InputSimulator works while debugging but not when program is built - vb.net

Question

In my project im using inputsimulator and it works great when visual studio is ran as an administrator, but when i build it into a .exe it doesn't work even when i run it as administrator. here's my code
Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
AutoSaveTimer.Enabled = True
Try
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(50)
GameConnection.SendKeyTo(Keys.OemSemicolon)
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(2000)
GameConnection.SendKeyTo(Keys.K)
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(50)
GameConnection.SendKeyTo(Keys.Enter)
Catch AutoSaveExeption As GameException
If AutoSaveExeption.GameErrorCode = GameError.GAME_ERR_SENDMSG Then
' Send message error - connection to Game lost.
'
MessageBox.Show("cant make a connection.... can't autosave sadly", AppTitle, MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Exclamation)
SimConnectionBar.BackColor = Color.Red
End If
End Try
End Sub
it does send focus to the window i specify but it doesn't send the keystrokes

Answer 1

Try using SetForegroundWindow before sending any input to ensure your game does in fact have focus.The call to SetForegroundWindow should be made in your method just before sending the input.
<DllImport("user32.dll")> _
Public Shared Function SetForegroundWindow(hWnd As IntPtr) As Boolean
End Function
Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click `
AutoSaveTimer.Enabled = True
Try
'Find the handle to the game. This can do it by searching for the process.
Dim p As System.Diagnostics.Process() = System.Diagnostics.Process.GetProcessesByName("notepad")
'search for process notepad
If p.Length > 0 Then
'check if window was found
'bring notepad to foreground
SetForegroundWindow(p(0).MainWindowHandle)
End If
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(50)
GameConnection.SendKeyTo(Keys.OemSemicolon)
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(2000)
GameConnection.SendKeyTo(Keys.K)
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(50)
GameConnection.SendKeyTo(Keys.Enter)
Catch AutoSaveExeption As GameException
If AutoSaveExeption.GameErrorCode = GameError.GAME_ERR_SENDMSG Then
' Send message error - connection to Game lost.
'
MessageBox.Show("cant make a connection.... can't autosave sadly", AppTitle, MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Exclamation)
SimConnectionBar.BackColor = Color.Red
End If
End Try
end sub