Setup Environment:
I'm using vb.net to develop a Windows Form Application with .NET Framework 4.
My goal:
Process.Start
5 + 5 =
I do not want to use SendKeys as a method.
After researching, this link provided a good start:
This tutorial (written in C#) is very similar to what I'm trying to do by using vb.net:
Could somebody provide a pointer on how to go about approaching this? I'd really appreciate it.
My Solution:
I tried two approaches:
AutoIt was what I used because it was more reliable for my specific application.
However, Windows UI worked as well. Here are both solutions.
Steps if using Windows UI Automation:
UIAutomationClient
and UIAutomationTypes
aeDesktop
as the root ae element and invoke button clicksImports System.Windows.Automation
Imports System.Threading
Imports System.Diagnostics
Public Class Form1
Private aeDesktop As AutomationElement
Private aeCalculator As AutomationElement
Private ae5Btn As AutomationElement
Private aeAddBtn As AutomationElement
Private aeEqualsBtn As AutomationElement
Private p As Process
Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Try
'Set reference to the root ae element - the desktop
aeDesktop = AutomationElement.RootElement
'Launch Calculator application
p = Process.Start("C:\Windows\System32\calc.exe")
'********** Keep looping while waiting to get the reference to the "Calculator" on Desktop ************************************
Dim numwaits As Integer = 0
Do
Debug.WriteLine("Looking for Calculator . . . ")
aeCalculator = aeDesktop.FindFirst(TreeScope.Children, New PropertyCondition(AutomationElement.NameProperty, "Calculator"))
numwaits += 1
Thread.Sleep(100)
Loop While aeCalculator Is Nothing AndAlso numwaits < 50
If aeCalculator Is Nothing Then
Throw New Exception("Failed to find Calculator")
Else
Debug.WriteLine("Found the Calculator Application!")
End If
'*********************************************************************************************************************************
'NOTE: In spy++ Controlids are represented as hex (i.e. 00000087) - need to convert these to decimal (i.e. 135)
'`5` btn
'00000087 ---> 135
Dim btn5hexID As String = "00000087"
Dim btn5decimalID As String = Convert.ToInt32("00000087", 16).ToString
'`+` btn
'0000005D ---> 93
Dim btnAddhexID As String = "0000005D"
Dim btnAdddecimalID As String = Convert.ToInt32("0000005D", 16).ToString
'`=` btn
'00000079 ---> 121
Dim btnEqualshexID As String = "00000079"
Dim btnEqualsdecimalID As String = Convert.ToInt32("00000079", 16).ToString
'Set reference for the `5` Button
ae5Btn = aeCalculator.FindFirst(TreeScope.Descendants, New PropertyCondition(AutomationElement.AutomationIdProperty, btn5decimalID))
'Set reference for the `+` Button
aeAddBtn = aeCalculator.FindFirst(TreeScope.Descendants, New PropertyCondition(AutomationElement.AutomationIdProperty, btnAdddecimalID))
'Set reference for the `=` Button
aeEqualsBtn = aeCalculator.FindFirst(TreeScope.Descendants, New PropertyCondition(AutomationElement.AutomationIdProperty, btnEqualsdecimalID))
'Manipulate calculator application by using invoke method to click on buttons
Dim ipClick5Btn As InvokePattern = DirectCast(ae5Btn.GetCurrentPattern(InvokePattern.Pattern), InvokePattern)
Dim ipClickAddBtn As InvokePattern = DirectCast(aeAddBtn.GetCurrentPattern(InvokePattern.Pattern), InvokePattern)
Dim ipClickEqualsBtn As InvokePattern = DirectCast(aeEqualsBtn.GetCurrentPattern(InvokePattern.Pattern), InvokePattern)
'Click 5
ipClick5Btn.Invoke()
'Click +
ipClickAddBtn.Invoke()
'Click 5
ipClick5Btn.Invoke()
'Click =
ipClickEqualsBtn.Invoke()
'Now calculator should display 10 as a result
'Wait two seconds before closing
Thread.Sleep(2000)
'Exit Calculator
p.CloseMainWindow()
Catch ex As Exception
'Handle any exceptions
Debug.WriteLine("Fatal error: " & ex.Message)
End Try
End Sub
End Class
Steps if using AutoIt:
If using AutoIt choose the full installation and download the Script Editor. Paste the code in and it should work.
;Open up Calculator
Run('calc.exe')
;Pause execution until Calculator becomes active window
WinWaitActive('Calculator')
;Get the handle for Calculator
$hWnd = WinGetHandle('Calculator')
;Using the `Finder Tool`, you can drag and drop it onto controls to see all information (i.e. Text, Class, Handle, etc.)
;`ClassnameNN: Button10` is the number 5
;`ClassnameNN: Button23` is the addition operator (+)
;`ClassnameNN: Button28` is the equals operator (=)
;***** simple operation will perform 5 + 5 = 10 **************
;click 5
ControlClick($hWnd, "", "[CLASSNN:Button10]")
;click +
ControlClick($hWnd, "", "[CLASSNN:Button23]")
;click 5
ControlClick($hWnd, "", "[CLASSNN:Button10]")
;click =
ControlClick($hWnd, "", "[CLASSNN:Button28]")
;calculator should now display 10 as a result
;************************************************************
;Wait 2 seconds to show result
Sleep(2000)
;Close Calculator
WinClose($hWnd)
Exit
Thank you for all the help and suggestions in the comments. It helped tremendously.