Is there any way to send key(s) to other application without focus?

Question

I have spent 3 days with this topic. All results that I found uses "SetForeground" and then, SendMessage or some APIs(keybd_event, kennedy(opensource) or etc). Of course, SendKeys does not send key(s) to specified process, I want to send key(s) to specified process that I know the PID or HWND.

I have no ideas of it, is it possible? If not, I'd rather implement with SetForeground that I unintended.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

I just found the solution.

I didn't know about tab concept. The key point was tab handle, the real handle for key processing. If I use main window handle, it can process WM_CLOSE WM_SETTEXT (also SetWindowText(string)) but not WM_KEYDOWN. I imagined the sequence.

1. keyboard stroke
2. key event to the handle (main window handle)
3. handle gives to received event WM_KEYDOWN / WM_CHAR / WM_KEYUP with VK_*

So I must find the tab handle first.

int getTabHandle() {
    int hwnd = 0;
    hwnd = FindWindowEx(hwnd , 0, "iexplore.exe", null);
    hwnd = FindWindowEx(hwnd , 0, "IEFrame", null);
    hwnd = FindWindowEx(hwnd , 0, "Frame Tab", null);
    hwnd = FindWindowEx(hwnd , 0, "TabWindowClass", null);
    hwnd = FindWindowEx(hwnd , 0, "Shell DocObject View", null);
    hwnd = FindWindowEx(hwnd , 0, "Internet Explorer_Server", null);
    return hwnd;
}

With this hwnd, I could send key without focus. Thanks.