How to make program window go from minimized to Maximized with vbscript

Kevin

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Jul 22, 2004, 10:01:09 AM7/22/04

to

I have a program that needs to run in the backround on a server 24/7 for
sales order processing. I need to set the program's user date each night.
I have a vbscript that runs in the scheduled tasks to do this. The script
checks to see if the program is active and if it is it performs a F9
sendkey. This works only if the target program is not minimized. If the
window is in normal or max mode I guess, it works just fine. How can I
modify this vbscript to force the program to display it's window full screen
before I send the F9 key? I'me familiar with coding in VB6 but not
vbscript! I'm running a Windows XP PC application.

Thanks!

Keivn
==============

dim WshShell
Set WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
returnValue = WshShell.AppActivate( "Program Window Name")
' seems as right here I need code to force the program window to normal or
max before sendig the F9 keystroke.

If returnValue = true then
WshShell.sendkeys "{F9}"
Wscript.sleep (1000)
wshShell.sendkeys "{ENTER}"
End if

Set WshShell = Nothing

thunder2232

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Jul 22, 2004, 12:25:55 PM7/22/04

to

No promises but take a look at the additions to your script that I added below...

"Kevin" wrote:

> I have a program that needs to run in the backround on a server 24/7 for
> sales order processing. I need to set the program's user date each night.
> I have a vbscript that runs in the scheduled tasks to do this. The script
> checks to see if the program is active and if it is it performs a F9
> sendkey. This works only if the target program is not minimized. If the
> window is in normal or max mode I guess, it works just fine. How can I
> modify this vbscript to force the program to display it's window full screen
> before I send the F9 key? I'me familiar with coding in VB6 but not
> vbscript! I'm running a Windows XP PC application.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Keivn
> ==============
>

Const MAXIMIZE_WINDOW = 3

> dim WshShell
> Set WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

> returnValue = WshShell.AppActivate( "Program Window Name"), MAXIMIZE_WINDOW 'This should be on one line with AppActivate.

Torgeir Bakken (MVP)

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Jul 22, 2004, 12:56:09 PM7/22/04

to

Kevin wrote:
> I have a program that needs to run in the backround on a server 24/7 for
> sales order processing. I need to set the program's user date each night.
> I have a vbscript that runs in the scheduled tasks to do this. The script
> checks to see if the program is active and if it is it performs a F9
> sendkey. This works only if the target program is not minimized. If the
> window is in normal or max mode I guess, it works just fine. How can I
> modify this vbscript to force the program to display it's window full screen
> before I send the F9 key?

Hi

WshShell.AppActivate does not support this (at least not on
NT4/Win2k/WinXP/Win2k3), but AutoItX does, so this should work:

Set oAutoIt = CreateObject("AutoItX.Control")
oAutoIt.SetTitleMatchMode 2

oAutoIt.WinActivate "Program Window Name", ""
oAutoIt.WinWaitActive "Program Window Name", ""
oAutoIt.Send "{F9}"
WScript.Sleep 1000
oAutoIt.Send "{ENTER}"

AutoIt/AutoItX is free and can be found here:
http://www.hiddensoft.com/AutoIt/

AutoItX is an ActiveX control version of AutoIt and can be used
from a vbscript.

Note: It's defaults is to match the start of a window title that you
specify, use "SetTitleMatchMode 2" to specify ANY substring of the
window title you want to match.

--
torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/default.mspx

Kevin

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Jul 22, 2004, 1:14:36 PM7/22/04

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The code actually acted the same way. I did have to change the syntax a
bit.

from

returnValue = WshShell.AppActivate( "Program Window Name"), MAXIMIZE_WINDOW

to
returnValue = WshShell.AppActivate( "Program Window Name", MAXIMIZE_WINDOW)

Thanks for helping, this seems like it ought to be so simple......

Kevin

"thunder2232" <thund...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
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thunder2232

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Jul 22, 2004, 1:53:02 PM7/22/04

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Thanks for the tip about AutoIT... I wasn't sure if AppActivate supported the MAXIMIZE_WINDOW, but it was worth a try...

Kevin

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Jul 22, 2004, 4:09:33 PM7/22/04

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Thanks very much! It looks like this will do the trick. What a great
little program.

Kevin

"Torgeir Bakken (MVP)" <Torgeir.B...@hydro.com> wrote in message
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