Pass keystrokes to another program?

[acollins]

Is it possible to write a VBA macro that passes keystrokes to another program? I have a spreadsheet with over 650 UPC codes for new products that have to be entered into our inventory system. I have downloaded and tried a few macro recorders that record keystrokes and mouse movements, but find them to be unreliable at best.

When I use the macro recorder to automate a task in Excel, (such as moving data from one sheet to another or importing data from a text file) I always go in after I'm done recording and add additional code to bullet-proof the macro (make sure the focus is set properly, etc.). I need to have this kind of control for this task and a macro recorder doesn't give me that (at least not these lower-end shareware programs I have been trying). I know that there are some higher-end macro recorders that include scripting that you can write and edit, but this our "slow" season business-wise and my supervisor has made it clear that he doesn't want to spend any money right now.

My task is simple (just very repetitive, which is why I don't want to spend all day sitting in front of my PC doing this):
1. Open Excel spreadsheet, go to starting data cell
2. Open 3rd party application and go to the appropriate data entry screen
3. Write a macro that does the following:
- checks to make sure the sheet is the active sheet
- copies contents of the active cell
- moves focus to other app and pastes data from active cell
- moves focus back to spreadsheet, copies the contents of the cell to the right (using ActiveCell.Offset?)
- makes other app active and pastes data
- repeat copy/paste for the next cell to right (in spreadsheet)
- press <ESC> twice to save record before returning focus to the spreadsheet
- move cursor down one line, repeat entire process until active cell is blank

Is this possible to do? The third party program is not able to listed as a reference in VBA, but I didn't know if it was possible to at least pass keystrokes to it. It is actually a terminal emulator (Anzio Lite). I guess the full-blown version of the program has some scripting capabilities (from the documentation I've read), but the Lite version does not.

Thanks,

Alan

 

[hatman]

Some interesting discussion of Sendkeys and WinAPI32 here

 

[jfarc]

To acollins original post:

Did you resolve your issue with sneding data to the 2nd app?

I've done extensive work with terminal emulators with and w/o VBA loaded and automating screen flows/data input. The key is knowing what the expected key entry flow is in your term emul and replicating those keystrokes in Excel.

Let me know if you still are having issues.

 

[iknowu99]

back to this....Excel is not meant for other applications ...but it is all connected if you are running Windows

there is special software that program testers use...but something simpler maybe MacroExpress?

 

[wazimu13]

hi

i know this is an old thread, but im hoping you can help me. We use a program called Reflections for Regis graphics made by a company called Attachmate.
I guess this is what you call a terminal emulator? i have some VBA code that im using to enter a password on a pop up window from this program.
When i step through the code with F8, i can see the password being entered and the OK button pressed.

However, when i run the program at full speed ( F5) the execution stops at the point where the password popup window has the cursor blinking inside it
waiting for input. ive tried various lines of code to try and include delays but not had any luck . i have posted this at excelforum but have had no responses.

Can anyone here help please? this is a time critical project and im getting desperate.

thanks