Why won't simulated mouse click at X Y coordinates like a real mouse click?

[chuckchuckit]

Is the only way to get a simulated mouse to click on the screen, is to go through window handles, setfocus, mouse_event etc?

Can't we somehow just use the same interrupt system the physical left button on the mouse uses when this left button is clicked by a user, and then use the mouse coordinates X Y on the screen just like the physical mouse system does?

Going through window handles etc is prone to many problems, and does not always click when it should such as applications with embedded menu codes.

Thanks.
Chuck

 

[chuckchuckit]

It looks like this line that fails (returns 0) has to be resolved before any clicking will be possible:

Rtn = PostMessage(Gear_WinHndl, WM_SETFOCUS, 0&, 0&)

Unless someone knows why that line fails, I am thinking a way to resolve this will be to learn how to capture Windows messages, then do an actual "manual click" of the gear (which does work), and then look at the Windows messages generated by the successful manual click.

Then perhaps duplicate those messages in order to simulate a successful click.

Does anyone know how to capture Windows messages after a click?

Thanks.

 

[John_w]

For VBA code to simulate mouse clicks and (key presses), I can thoroughly recommend SendKeys.

Although I've only used (very successfully) the functions which emulate and improve the standard VBA SendKeys command, I'm positive that the mouse click functions will also work consistently and reliably. In my search for a better SendKeys, I found and tried many pieces of code and this was by far the best.

You need to download the VB6 version of the code and use the SendKeys.bas file. Although it is written in VB, it is very easy to convert to VBA.

 

[chuckchuckit]

John, Thanks for the post and the VB6 updated SendKeys info. Looks like good possibilities as goes right into the problems with Window "Focus" of other applications outside Excel. Also has WINFOCUS structure for troubleshooting perhaps. Haven't downloaded it yet I'll be working on what you sent this weekend.

If "focus" succeeds then next, it also seems to be capable of AttchThreadInput (no doubt via GetWindowThreadProcessId) for use with external applications to then do that successful final click.

Been starting to look into hook and unhook keyboard/mouse which it also has.I was just starting to research API Windows messaging system to help find where problem is, SendKeys will save a lot of time if it works.

Appreciate the info, and anything else you may wish to add is of course welcome.