| ECS-L Home Automation and Security Archives |
| Subject: From: Date: | Re: [ECS] Keyboard-Event Mark Gilmore Thu, 01 Jul 1999 07:46:36 -0700 |
Kevin, I am clueless, as ECS.HTM does NOT state that you must "set it to ACTIVE to initiate...": From ECS.HTM: If this Item is set to a State, the keyboard/mouse activity represented by that State (key down, up, etc) is simulated in the desired Window, having the same effect as if carried out by a person at the keyboard/mouse. Before doing so, ECS assures that the Window is in the foreground and normalized. <b>IF</B> the specified key is NONE, then State of this Item denotes whether the Window is ACTIVE or INACTIVE. Otherwise, the State is normally IDLE. ACTIVE is ONLY used to denote whether a win is active, and is only applicable IF the "KEY" Paramter is NONE. Kevin Keast wrote: > > Here is the situation: > > I want ECS to have the ability to SIMULATE keysrokes on the PC it is running on. This is identified in the doc if you look up KEYBOARD-EVENT. It indicates that you can simulate keystrokes in any window running on the PC. It goes on to explain how you can simulate mouse activity too. > > It indicates that to send the keystroke you must SET this type to a state ACTIVE to initiate the described activity. > > Why can't I do this. That is it. Keyboard-Event is not working as it is described. > > Note: If you create an item with type: Keyboard-Event to send keystrokes to ANY other windows app and try to change its state using the EVENT EDITOR you can't. BUT you can go into the GROUP editor, add the item you created and set its state to ACTIVE. When you do this the keystroke describing that event is executed in the designated Application. It works! Try to send a COPY command to Microsoft Word (CNTRL-C). Create an item TEST with these parameters: window: Microsoft Word, kestroke: CNTRL-C. Now go to the Group editor, add the item TEST. Now set this item to ACTIVE. Bingo, you just sent CNTRL-C to Microsoft Word (assuming it was running on the same PC of course). Why can't I do this in an Event? I want to send keyboard keys to my Winamp program in an event controlled by something like a plc-button controller. > > Does this make sense? > > Has Keyboard-Event changed or something because what I am describing is EXACTLY what the doc says. SIMULATE any Keyboard-key or mouse activity. > --- > Kevin, d8) > libertyc@prodigy.net > keastk@ele.uri.edu > > On Wed, 30 Jun 1999 05:58:32 Mark Gilmore wrote: > >We are not communicating: > >What do you want ECS to do when you set it to ACTIVE ? > >Why would you do such a thing ? > > > >Kevin Keast wrote: > >> > >> You can set it to active and it works: In the Group editor, but not the Event Editor. When you set it to ACTIVE ECS sends the designated window the designated key (as setup in the keyboard-event item). > >> > >> Why? So I can use an x-10 keypad to send WINAMP a CNTRL X to start/stop the winamp playing through my intercom system. (WINAMP is running on the same machine). > >> > >> OR > >> > >> Stop WINAMP when an incomming call arrives so ECS can use the sound card to announce the caller. > >> --- > >> Kevin, d8) > >> libertyc@prodigy.net > >> keastk@ele.uri.edu > >> > >> On Tue, 29 Jun 1999 12:01:51 Mark Gilmore wrote: > >> >But why are you trying to set it to ACTIVE ? > >> >What would you have ECS do ? > >> > > >> >Kevin Keast wrote: > >> >> > >> >> Mark, > >> >> > >> >> I want to be able to control another program by sending it keystrokes-just as the doc says. The doc file indicates that you can use this item type to send keystrokes or even simulate mouse activity in other windows programs. So that is what I was doing. It works too, but I have to set the state of the item in the Group editor. (I would like to set it in the EVENT editor too so I can use my remotes) I also used the app (forget the name) that finds the actual names of the windows and set up an item to send keystrokes any program. (I hade to use the Windows CLASS: for some of the items) This will allow me to control programs like WINAMP and my ATI-TV tuner. > >> >> --- > >> >> Kevin, d8) > >> >> libertyc@prodigy.net > >> >> keastk@ele.uri.edu > >> >> > >> >> On Tue, 29 Jun 1999 06:26:18 Mark Gilmore wrote: > >> >> >Kevin, ACTIVE is a read-only/status state (not intended for SET). > >> >> >What are you trying to do ?? > >> >> > > >> >> >Kevin Keast wrote: > >> >> >> > >> >> >> Hi Mark, > >> >> >> > >> >> >> I sent an e-mail to the list while you were gone. Hope you are feeling better. > >> >> >> > >> >> >> I have a question on the keyboard-event item. I can create a keyboard event item, for example to send keystrokes to my winamp program. > >> >> >> I am unable to set my keyboard-event item to active in the event editor: Illegal command or something like that. But, when I bring up the keyboard-event item in the GROUP EDITOR I can set it to active and it sends the keystroke to the external program and then returns to its idle state. I think it is version 4.1.025. Is this a bug? > >> >> >> --- > >> >> >> Kevin, d8) > >> >> >> libertyc@prodigy.net > >> >> >> > >> >> >> Free web-based email, anytime, anywhere! > >> >> >> ZDNet Mail - http://www.zdnetmail.com > >> >> > > >> >> >-- > >> >> >Mark Gilmore > >> >> >Omnipotence (ECS Home Automation Software) > >> >> >omnip@usit.net > >> >> >http://www.usit.com/omnip > >> >> > > >> >> > >> >> Free web-based email, anytime, anywhere! > >> >> ZDNet Mail - http://www.zdnetmail.com > >> > > >> >-- > >> >Mark Gilmore > >> >Omnipotence (ECS Home Automation Software) > >> >omnip@usit.net > >> >http://www.usit.com/omnip > >> > > >> > >> Free web-based email, anytime, anywhere! > >> ZDNet Mail - http://www.zdnetmail.com > > > >-- > >Mark Gilmore > >Omnipotence (ECS Home Automation Software) > >omnip@usit.net > >http://www.usit.com/omnip > > > > Free web-based email, anytime, anywhere! > ZDNet Mail - http://www.zdnetmail.com -- Mark Gilmore Omnipotence (ECS Home Automation Software) omnip@usit.net http://www.usit.com/omnip