Send Keys

[Russ McBride]

Well, AppleScript syntax blows and figuring out the syntax needed to  
reference an object in an unknown object hierarchy blows even  
harder.  UI browser will show you the object hierarchy and also  
generate a reference to the object in Applescript, saving you a lot  
of grief.

It won't be that helpful though if you're trying to script an  
application that is both not applescriptable and was not programmed  
to register it's objects through the normal channels.  I had to write  
a PHP script once that called an Applescript that had to punch a user  
name and password into a crusty old application after opening it.  In  
the end I just figured out the coordinates of the text field and then  
used extrasuites to go to that location and start typing.  Worked  
great.  I thought extra suites was pretty cool.

You should be able to do whatever you need to do even with a  
recalcitrant target application because you can use the finder to  
start the app, and then brute force your way to domination of the  
application using the virtual keyboard and mouse controls.

What are you doing exactly?

Best,
russ



Russ McBride
Programmer/Analyst
The Scholar's Workstation
University of California at Berkeley
510-643-6853


On May 11, 2006, at 10:49 AM, Todd Geist wrote:

> Hi
>
> Russ
>
> On May 11, 2006, at 10:14 AM, Russ McBride wrote:
>
>> I've been able to send keystrokes into just about any field using  
>> a combination of the David Lloyd's "Extra Suites"
>> http://osaxen.com/files/extrasuites1.1.html
>
> This is basically what I am doing... but it is not fun  :>)
>
>
>>
>> and Prefab's UI Browser (to help you figure out what object you  
>> are trying to control)
>> http://www.prefab.com/uibrowser/
>> Apple has a similar tool for UI browsing but as I recall this  
>> worked a bit better.
>>
>
>
> I use this to, but I am curious what value does UI Browser have to  
> Extra Suites?
>
> I have UI browser and it works great for the GUI scripting, but  
> Extra Suite has it's own method for identifying things doesn't it?
>