I have a program I would like to monitor if someone has it open or not. It turns out the program runs in the background like "wowexec.exe". So the processes are indented in under "explorer.exe". I've tried two things to try and identify if this program is open or not.
My first is
Dim p() As Process = Process.GetProcessesByName("Process")
Dim retValue As Boolean = p.Length > 0
MsgBox(retValue & vbCrLf & "Process")
This works perfect for finding process on the computer, it will identify "explorer.exe" and anything else running, but cannot not identify something running in the backgorund like "wowexec.exe".
My second attempt at this (Which may not be written correctly) is
Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
Private Sub Button2_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
Dim lngFindIt As Long
lngFindIt = FindWindow(vbNullString, "WindowName")
If lngFindIt = 0 Then
MsgBox("Does not Exist")
Else
MsgBox("Exists!")
End If
End Sub
For some reason this always returns "Exists!" regardless what I put in for the Window name. I can type a bunch of letter or leave it blank and it returns "Exists!".
Any help is a big thanks.
Related
I am developing an application which opens and reads an XML document previously embedded in a PowerPoint presentation, or a Word document. In order to read this object (xmlFile as Object) I have to do:
xmlFile.OLEFormat.DoVerb 1
This opens the package object, and I have another subroutine that gets the open instance of Notepad.exe, and reads its contents in to ADODB stream.
An example of this procedure is available on Google Docs:
XML_Test.pptm.
During this process there is a few seconds window where the Notepad.exe gains focus, and an inadvertent keystroke may cause undesired results or error reading the XML data.
I am looking for one of two things:
Either a method to prevent the user from inadvertently inputting (via keyboard/mouse/etc) while this operation is being performed. Preferably something that does not take control of the user's machine like MouseKeyboardTest subroutine, below. Or,
A better method of extracting the XML data into a string variable.
For #1: this is the function that I found, which I am leery of using. I am wary of taking this sort of control of the users system. ##Are there any other methods that I might use?##
Private Declare Function BlockInput Lib "USER32.dll" (ByVal fBlockIt As Long) As Long
Private Declare Sub Sleep Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long)
Sub MouseKeyboardTest() 'both keyboard and mouse blocked
BlockInput True ' Turns off Keyboard and Mouse
' Routine goes here
Sleep 5000 ' Optional coding
BlockInput False ' Turns on Keyboard and Mouse
End Sub
For #2: Some background, but the issue seems to be the inability to extract the embedded object reliably using any method other than DoVerb 1. Since I am dealing with an unsaved document in an application (Notepad) that is immune to my VBA skillz, this seems to be the only way to do this. Full background on that, here:
Extracting an OLEObject (XML Document) from PowerPoint VBA
As you correctly guessed in the comment above that taking the focus away from notepad will solve your problem. The below code does exactly that.
LOGIC:
A. Loop through the shape and get it's name. In your scenario it would be something like Chart Meta XML_fbc9775a-19ea-.txt
B. Use APIs like FindWindow, GetWindowTextLength, GetWindow etc to get the handle of the notepad window using partial caption.
C. Use the ShowWindow API to minimize the window
Code (tested in VBA-Powerpoint)
Paste this code in a module in the above PPTM
Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "User32" Alias "FindWindowA" _
(ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowText Lib "User32" Alias "GetWindowTextA" _
(ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal lpString As String, ByVal cch As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowTextLength Lib "User32" Alias _
"GetWindowTextLengthA" (ByVal hWnd As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindow Lib "User32" (ByVal hWnd As Long, _
ByVal wCmd As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function ShowWindow Lib "User32" (ByVal hWnd As Long, _
ByVal nCmdShow As Long) As Long
Private Const GW_HWNDNEXT = 2
Private Const SW_SHOWMINIMIZED = 2
Sub Sample()
Dim shp As Shape
Dim winName As String
Dim Ret As Long
For Each shp In ActivePresentation.Slides(1).Shapes
If shp.Type = msoEmbeddedOLEObject Then
winName = shp.Name
shp.OLEFormat.Activate
Exit For
End If
Next
If winName <> "" Then
Wait 1
If GetHwndFromCaption(Ret, Replace(winName, ".txt", "")) = True Then
Call ShowWindow(Ret, SW_SHOWMINIMIZED)
Else
MsgBox "Window not found!", vbOKOnly + vbExclamation
End If
End If
End Sub
Private Function GetHwndFromCaption(ByRef lWnd As Long, ByVal sCaption As String) As Boolean
Dim Ret As Long
Dim sStr As String
GetHwndFromCaption = False
Ret = FindWindow(vbNullString, vbNullString)
Do While Ret <> 0
sStr = String(GetWindowTextLength(Ret) + 1, Chr$(0))
GetWindowText Ret, sStr, Len(sStr)
sStr = Left$(sStr, Len(sStr) - 1)
If InStr(1, sStr, sCaption) > 0 Then
GetHwndFromCaption = True
lWnd = Ret
Exit Do
End If
Ret = GetWindow(Ret, GW_HWNDNEXT)
Loop
End Function
Private Sub Wait(ByVal nSec As Long)
nSec = nSec + Timer
While nSec > Timer
DoEvents
Wend
End Sub
My understanding is that you have control over how XML file gets embedded into PowerPoint presentation in the first place. Here I do not quite understand why you chose to keep the data you need as contents of an embedded object.
To be sure, the task of getting those contents back is not a piece of cake. Actually, as long as there is no (simple or even moderately difficult) way to call QueryInterface and use IPersist* interfaces from VBA, there is just one way to get to contents of embedded object. The way involves following steps:
Activate an embedded object. You used OLEFormat.DoVerb 1 for that. A better way would be to call OLEFormat.Activate, but this is irrelevant for your particular problem.
Use embedded object's programming model to perform useful operations like getting contents, saving or whatever is exposed. Notepad.exe exposes no such programming model, and you resorted to WinAPI which is the best choice available.
Unfortunately, your current approach has at least 2 flaws:
The one you identified in the question (activation of notepad.exe leading to possibility of user's interference).
If a user has default program for opening .txt files other than notepad.exe, your approach is doomed.
If you do have control over how embedded object is created then better approach would be to store your XML data in some property of Shape object. I would use Shape.AlternativeText (very straightforward to use; shouldn't be used if you export your .pptm to HTML or have some different scenario where AlternativeText matters) or Shape.Tags (this one is probably the most semantically correct for the task) for that.
I don't think that blocking the user is the right approach,
If you must use a content of a notepad window, I would suggest using the SendKeys method, in order to send this combination:
SendKeys("^A^C")
Which is the equivalent of "Select All" and "Copy",
And then you could continue working "offline" on the clipboard, without fear of interference by keystrokes.
My approach, per Sid's suggestion, was to find a way to minimize the Notepad.exe. Since I already found way to get that object and close it, I figured this should not be as hard.
I add these:
Public Declare Function _
ShowWindow& Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long, _
ByVal ncmdshow As Long)
Public Const SW_MINIMIZE = 6
And then, in the FindNotepad function, right before Exit Function (so, after the Notepad has been found) I minimize the window with:
ShowWindow TopWnd, SW_MINIMIZE
I am trying to automate data population on some excel sheets that have some macros. Now the excel is protected and I cannot get the secret key. Now I am able to run the macros but when I try to pass arguments I get arguments mismatch.
If I just run the macro with the name, I get an inputbox which takes an extra argument as input and auto generates some of the values for the columns. I have to manually enter this value into the inputbox as of now. Is there any way that I could automate that process, i.e capture the inputbox thrown by the macro in the vb.net script and enter the values from there? i.e., I would like to run the macro and after I get the popup asking me to enter some value, use the vb.net code to enter the value to that popup.
Here is what I have till now
Public Class Form1
Dim excelApp As New Excel.Application
Dim excelWorkbook As Excel.Workbook
Dim excelWorkSheet As Excel.Worksheet
Private Sub Button4_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button4.Click
excelWorkbook = excelApp.Workbooks.Open("D:/excelSheets/plan_management_data_templates_network.xls")
excelApp.Visible = True
excelWorkSheet = excelWorkbook.Sheets("Networks")
With excelWorkSheet
.Range("B7").Value = "AR"
End With
excelApp.Run("createNetworks")
// now here I would like to enter the value into the createNetworks Popup box
excelApp.Quit()
releaseObject(excelApp)
releaseObject(excelWorkbook)
End Sub
Macro definition
createNetworks()
//does so basic comparisons on existing populated fields
//if true prompts an inputbox and waits for user input.
This stall my vb.net script too from moving to the next line.
Like you and me, we both have names, similarly windows have handles(hWnd), Class etc. Once you know what that hWnd is, it is easier to interact with that window.
This is the screenshot of the InputBox
Logic:
Find the Handle of the InputBox using FindWindow and the caption of the Input Box which is Create Network IDs
Once that is found, find the handle of the Edit Box in that window using FindWindowEx
Once the handle of the Edit Box is found, simply use SendMessage to write to it.
In the below example we would be writing It is possible to Interact with InputBox from VB.Net to the Excel Inputbox.
Code:
Create a Form and add a button to it.
Paste this code
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports System.Text
Public Class Form1
Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" _
(ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Integer
Private Declare Function FindWindowEx Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowExA" _
(ByVal hWnd1 As Integer, ByVal hWnd2 As Integer, ByVal lpsz1 As String, _
ByVal lpsz2 As String) As Integer
Private Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" _
(ByVal hwnd As Integer, ByVal wMsg As Integer, ByVal wParam As Integer, _
ByVal lParam As String) As Integer
Const WM_SETTEXT = &HC
Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Dim Ret As Integer, ChildRet As Integer
'~~> String we want to write to Input Box
Dim sMsg As String = "It is possible to Interact with InputBox from VB.Net"
'~~> Get the handle of the "Input Box" Window
Ret = FindWindow(vbNullString, "Create Network IDs")
If Ret <> 0 Then
'MessageBox.Show("Input Box Window Found")
'~~> Get the handle of the Text Area "Window"
ChildRet = FindWindowEx(Ret, 0, "EDTBX", vbNullString)
'~~> Check if we found it or not
If ChildRet <> 0 Then
'MessageBox.Show("Text Area Window Found")
SendMess(sMsg, ChildRet)
End If
End If
End Sub
Sub SendMess(ByVal Message As String, ByVal hwnd As Long)
Call SendMessage(hwnd, WM_SETTEXT, False, Message)
End Sub
End Class
ScreenShot
When you run the code this is what you get
EDIT (Based on further request of automating the OK/Cancel in Chat)
AUTOMATING THE OK/CANCEL BUTTONS OF INPUTBOX
Ok here is an interesting fact.
You can call the InputBox function two ways in Excel
Sub Sample1()
Dim Ret
Ret = Application.InputBox("Called Via Application.InputBox", "Sample Title")
End Sub
and
Sub Sample2()
Dim Ret
Ret = InputBox("Called Via InputBox", "Sample Title")
End Sub
In your case the first way is used and unfortunately, The OK and CANCEL buttons do not have a handle so unfortunately, you will have to use SendKeys (Ouch!!!) to interact with it. Had you Inbutbox been generated via the second method then we could have automated the OK and CANCEL buttons easily :)
Additional Info:
Tested on Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate (64 bit) / Excel 2010 (32 bit)
Inspired by your question, I actually wrote a blog Article on how to interact with the OK button on InputBox.
Currently, I employ a method where I run a thread before the macro is called by the script. The thread checks if the inputbox has been called. If it is, it picks up the value from the location and using sendkeys, submits the box.
This is a rudimentary solution but I was hoping for a more elegant solution to this problem.
My solution Code:
Public Class Form1
Dim excelApp As New Excel.Application
Dim excelWorkbook As Excel.Workbook
Dim excelWorkSheet As Excel.Worksheet
Private Sub Button4_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button4.Click
excelWorkbook = excelApp.Workbooks.Open("D:/excelSheets/some_excel.xls")
excelApp.Visible = True
excelWorkSheet = excelWorkbook.Sheets("SheetName")
With excelWorkSheet
.Range("B7").Value = "Value"
End With
Dim trd = New Thread(Sub() Me.SendInputs("ValueForInputBox"))
trd.IsBackground = True
trd.Start()
excelApp.Run("macroName")
trd.Join()
releaseObject(trd)
excelApp.Quit()
releaseObject(excelApp)
releaseObject(excelWorkbook)
End Sub
Private Sub releaseObject(ByVal obj As Object)
Try
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(obj)
obj = Nothing
Catch ex As Exception
obj = Nothing
Finally
GC.Collect()
End Try
End Sub
Private Sub SendInputs(ByVal noOfIds As String)
Thread.Sleep(100)
SendKeys.SendWait(noOfIds)
SendKeys.SendWait("{ENTER}")
SendKeys.SendWait("{ENTER}")
End Sub
I want to run an app inside a panel or something within my applicaiton. It's an emulator front end. You browse through games, then when you select one it launches the emulator. I found the following code and adapted it to my project
Public Class Form1
Declare Auto Function SetParent Lib "user32.dll" (ByVal hWndChild As IntPtr, ByVal hWndNewParent As IntPtr) As Integer
Declare Auto Function SendMessage Lib "user32.dll" (ByVal hWnd As IntPtr, ByVal Msg As Integer, ByVal wParam As Integer, ByVal lParam As Integer) As Integer
Private Const WM_SYSCOMMAND As Integer = 274
Private Const SC_MAXIMIZE As Integer = 61488
Dim proc As Process
Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
proc = Process.Start("C:\WINDOWS\notepad.exe")
proc.WaitForInputIdle()
SetParent(proc.MainWindowHandle, Panel1.Handle)
SendMessage(proc.MainWindowHandle, WM_SYSCOMMAND, SC_MAXIMIZE, 0)
End Sub
End Class
If I try it with notepad, or even zsnesw.exe it works okay, but if I try to pass some parameters to zsnesw it kind of freaks out and I have to reboot my computer (I can't switch applications or even open the task manager).
Also, even when it does work, the start menu pops up like I have switched to another app. This is kind of what I was trying to avoid in the first place as my app is full screen.
I got it working!
Dim proc As Process
proc = Process.Start(emuPath + "zsnesw", "-m """ + selGame.romPath + """")
proc.WaitForInputIdle()
SetParent(proc.MainWindowHandle, Me.Panel1.Handle)
SendMessage(proc.MainWindowHandle, WM_SYSCOMMAND, SC_MAXIMIZE, 0)
Me.BringToFront()
Problem 1: I was passing the arguments incorrectly. I was trying to use Process.StartInfo.Arguments. Didn't work for some reason. Using a comma in Process.Start works fine.
Problem 2: I added Me.BringToFront() to hide the start menu again.
Use Thread.Sleep
;)
'Run Calc application inside Panel2 control
Dim proc As Process
proc = Process.Start("Calc.exe")
proc.WaitForInputIdle()
Thread.Sleep(1000)
SetParent(proc.MainWindowHandle, Me.Panel2.Handle)
Thread.Sleep(1000)
SendMessage(proc.MainWindowHandle, WM_SYSCOMMAND, SC_MAXIMIZE, 0)
I'm interested in creating a slide with powerpoint that will just display a new number in a Shape if theres a new day or time (midnight). I know java programming but haven't done programming in over 6 years now. I've never really used VB.
Dim CurrentTime = TimeValue(now)
Sub If CurrentTime.Now = TimeValue(24:00:00)
Then updateNum;
i = i+1
'Then I would like to display 'i' in a shape on powerpoint.
End Sub
Was thinking about doing a continous loop since the file will always be open and will never close.
Or Should I use a timer to countdown the seconds of the day then increment the number?
Unlike Excel, PowerPoint doesn't have OnTimer which would be helpful here.
Just making a loop will result in 100% processor consumption. You probably don't want that.
Calling Sleep() on each iteration will preserve processor time, but make the application unresponsible. That you probably don't want either.
So you should really set up a timer. If writing a VSTO addin is okay with you, then just use the Timer class, otherwise make one yourself in VBA:
Option Explicit
Private Declare Function SetTimer Lib "user32.dll" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nIDEvent As Long, ByVal uElapse As Long, ByVal lpTimerFunc As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function KillTimer Lib "user32.dll" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nIDEvent As Long) As Long
Private hTimer As Long
Private PrevDate As Date
Public Sub StartTimer()
If hTimer = 0 Then
hTimer = SetTimer(0, 0, 1000, AddressOf TimerProc)
End If
End Sub
Public Sub StopTimer()
KillTimer 0, hTimer
hTimer = 0
End Sub
Private Sub TimerProc(ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal uMsg As Long, ByVal nIDEvent As Long, ByVal dwTime As Long)
Dim CurDate As Date
CurDate = Date
If CurDate > PrevDate Then
PrevDate = CurDate
'Put your display code here
End If
End Sub
You can include this in a module in your presentation. It will fire on every slide change during a slide show:
Sub OnSlideShowPageChange(ByVal SSW As SlideShowWindow)
MsgBox (SSW.View.Slide.SlideIndex)
End Sub
Obviously, replace the MsgBox statement with code to update your text with the current date/time.
This works in PPT 2010 and should work as far back as Office 97, but isn't documented/supported, so MS might remove it whenever the whim strikes them. I don't know whether it works in PPT on the Mac.
I'm searching a method to close a specific window by the title.
I tried with Process.GetProcessesByName; but not is working by this case particulary.
I'm searching a method with APIs or similar (Not in C#, I see several code but not work fine in vb.net)
Thanks!
UPDATE
Thanks for the reply. But I'm still have a problem with the solution that you describe me below.
I'm have an only process that's control two windows. Then, if I close (or kill) the Window #2, instantly close the first one (See the image).
By this reason I think in using an API method from the begging.
I'm only want close the second window.
Try using something like this. using Process.MainWindowTitle to get the Title Text and Process.CloseMainWindow to close down the UI, its a little more graceful than killing the Process.
Note: Contains does a case-sensitive search
Imports System.Diagnostics
Module Module1
Sub Main()
Dim myProcesses() As Process = Process.GetProcesses
For Each p As Process In myProcesses
If p.MainWindowTitle.Contains("Notepad") Then
p.CloseMainWindow()
End If
Next
End Sub
End Module
As far as Win API functions try something like this. Be aware if you close the parent window you will close the children also.
Module Module1
Private Declare Auto Function FindWindowEx Lib "user32" (ByVal parentHandle As Integer, _
ByVal childAfter As Integer, _
ByVal lclassName As String, _
ByVal windowTitle As String) As Integer
Private Declare Auto Function PostMessage Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Integer, _
ByVal message As UInteger, _
ByVal wParam As Integer, _
ByVal lParam As Integer) As Boolean
Dim WM_QUIT As UInteger = &H12
Dim WM_CLOSE As UInteger = &H10
Sub Main()
Dim handle As Integer = FindWindowEx(0, 0, Nothing, "YourFormsTitle")
PostMessage(handle, WM_CLOSE, 0, 0)
End Sub
End Module
You haven't showed us your code snippet. Perhaps you can try this one.
Dim processList() As Process
processList = Process.GetProcessesByName(ListBox1.Items(ListBox1.SelectedIndex).ToString)
For Each proc As Process In processList
If MsgBox("Terminate " & proc.ProcessName & "?", MsgBoxStyle.YesNo, "Terminate?") = MsgBoxResult.Yes Then
Try
proc.Kill()
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)
End Try
End If
Next
In the snippet above, i have a list of window title on the listBox. The snippet will iterate the listbox for window titles, and if the title has been found, it asks a message to terminate the process or not.