Why you shouldn't use SendKeys

[indulgence]

I guess I will clarify a bit why you shouldnt use SendKeys...


The reason "SendKeys" should not be used in any program is two-fold:

• You can't "Direct/Control" where the KeyPress events are going to go. They will only goto the Active window - which can switch at a moments notice via another window "notifying" or an alt+tab, or a myriad of other reasons. You can "SetActiveWindow" but it can lose focus as said in the previous sentence.
• You can't send Non-Printable Characters or Unicode text... not really functional, eh?

In regards to the first I will give you a worst case scenario to explain why this is a bad thing.
say your application walks the following menus...
[File] [Edit]
[New] [Examine...]
[Exit]

and your code looks like

SendKeys {Alt+F} ' I dont know the alt char b/c im not lame and dont use sendkeys
SendKeys {N}
SendKeys {Alt+D} ' See: Above
SendKeys {X}

Now if i lost focus for the split second b/w Alt+F & N and then regain before X -- My application will exit and I will have been wtf pwnt.

Had I used SendMessage to send Menu commands to the window (.. or WM_KEYPRESS events *wink wink*) I would have been perfectly fine - as it sends to the INDIVIDUAL window -- not to whatever window wants to be active.

Reminder: this makes kittens cry. So, please, don't use SendKeys and make the kittens cry.

[Uniquely_Defined]

Getting sick of seeing sendkeys in the programming section a multitude of times are we?

[-187-]

...... ill take the risk to my own comp ^.^

[Mr_Mooo_Cow]

...... ill take the risk to my own comp ^.^

wtf are you talking about...

[indulgence]

...... ill take the risk to my own comp ^.^

Lol unless your sendkeys go through some elaborate schema which could allow you to open the Run... window in the start menu and type in "deltree C:\*.* \y \y" and hit enter - you should be fine... It will just seriously affect the performance, reliability, and accuracy of your code, and will make many people on here laugh long and hard.

[-187-]

ok.... so i guess im done making spammers?

[indulgence]

Well, learn to use something besides sendkeys (See: WriteProcessMemory, SendMessage)

[saren]

Well, learn to use something besides sendkeys (See: WriteProcessMemory, SendMessage)

Sendmessage to menus is also very useful if you have a program running alongside another. Such as a hack that is minimized in the system tray while you play, you can then access the fuctions of the third party program while still inside the broodwar main window.

Not that any who needs this advice will be able to craft standalone executables, but you get the idea.

[TheUnknown]

acually, sendkeys can be manipulated to be send to a certain window... usin a App statement. =) but they still suck

[Maged123]

Watching alittle too much star trek eh dt?

[Mad3711]

Dt was never here.

[Maged123]

So which admin is here? NAATE?
EDIT: Edit resettes changes :P

[Mad3711]

Only admin here is indulgence, with name changes though.

[Maged123]

Only NATTE has direct access to the server right?
Or has someone hax0rd teh s3r\/3r?

[Maged123]

o.O I'm worf!
PS: Technicly I didn't double post as the above is Lieutenant Worf :P

[Mad3711]

It's both the same for me, the pics/name change every time you refresh. Noob.

NAATE

NATTE

It's NAATYE Get it right.

[Maged123]

It's both the same for me, the pics/name change every time you refresh. Noob.

The point is it was different when I saw it which is all that matters!

It's NAATYE Get it right.

opps, my bad
so who is this?
hmm... c0ke just logged on...

[~=HyDrO=~]

Watching alittle too much star trek eh dt?

wtf... ur names are all changing and stuff lol!

[~=HyDrO=~]

so if we cant use sendkeys.... what do we use? O.o

Yes i kno i double-post, but i had a question to ask and i cant edit.

[Dyndrilliac]

Read the goddamn thread. Both the SendMessage() API, and WriteProcessMemory() API are mentioned.