[VB 6][tutorial] Send Key Methods

1. SendKeys method

Sendkeys String, Wait

As you can see, the above is a simple command. You can trigger it most usefully through hotkeys. If need be you can also use it in conjunction with AppActivate.

E.g. --

Code:

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AppActivate "notepad"
Sendkeys "Pork!"

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2. Keybd

Private Declare Sub keybd_event Lib "user32" (ByVal bVk As Byte, ByVal bScan As Byte, ByVal dwFlags As Long, ByVal dwExtraInfo As Long)

Very useful. Here is a good example from http://www.vbaccelerator.com/

Code:

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Private Declare Sub keybd_event Lib "user32" ( _
  ByVal bVk As Byte, ByVal bScan As Byte, _
  ByVal dwFlags As Long, ByVal dwExtraInfo As Long)
Private Const KEYEVENTF_EXTENDEDKEY = &H1
Private Const KEYEVENTF_KEYUP = &H2

Private Declare Function GetVersion Lib "kernel32" () As Long
Private Declare Function VkKeyScan Lib "user32" Alias "VkKeyScanA" ( _
  ByVal cChar As Byte) As Integer
Private Declare Function VkKeyScanW Lib "user32" ( _
  ByVal cChar As Integer) As Integer

Private Declare Sub CopyMemory Lib "kernel32" Alias "RtlMoveMemory" ( _
        lpvDest As Any, lpvSource As Any, ByVal cbCopy As Long)


Public Sub KeyDown(ByVal vKey As KeyCodeConstants)
  keybd_event vKey, 0, KEYEVENTF_EXTENDEDKEY, 0
End Sub

Public Sub KeyUp(ByVal vKey As KeyCodeConstants)
  keybd_event vKey, 0, KEYEVENTF_EXTENDEDKEY Or KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0
End Sub

Public Function KeyCode(ByVal sChar As String) As KeyCodeConstants
Dim bNt As Boolean
Dim iKeyCode As Integer
Dim b() As Byte
Dim iKey As Integer
Dim vKey As KeyCodeConstants
Dim iShift As ShiftConstants

  ' Determine if we have Unicode support or not:
  bNt = ((GetVersion() And &H80000000) = 0)
 
  ' Get the keyboard scan code for the character:
  If (bNt) Then
          b = sChar
          CopyMemory iKey, b(0), 2
          iKeyCode = VkKeyScanW(iKey)
  Else
          b = StrConv(sChar, vbFromUnicode)
          iKeyCode = VkKeyScan(b(0))
  End If
 
  KeyCode = (iKeyCode And &HFF&)

End Function

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Use the code like so--

Quote:

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Private Sub Command1_Click()
AppActivate "notepad"
KeyDown vbKeyL
KeyUp vbKeyL
KeyDown vbKeyO
KeyUp vbKeyO
KeyDown vbKeyL
KeyUp vbKeyL
KeyDown vbKeyReturn
End Sub

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Simple. Very self explainatory, yah? Yah. Make sure to emulate they keys correctly by using a KeyUp AND KeyDown. Not a must, but depending on what you're using it for, it can get you into a bit of trouble otherwise.


3. SendInput

Private Declare Function SendInput Lib "user32.dll" (ByVal nInputs As Long, pInputs As GENERALINPUT, ByVal cbSize As Long) As Long

This method uses SendInput. It also uses keybd to make life easier.

An example by KPD-Team--

Code:

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Const VK_L = 76
Const VK_O = 79
Const KEYEVENTF_KEYUP = &H2
Const INPUT_MOUSE = 0
Const INPUT_KEYBOARD = 1
Const INPUT_HARDWARE = 2
Private Type MOUSEINPUT
  dx As Long
  dy As Long
  mouseData As Long
  dwFlags As Long
  time As Long
  dwExtraInfo As Long
End Type
Private Type KEYBDINPUT
  wVk As Integer
  wScan As Integer
  dwFlags As Long
  time As Long
  dwExtraInfo As Long
End Type
Private Type HARDWAREINPUT
  uMsg As Long
  wParamL As Integer
  wParamH As Integer
End Type
Private Type GENERALINPUT
  dwType As Long
  xi(0 To 23) As Byte
End Type
Private Declare Function SendInput Lib "user32.dll" (ByVal nInputs As Long, pInputs As GENERALINPUT, ByVal cbSize As Long) As Long
Private Declare Sub CopyMemory Lib "kernel32" Alias "RtlMoveMemory" (pDst As Any, pSrc As Any, ByVal ByteLen As Long)
Private Sub Form_KeyPress(KeyAscii As Integer)

'Print the key on the form
        Me.Print Chr$(KeyAscii);
End Sub
Private Sub Form_Paint()
        'KPD-Team 2000
        'URL: http://www.allapi.net/
        'E-Mail: KPDTeam@Allapi.net
        'Clear the form
        Me.Cls
        'call the SendKey-function

        SendKeyY VK_L
        SendKeyY VK_O
        SendKeyY VK_L

End Sub
Private Sub SendKeyY(bKey As Byte)
        Dim GInput(0 To 1) As GENERALINPUT
        Dim KInput As KEYBDINPUT
        KInput.wVk = bKey  'the key we're going to press
        KInput.dwFlags = 0 'press the key
        'copy the structure into the input array's buffer.
        GInput(0).dwType = INPUT_KEYBOARD  ' keyboard input
        CopyMemory GInput(0).xi(0), KInput, Len(KInput)
        'do the same as above, but for releasing the key
        KInput.wVk = bKey  ' the key we're going to realease
        KInput.dwFlags = KEYEVENTF_KEYUP  ' release the key
        GInput(1).dwType = INPUT_KEYBOARD  ' keyboard input
        CopyMemory GInput(1).xi(0), KInput, Len(KInput)
        'send the input now
        Call SendInput(2, GInput(0), Len(GInput(0)))
End Sub

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Personally, I prefer the Keybd method in the earlier bit of this post in comparison to this one.

correct, you have to use the lowlevel way of sending keyinputs...most games only recognize lowlevel HW-inputs....took me through 4 ways of sending keys before i found 1 that worked for my bot :P

You should post your alternative methods here :]