SendKeys in Compact Framework 2.0

Question

Hi,

I'm looking for the SendKeys method in CF 2.0.
Is it in the framework and how do you send a tab and shift-tab?

Grtz

Annihil8

Answer 1

Hi,

not supported in CF - but there is an implementation in the OpenNETCf - www.opennetcf.org 

 

Pete

Answer 2

I've managed to send a key by

tab

        byte VK_TAB = 0x09;

        const int KEYEVENTF_KEYUP = 0x2;

        const int KEYEVENTF_KEYDOWN = 0x0;

        keybd_event(VK_TAB, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYDOWN, 0);

        keybd_event(VK_TAB, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0);

 

Shift tab

 

        byte VK_TAB = 0x09;

        byte VK_Shift = 0x10;

        const int KEYEVENTF_KEYUP = 0x2;

        const int KEYEVENTF_KEYDOWN = 0x0;

        keybd_event(VK_Shift, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYDOWN, 0);//press shift

        keybd_event(VK_TAB, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYDOWN, 0);//press tab

        keybd_event(VK_TAB, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0);//release tab

        keybd_event(VK_Shift, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0); //release shift  

 

 

[DllImport("coredll.dll", SetLastError = true)]

static extern void keybd_event(byte bVk, byte bScan, int dwFlags, int dwExtraInfo);

Answer 3

I heard about that too... if you'd tell me the namespace - that would be nice :)

Answer 4

Hi,

I'm not sure why you want a namespace? Do you get an error somewhere?

If you get an error on the keybd_event(...) then you have probably placed the

 [DllImport("coredll.dll", SetLastError = true)]

static extern void keybd_event(byte bVk, byte bScan, int dwFlags, int dwExtraInfo);

wrong.

It should be placed among the declaration of properties and methods and not in a method or so.

Please, explain it to me and I be glad to help.

Grtz

Annihil8

Answer 5

I've build a little example to check it and i believe you probably had the upper code allready wright and you probably just need the namespace of the method DLLImport

It is

Using System.Runtime.InteropServices

Sorry about that :)

Grtz

Annihil8

Answer 6

 

wow it's great!!

 

It's work on pocket pc(compact framework) too.

 

Thank you!!

Answer 7

 

Can it be done for other keys also, like A, B etc..  If yes from where to get more info.

 

Thanks.

Answer 8

Sure thing

 

You add the second column to 0x..

"A" would be 0x41.

 

Symbolic constant name	Value (hexadecimal)	Keyboard (or mouse) equivalent
VK_LBUTTON	01	Left mouse button
VK_RBUTTON	02	Right mouse button
VK_CANCEL	03	Control-break processing
VK_MBUTTON	04	Middle mouse button (three-button mouse)
VK_BACK	08	BACKSPACE key
VK_TAB	09	TAB key
VK_CLEAR	0C	CLEAR key
VK_RETURN	0D	ENTER key
VK_SHIFT	10	SHIFT key
VK_CONTROL	11	CTRL key
VK_MENU	12	ALT key
VK_PAUSE	13	PAUSE key
VK_CAPITAL	14	CAPS LOCK key
VK_ESCAPE	1B	ESC key
VK_SPACE	20	SPACEBAR
VK_PRIOR	21	PAGE UP key
VK_NEXT	22	PAGE DOWN key
VK_END	23	END key
VK_HOME	24	HOME key
VK_LEFT	25	LEFT ARROW key
VK_UP	26	UP ARROW key
VK_RIGHT	27	RIGHT ARROW key
VK_DOWN	28	DOWN ARROW key
VK_SELECT	29	SELECT key
VK_PRINT	2A	PRINT key
VK_EXECUTE	2B	EXECUTE key
VK_SNAPSHOT	2C	PRINT SCREEN key
VK_INSERT	2D	INS key
VK_DELETE	2E	DEL key
VK_HELP	2F	HELP key
	30	0 key
	31	1 key
	32	2 key
	33	3 key
	34	4 key
	35	5 key
	36	6 key
	37	7 key
	38	8 key
	39	9 key
	41	A key
	42	B key
	43	C key
	44	D key
	45	E key
	46	F key
	47	G key
	48	H key
	49	I key
	4A	J key
	4B	K key
	4C	L key
	4D	M key
	4E	N key
	4F	O key
	50	P key
	51	Q key
	52	R key
	53	S key
	54	T key
	55	U key
	56	V key
	57	W key
	58	X key
	59	Y key
	5A	Z key
VK_NUMPAD0	60	Numeric keypad 0 key
VK_NUMPAD1	61	Numeric keypad 1 key
VK_NUMPAD2	62	Numeric keypad 2 key
VK_NUMPAD3	63	Numeric keypad 3 key
VK_NUMPAD4	64	Numeric keypad 4 key
VK_NUMPAD5	65	Numeric keypad 5 key
VK_NUMPAD6	66	Numeric keypad 6 key
VK_NUMPAD7	67	Numeric keypad 7 key
VK_NUMPAD8	68	Numeric keypad 8 key
VK_NUMPAD9	69	Numeric keypad 9 key
VK_SEPARATOR	6C	Separator key
VK_SUBTRACT	6D	Subtract key
VK_DECIMAL	6E	Decimal key
VK_DIVIDE	6F	Divide key
VK_F1	70	F1 key
VK_F2	71	F2 key
VK_F3	72	F3 key
VK_F4	73	F4 key
VK_F5	74	F5 key
VK_F6	75	F6 key
VK_F7	76	F7 key
VK_F8	77	F8 key
VK_F9	78	F9 key
VK_F10	79	F10 key
VK_F11	7A	F11 key
VK_F12	7B	F12 key
VK_F13	7C	F13 key
VK_F14	7D	F14 key
VK_F15	7E	F15 key
VK_F16	7F	F16 key
VK_F17	80H	F17 key
VK_F18	81H	F18 key
VK_F19	82H	F19 key
VK_F20	83H	F20 key
VK_F21	84H	F21 key
VK_F22	85H	F22 key
VK_F23	86H	F23 key
VK_F24	87H	F24 key
VK_NUMLOCK	90	NUM LOCK key
VK_SCROLL	91	SCROLL LOCK key
VK_LSHIFT	A0	Left SHIFT key
VK_RSHIFT	A1	Right SHIFT key
VK_LCONTROL	A2	Left CONTROL key
VK_RCONTROL	A3	Right CONTROL key
VK_LMENU	A4	Left MENU key
VK_RMENU	A5	Right MENU key
VK_PLAY	FA	Play key
VK_ZOOM	FB	Zoom key

 

Grtz,

Annihil8

 

Answer 9

Thanks ,

 

How can we print @,  _ etc.

 

Answer 10

 

I would imagine you could combine two keystrokes such as shift button and 2 button as follows:

 

// "Push" the sequence of buttons

keybd_event(VK_SHIFT, 0xAA,  0, 0);

keybd_event(2, 0x83, 0 ,0);

 

//"release" the buttons

keybd_event(VK_SHIFT,0xAA , KeyUp,  0);

keybd_event(2, 0x83, KeyUp , 0);

 

or something to that effect.

Answer 11

To Annihil8,

 

 Hi, I am also looking for Sendkey kind of functionality. Sendkeys work fine for  the current postion of the cursor.

 

That is it would send the text where the cursor position is currently. DO you know/ suggest a way to make SendKey

 

sending text to particular control in  FORM. like Sendkey.Send(TextBox1, "hello")

 

I would appreciate  to hear which can help me in achieving this.

 

 Thank you.

 

 Jussy

Answer 12

The implementation of SendKeys uses PostKeybdMessage which accepts the handle to the target control. It uses (-1) by default which sends the input to the foreground window. You can easily change it to use the handle of a specific control

 

Take a look at http://www.egilh.com/blog/archive/2006/04/15/2614.aspx for the SendKeys code

or read http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms911936.aspx about PostKeybdMessage.

Answer 13

Hi

I tested your code and works great, but I can't find the Comma ,

do you know what is the byte that represents comma?

Answer 14

comma ascii value is 188

Answer 15

How can we print ş ç ü ö ı ğ Turkish characters

Answer 16

Hi all,

I have written the code below to make it easier to simulate keyboard functions.

But I have a problem:

using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;


    public class Keyboard
    {
        [DllImport("user32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
        static extern void keybd_event(byte bVk, byte bScan, int dwFlags, int dwExtraInfo);


        const int KEYEVENTF_KEYUP = 0x2;
        const int KEYEVENTF_KEYDOWN = 0x0;


        /// <summary>
        /// Simulates a keyboard key down. Note that the key will remain pressed until you call Release method.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="button">the specific key which you want to simulate.</param>
        public static void Hold(System.Windows.Forms.Keys button)
        {
            keybd_event((byte)button, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYDOWN, 0);
        }
        /// <summary>
        /// Simulates a keyboard key down. Note that the key will remain pressed until you call Release method.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="button">the byte value of specific key which you want to simulate.</param>
        public static void Hold(byte button)
        {
            keybd_event(button, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYDOWN, 0);
        }


        /// <summary>
        /// Simulates a keyboard key up. Note that you need to press the key using Hold method, otherwise, this method has no effect.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="button">the key you have simulated in Hold method.</param>
        public static void Release(System.Windows.Forms.Keys button)
        {
            keybd_event((byte)button, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0);
        }
        /// <summary>
        /// Simulates a keyboard key up. Note that you need to press the key using Hold method, otherwise, this method has no effect.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="button">the byte value of the key you have simulated in Hold method.</param>
        public static void Release(byte button)
        {
            keybd_event(button, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0);
        }


        /// <summary>
        /// Simulates a keyboard key press. Note that you do not need to release the key after calling this method because it will automatically performs this.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="button">the key you want to simulate.</param>
        public static void Simulate(System.Windows.Forms.Keys button)
        {
            Hold(button);
            Release(button);
        }
        /// <summary>
        /// Simulates a keyboard key press. Note that you do not need to release the key after calling this method because it will automatically performs this.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="button">the byte value of the key you want to simulate.</param>
        public static void Simulate(byte button)
        {
            Hold(button);
            Release(button);
        }
    }

When you call Keyboard.Hold(Keys.Shift); there is no problem and shift is remained pressed but when I call Keyboard.Hold(Keys.A); it only writes one "A" ?!

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PK DEVELOPER