virtual and scan codes for enter, tab, alt, altgr, etc...
#region [ Press shift ]
private void PressShift()
{
//0xA0 is the virtual key of 'shift'.
//0x2A is the scan code of 'shift'.
keybd_event(0xA0, 0x2A, 0, 0);
}
#endregion
#region [ Release shift ]
private void ReleaseShift()
{
keybd_event(0xA0, 0x2A, 0x0002, 0);
}
#endregion
PressSpecial is similar to the code above, so it can be used for shift as well. I separated some of them into different methods as for me its easier to see what i use in the code (its easier for me to use 'PressShift();' instead of 'PressSpecial("shift")';). :)
private void PressSpecial(string p_Special)
{
switch (p_Special.ToLower()) //<-- use lower version!
{
case "home":
keybd_event(0x24, 0x47, 0, 0);
break;
case "end":
keybd_event(0x23, 0x4F, 0, 0);
break;
//Do the same for any key you need (enter, tab, page up, etc...).
//Remember to get the proper virtual- and scan codes for each keys!
}
}
ReleaseSpecial is the same as PressSpecial, but the 3rd parameter is 0x0002.
private void ReleaseSpecial(string p_Special)
{
switch (p_Special.ToLower())
{
case "home":
keybd_event(0x24, 0x47, 0x0002, 0);
break;
case "end":
keybd_event(0x23, 0x4F, 0x0002, 0);
break;
}
}
And finally, here are the dll import methods. You can put them into a static class, if you wish:
[DllImport("user32.dll", EntryPoint = "keybd_event", CharSet = CharSet.Auto,
ExactSpelling = true)]
public static extern void keybd_event(byte vk, byte scan, int flags, int extrainfo);
[DllImport("user32.dll")]
public static extern IntPtr GetKeyboardLayout(uint idThread);
[DllImport("user32.dll")]
public static extern short VkKeyScanEx(char ch, IntPtr dwhkl);
[DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
public static extern int MapVirtualKey(int uCode, int uMapType);