C# Question of the Day

[jbeitz107]

So I have embedded another exe within my C# coding inside a groupbox so that the buttons would still remain visible but, I would like to know how I can make the embedded window active when I click on any of my buttons. Ex.(Send Keystrokes to the NOTEPAD inside of the groupbox.)

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices; //required for APIs
using System.Threading;
using System.Diagnostics;

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
             //Need to bring the focus of the "notepad.exe" below here and use send keys
             SendKeys.Send("{ENTER}");
        }
private void button2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            this.Size = new Size(1280, 900);
            Process p = Process.Start("notepad.exe");
            Thread.Sleep(500);
            p.WaitForInputIdle();
            SetParent(p.MainWindowHandle, groupBox1.Handle);
        }

Any help here would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[RockstarNorth]

I'm a C/C++ Programmer, but i hope i can throw 'n right answer!

Use ShowWindowAsync( p.MainWindowHandle, 1 );
For the second parameter of ShowWindowAsync please see:

You must be registered to see links

.

If there is any problem with the position of the window you wanna display, use the

[COLOR=#2b91af]MoveWindow[/COLOR][COLOR=#303336]( HWND hWnd[/COLOR][COLOR=#2b91af], int x, int y, in nWidth, int nHeight, bool bRepaint [/COLOR][COLOR=#303336]);[/COLOR]

function above the ShowWindowAsync( p.MainWindowHandle, 1 ); call.



To get those functions running you've to import/add following:

[COLOR=#303336][[/COLOR][COLOR=#2B91AF]DllImport[/COLOR][COLOR=#303336]( [/COLOR][COLOR=#7D2727]"user32.dll" [/COLOR][COLOR=#303336])]
[/COLOR][COLOR=#101094]private [/COLOR][COLOR=#101094]static [/COLOR][COLOR=#101094]extern [/COLOR][COLOR=#101094]bool [/COLOR][COLOR=#2B91AF]ShowWindowAsync[/COLOR][COLOR=#303336]( [/COLOR][COLOR=#2B91AF]IntPtr[/COLOR][COLOR=#303336] hwnd[/COLOR][COLOR=#303336],[/COLOR][COLOR=#2B91AF]int[/COLOR][COLOR=#303336] nCmdShow [/COLOR][COLOR=#303336]);[/COLOR]

Hope it was right!

 

[jbeitz107]

I am quite confused. LOL. when I apply the coding as you show there, I get the error, p cannot be found the current context. I assume this is because it is static but, again unclear as what to do because of this issue. BTW, thank you for your attempts to help. It is greatly appreciated.

 

[Solaire]

If p is static, access it through (classname).p. For example, if your class name is "Main" then access the "p" static by "Main.p".

 

[Future]

Looks to me like p is his Process variable as shown in his code snippet:

[...]
private void button2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            this.Size = new Size(1280, 900);
            [B][COLOR="#FF0000"]Process p = Process.Start("notepad.exe");[/COLOR][/B]
            Thread.Sleep(500);
            p.WaitForInputIdle();
            SetParent(p.MainWindowHandle, groupBox1.Handle);
        }
[...]

That's also why I can't really reason his error saying it can't be found in the current context :s

 

[Solaire]

Looks to me like p is his Process variable as shown in his code snippet:



That's also why I can't really reason his error saying it can't be found in the current context :s

Yeah I noticed but this was my only guess based on his post.

Anyway, @OP, this should work:

[DllImport ("User32.dll")] static extern int SetForegroundWindow(IntPtr point);


Process p = Process.Start("notepad.exe");
p.WaitForInputIdle();
IntPtr h = p.MainWindowHandle;
SetForegroundWindow(h);
SendKeys.SendWait("k");

Source:

You must be registered to see links

 

[jbeitz107]

Process p = Process.Start("notepad.exe");

This creates the issue as you are trying to show Solaire. I want to open the program embedded into the C# application with one button but, also to allow use of another button that will bring the focus of the embedded exe that will send a keystroke. By use of the "process.start" it will open a new process. I don't want to do this. I hope that you understand. My ultimate reasoning for this is to window a game that lacks borders and alter the config file to change the graphics size as well before the exe is opened. This will in turn be used to create a auto key presser and unify multiple theories into one tool.

 

[Solaire]

This creates the issue as you are trying to show Solaire. I want to open the program embedded into the C# application with one button but, also to allow use of another button that will bring the focus of the embedded exe that will send a keystroke. By use of the "process.start" it will open a new process. I don't want to do this. I hope that you understand. My ultimate reasoning for this is to window a game that lacks borders and alter the config file to change the graphics size as well before the exe is opened. This will in turn be used to create a auto key presser and unify multiple theories into one tool.

Ah that's different than what I had in mind.

I wrote you a sample code, button2 has the implementation you want, button1 has the implementation I mentioned before. If you want button2 to always make use of the process that was started by button1 then you could save the main window handle to a class variable. Otherwise, GetProcessesByName should do the trick.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace Temp
{
    public partial class Form1 : Form
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// The DLL import used to focus the window
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="point"></param>
        /// <returns></returns>
        [DllImport("User32.dll")]
        static extern int SetForegroundWindow(IntPtr point);

        public Form1()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            // Start process
            Process process = Process.Start("notepad.exe");

            // Wait until the process started
            process.WaitForInputIdle();
            
            // Grab window handle and set foreground to that window
            SetForegroundWindow(process.MainWindowHandle);

            // Send key
            SendKeys.SendWait("k");
        }

        private void button2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            // Find notepad
            // NOTE: no .exe here
            Process[] processes = Process.GetProcessesByName("notepad");

            // Check if any process was found
            if (processes.Length == 0)
            {
                return;
            }

            // Set foreground window
            SetForegroundWindow(processes[0].MainWindowHandle);

            // Send key
            SendKeys.SendWait("o");
        }
    }
}

 

[jbeitz107]

I have already attempted to use similar coding but, it doesn't focus on the exe. Can you give a small example of what you mean "save the main window handle to a class variable"? Thank you

 

[Solaire]

I have already attempted to use similar coding but, it doesn't focus on the exe. Can you give a small example of what you mean "save the main window handle to a class variable"? Thank you

What OS are you using? I've tested the code on Windows 10 and it worked fine.

 

[jbeitz107]

I am using Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit and maybe I am doing something wrong but, it is not focusing on the exe embedded inside of the C# application. When I click on the button to perform the action, nothing happens.

Here is my button to focus on the embedded exe.

private void button3_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
             // Find HTLauncher.exe which is the actual game file
            // NOTE: no .exe here
            Process[] processes = Process.GetProcessesByName("HTLauncher");

            // Check if any process was found
            if (processes.Length == 0)
            {
                return;
            }
            SetForegroundWindow(processes[0].MainWindowHandle);
            System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(500);
            // Send key F1 is the key set to make my character dance as an example
            SendKeys.Send("{F1}");
}

 

[Solaire]

I am using Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit and maybe I am doing something wrong but, it is not focusing on the exe embedded inside of the C# application. When I click on the button to perform the action, nothing happens.

Here is my button to focus on the embedded exe.

private void button3_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
             // Find HTLauncher.exe which is the actual game file
            // NOTE: no .exe here
            Process[] processes = Process.GetProcessesByName("HTLauncher");

            // Check if any process was found
            if (processes.Length == 0)
            {
                return;
            }
            SetForegroundWindow(processes[0].MainWindowHandle);
            System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(500);
            // Send key F1 is the key set to make my character dance as an example
            SendKeys.Send("{F1}");
}

Does it work on notepad though? Because it if does, then it might have something to do with your application.

 

[jbeitz107]

No, it doesn't work with notepad either. Still the same issues. Hmm...

 

[Solaire]

There were issues reported with that WINAPI function using Windows 7. Could you try a different OS or computer?