SendKeys.Send Problem

[Berni]

Hello

I'm using the SendKeys.Send method for an onscreen keyboard. This works
perfect except one problem:

If i configure windows to use an english keyboard the call
SendKeys.Send("{^}") results in a "^".
BUT when my computer is running with an german keyboard, the call
SendKeys.Send("{^}") results in a "&".

MSDN says: If your application is intended for international use with a
variety of keyboards, the use of Send could yield unpredictable results and
should be avoided.

Okay that sounds bad, the strange thing is that every other keystroke (or
text) is working fine, excepts the "^" character.

Berni

 

[Jeffrey Tan[MSFT]]

Hi Berni,

I am not familiar with the german keyboard, so it is hard for me say the
root cause without reproducing the problem. Is it possible that only "^" is
translated into "&" on german keyboard?

Actually, using SendKeys.Send is not operating the on-screen keyboard, it
is sending keystrokes through the real keyboard input queue, so it will be
affected by the real keyboard settings instead of the on-screen keyboard.
That's why MSDN placed a "Caution" for SendKeys.Send() method.

Can you help to explain what you want to achieve? Maybe we have other
solution to workaround this problem. If you just want to send characters to
a TextBox in an application(or your own application), the simplest solution
is calling SendMessage(WM_CHAR) to that control/window. In the "wParam" of
SendMessage API, we may specify the character ASCII code. For example, we
may specify 94(0x5E) for "wParam" for "^" character. The link below
contains the ASCII character table:
"ASCII Character Codes Chart 1"
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/60ecse8t.aspx

Actually, even we are using SendKeys.Send, the target application will just
receive a WM_LBUTTONDOWN message for the real keyboard button, which will
finally be translated into WM_CHAR by Winform/Win32 code. So, using WM_CHAR
is a more straightforward solution.

If you want to take this approach and need further help, please feel free
to tell me, thanks.

Best regards,
Jeffrey Tan
Microsoft Online Community Support

Delighting our customers is our #1 priority. We welcome your comments and
suggestions about how we can improve the support we provide to you. Please
feel free to let my manager know what you think of the level of service
provided. You can send feedback directly to my manager at:
(e-mail address removed).

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[Jeffrey Tan[MSFT]]

Hi Berni,

Have you reviewed my reply to you? Does it make sense to you? If you still
need any help or have any concern, please feel free to tell me, thanks.

Best regards,
Jeffrey Tan
Microsoft Online Community Support
=========================================
Delighting our customers is our #1 priority. We welcome your comments and
suggestions about how we can improve the support we provide to you. Please
feel free to let my manager know what you think of the level of service
provided. You can send feedback directly to my manager at:
(e-mail address removed).

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Berni]

Hi Jeffrey,

Thank you for your reply! I think the solution with the WM_CHAR message
could to the job. I have an application that is written for a touch screen
based terminal (without a keyboard). We will display HTML content inside the
webbrowser control.

So we need an on screen keyboard that allows the user to type some text to
text boxes. I will test the WM_CHAR method and let you know if this solves
the problem.

Berni

 

[Jeffrey Tan[MSFT]]

Hi Berni,

Thank you for the confirmation.

Ok, if you need any further help, please feel free to feedback, I am glad
to be any help. Thanks.

Best regards,
Jeffrey Tan
Microsoft Online Community Support
=========================================
Delighting our customers is our #1 priority. We welcome your comments and
suggestions about how we can improve the support we provide to you. Please
feel free to let my manager know what you think of the level of service
provided. You can send feedback directly to my manager at:
(e-mail address removed).

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Berni]

Hello

Okay the "WM_CHAR" message does not work for me (i think). My application
uses a WebBrowser control to display a HTML page. I would like to type text
to a text input inside this HTML page. With the SendKeys.Send method this is
no problem (except the "^" problem of course). With WM_CHAR it only works if
i send the message to a TextBox control. But if i send the WM_CHAR message
to the WebBrowser control it does not work.

Berni

 

[Jeffrey Tan[MSFT]]

Hi Berni,

Thanks for your feedback.

It is hard to get it working with WebBrowser control because WebBrowser is
a complex control and it is composed with several child controls in it. So
if we send WM_CHAR to the outer WebBrowser control, it will not display the
character in the inner control's text input field.

SendKeys.Send is not the perfect solution here for the following reasons:
1. The original international keyboard issue
2. If the user switches the focus to another application/windows,
SendKeys.Send will falsely send keystroke to the wrong control/window.

Fortunately, WebBrowser provides a rich set of interface to manipulate the
elements in it. Using the build-in programming model of WebBrowser control
should be the ideal solution. The solution logic is easy:
1. Getting the HtmlDocument of the WebBrowser control.
2. Get the currently focused control by using HtmlDocument.ActiveElement.
3. Set its InnerText to the desired value.

The following code snippet demonstrates the logic:

private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
this.webBrowser1.Navigate("http://www.google.com");
}

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (webBrowser1.Document != null)
{
HtmlDocument hd = webBrowser1.Document;
HtmlElement currentFocusedElement = hd.ActiveElement;
if( currentFocusedElement!=null)
{
currentFocusedElement.InnerText = "This is a test";
}
}
}

It works well on my side. Hope it meets your need. Thanks.


Best regards,
Jeffrey Tan
Microsoft Online Community Support
=========================================
Delighting our customers is our #1 priority. We welcome your comments and
suggestions about how we can improve the support we provide to you. Please
feel free to let my manager know what you think of the level of service
provided. You can send feedback directly to my manager at:
(e-mail address removed).

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Betty]

Hi Jeffrey,
I've read your following comments and wrote some codes (C#). But they don't
work correctly. Please have a look. Thank you a lot.

[DllImport("User32.dll")]
internal static extern Int32 SendMessage(IntPtr hWnd, int Msg, IntPtr
wParam, IntPtr lParam);
/*handle is present an edit box. I want to use SendMessage to type a char
into this edit, but nothing is input into it.*/
SendMessage(handle, 0x0100, (IntPtr)0x61, (IntPtr)0);

Hi Berni,

I am not familiar with the german keyboard, so it is hard for me say the
root cause without reproducing the problem. Is it possible that only "^" is
translated into "&" on german keyboard?

Actually, using SendKeys.Send is not operating the on-screen keyboard, it
is sending keystrokes through the real keyboard input queue, so it will be
affected by the real keyboard settings instead of the on-screen keyboard.
That's why MSDN placed a "Caution" for SendKeys.Send() method.

Can you help to explain what you want to achieve? Maybe we have other
solution to workaround this problem. If you just want to send characters to
a TextBox in an application(or your own application), the simplest solution
is calling SendMessage(WM_CHAR) to that control/window. In the "wParam" of
SendMessage API, we may specify the character ASCII code. For example, we
may specify 94(0x5E) for "wParam" for "^" character. The link below
contains the ASCII character table:
"ASCII Character Codes Chart 1"
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/60ecse8t.aspx

Actually, even we are using SendKeys.Send, the target application will just
receive a WM_LBUTTONDOWN message for the real keyboard button, which will
finally be translated into WM_CHAR by Winform/Win32 code. So, using WM_CHAR
is a more straightforward solution.

If you want to take this approach and need further help, please feel free
to tell me, thanks.

Best regards,
Jeffrey Tan
Microsoft Online Community Support

Delighting our customers is our #1 priority. We welcome your comments and
suggestions about how we can improve the support we provide to you. Please
feel free to let my manager know what you think of the level of service
provided. You can send feedback directly to my manager at:
(e-mail address removed).

==================================================
Get notification to my posts through email? Please refer to
http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/managednewsgroups/default.aspx#notif
ications.

Note: The MSDN Managed Newsgroup support offering is for non-urgent issues
where an initial response from the community or a Microsoft Support
Engineer within 1 business day is acceptable. Please note that each follow
up response may take approximately 2 business days as the support
professional working with you may need further investigation to reach the
most efficient resolution. The offering is not appropriate for situations
that require urgent, real-time or phone-based interactions or complex
project analysis and dump analysis issues. Issues of this nature are best
handled working with a dedicated Microsoft Support Engineer by contacting
Microsoft Customer Support Services (CSS) at
http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/support/default.aspx.
==================================================
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Betty]

/*The following two lines of codes cannot work correctly too.*/
SendMessage(handle, 0x0101, (IntPtr)0x61, (IntPtr)0);
SendMessage(handle, 0x0102, (IntPtr)0x61, (IntPtr)0);

Hi Jeffrey,
I've read your following comments and wrote some codes (C#). But they don't
work correctly. Please have a look. Thank you a lot.

[DllImport("User32.dll")]
internal static extern Int32 SendMessage(IntPtr hWnd, int Msg, IntPtr
wParam, IntPtr lParam);
/*handle is present an edit box. I want to use SendMessage to type a char
into this edit, but nothing is input into it.*/
SendMessage(handle, 0x0100, (IntPtr)0x61, (IntPtr)0);

Hi Berni,

I am not familiar with the german keyboard, so it is hard for me say the
root cause without reproducing the problem. Is it possible that only "^" is
translated into "&" on german keyboard?

Actually, using SendKeys.Send is not operating the on-screen keyboard, it
is sending keystrokes through the real keyboard input queue, so it will be
affected by the real keyboard settings instead of the on-screen keyboard.
That's why MSDN placed a "Caution" for SendKeys.Send() method.

Can you help to explain what you want to achieve? Maybe we have other
solution to workaround this problem. If you just want to send characters to
a TextBox in an application(or your own application), the simplest solution
is calling SendMessage(WM_CHAR) to that control/window. In the "wParam" of
SendMessage API, we may specify the character ASCII code. For example, we
may specify 94(0x5E) for "wParam" for "^" character. The link below
contains the ASCII character table:
"ASCII Character Codes Chart 1"
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/60ecse8t.aspx

Actually, even we are using SendKeys.Send, the target application will just
receive a WM_LBUTTONDOWN message for the real keyboard button, which will
finally be translated into WM_CHAR by Winform/Win32 code. So, using WM_CHAR
is a more straightforward solution.

If you want to take this approach and need further help, please feel free
to tell me, thanks.

Best regards,
Jeffrey Tan
Microsoft Online Community Support

Delighting our customers is our #1 priority. We welcome your comments and
suggestions about how we can improve the support we provide to you. Please
feel free to let my manager know what you think of the level of service
provided. You can send feedback directly to my manager at:
(e-mail address removed).

==================================================
Get notification to my posts through email? Please refer to
http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/managednewsgroups/default.aspx#notif
ications.

Note: The MSDN Managed Newsgroup support offering is for non-urgent issues
where an initial response from the community or a Microsoft Support
Engineer within 1 business day is acceptable. Please note that each follow
up response may take approximately 2 business days as the support
professional working with you may need further investigation to reach the
most efficient resolution. The offering is not appropriate for situations
that require urgent, real-time or phone-based interactions or complex
project analysis and dump analysis issues. Issues of this nature are best
handled working with a dedicated Microsoft Support Engineer by contacting
Microsoft Customer Support Services (CSS) at
http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/support/default.aspx.
==================================================
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Berni]

Hi Jeffrey,

Thank you for your help. Your solution with the HtlmDocument and
ActiveElement ist cool, i like it!

Your sample made me smile! It's funny that you use www.google.com in your
code and not www.live.com

Benri

 

[Jeffrey Tan[MSFT]]

Hi Berni,

Glad to see my reply can help you.

WM_CHAR works for most of the Windows build-in controls pretty well.
However, WebBrowser is a special control with complex internal structure,
so WM_CHAR may not work for it. Since WebBrowser control uses the core
engine of IE, we may leverage the IE DOM to manipulate the html elements in
WebBrowser control.

Yes, it is my personal favorite search engine . If you need any further
help, please feel free to tell me, thanks.

Best regards,
Jeffrey Tan
Microsoft Online Community Support
=========================================
Delighting our customers is our #1 priority. We welcome your comments and
suggestions about how we can improve the support we provide to you. Please
feel free to let my manager know what you think of the level of service
provided. You can send feedback directly to my manager at:
(e-mail address removed).

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Suresh D]

Hi Jeffry,

I am also facing the same problem.
In my scenario I ve to pass a tab from one textbox to another textbox or passing the tab from one position to another position.
For example 1. I ve to change the tab from textbox control to button control and click the button.
2. I ve to fire the onblur event for a selectbox.

It is really a burning problem for me.
Please helpout.

How to pass a tab to sendmessages, and how to click the button and how to fire the onblur event for a selectbox.

I am using axwebbrowser control.

If you give any suggestions on this issue that would be great.

Thanks in advance.

Suresh

 

[Suresh D]

Hi Jeffry,

I am also facing the same problem.
In my scenario I ve to pass a tab from one textbox to another textbox or passing the tab from one position to another position.
For example 1. I ve to change the tab from textbox control to button control and click the button.
2. I ve to fire the onblur event for a selectbox.

It is really a burning problem for me.
Please helpout.

How to pass a tab to sendmessages, and how to click the button and how to fire the onblur event for a selectbox.

I am using axwebbrowser control.

If you give any suggestions on this issue that would be great.

Thanks in advance.

Suresh

 

[Suresh D]

Hi Jeffry,

I am also facing the same problem.
In my scenario I ve to pass a tab from one textbox to another textbox or passing the tab from one position to another position.
For example 1. I ve to change the tab from textbox control to button control and click the button.
2. I ve to fire the onblur event for a selectbox.

It is really a burning problem for me.
Please helpout.

How to pass a tab to sendmessages, and how to click the button and how to fire the onblur event for a selectbox.

I am using axwebbrowser control.

If you give any suggestions on this issue that would be great.

Thanks in advance.

Suresh

 

[Jeff Johnson]

Hi Jeffry,

I am also facing the same problem.

I don't know who you think you're replying to, but you started a new thread
instead.

 

[Armin Zingler]

I don't know who you think you're replying to,

This one:
http://groups.google.de/group/microsoft.public.dotnet.framework.windowsforms/msg/1644cc87d8db00be

but you started a new
thread instead.

No - but the referenced message is from 7. May.


Armin