NAME
Win32::CtrlGUI - a Module for controlling Win32 GUIs based on
Win32::Setupsup
SYNOPSIS
use Win32::CtrlGUI
my $window = Win32::CtrlGUI::wait_for_window(qr/Notepad/);
$window->send_keys("!fx");
DESCRIPTION
`Win32::CtrlGUI' makes it much easier to use `Win32::Setupsup' to
control Win32 GUIs. It relies completely on `Win32::Setupsup' for its
underlying interaction with the GUI, but it provides a very powerful and
somewhat user-friendly OO interface to make things easier.
There are a number of modules in the system, so a brief overview will be
provided to make it easier to understand.
`Win32::CtrlGUI'
This module provides a set of methods for identifying and
enumerating windows.
`Win32::CtrlGUI::Window'
`Win32::CtrlGUI::Window' objects represent GUI windows. Internally,
they simply store the window handle. Stringification is overloaded
to return the window text, whereas numification and numeric
comparison are overloaded to operate on the handle. Friendlier
versions of the methods applicable to windows are provided. Finally,
a `send_keys' method is provided that uses a (IMHO) friendlier
syntax (it's based on that used by WinBatch). Instead of sending the
string `\\ALT+\\f\\ALT-\\x', one sends `!fx'. Instead of sending
`\\RET\\', one sends `{ENTER}' or `{RET}'. Instead of sending
`\\DOWN\\\\DOWN\\\\DOWN\\', one can send `{DOWN 3}'.
`Win32::CtrlGUI::State'
The `Win32::CtrlGUI::State' hierarchy of modules provides for a very
powerful state machine system for responding to windows and
executing actions as a result. If you're using `Win32::CtrlGUI' to
script any sort of process, I strongly encourage you to look at the
documentation in `Win32::CtrlGUI::State'. Yes, it's complicated. But
so is writing your own code to deal with optional windows, sequence
forking, and so forth. For now, there isn't much documentation. See
the demo.pl script for some ideas, and beyond that, feel free to
contact me if you have questions.
Also, there is a Tk debugger now. It requires, of course, that Tk be
installed. I haven't done much testing to see how it behaves on
anything other than Perl 5.6.0 with Tk 800.022. Take a look at
demotk.pl for an example.
`Win32::CtrlGUI::Criteria'
The `Win32::CtrlGUI::Criteria' hierarchy supports the
`Win32::CtrlGUI::State' hierarchy by providing an OO interface to
state criteria.
Installation instructions
`Win32::CtrlGUI' depends on `Win32::Setupsup', available from
http://www.cpan.org/modules/by-module/Win32/setupsup.1.0.1.0.zip,
although you might want to check that folder to see if there is a more
recent version.
If you want to use the Tk debugger/observer, you will need `Tk' and
`Win32::API'. Both are available from CPAN and via PPM.
Standard `Make::Maker' approach or just move everything in `Win32' into
`site/lib/Win32'.
METHODS
enum_windows
This method returns a list of `Win32::CtrlGUI::Window' objects
representing the windows currently open. It uses
`Win32::Setupsup::EnumWindows' for the underlying call.
wait_for_window
This method waits a for a window matching the passed criteria. It
accepts three parameters - criteria for the window, criteria for the
child window, and a timeout. The last two parameters are optional. If
you need to specify a timeout, but don't want to specify criteria for
the child window, pass `undef' as the child window criteria.
Criteria can be one of three things:
* A string. In this case, the string will be matched case
insensitively against the window title.
* A regular expression. These should be passed using the `qr/ . . . /'
syntax.
* A code reference (i.e. `sub { . . . }'). Code references will have
access to a `Win32::CtrlGUI::Window' object in `$_' and should
return true or false.
These three formats can be used both for the window and the child window
criteria. In the special case of a string match on the window and no
child window criteria, `Win32::Setupsup::WaitForWindow' will be used. In
all other cases, a busy loop is executed using the default wait interval
in `$Win32::CtrlGUI::wait_intvl' (specified in milliseconds).
The call will return a `Win32::CtrlGUI::Window' object if successful or
`undef' if it timesout. If the timeout value is unspecified or negative,
it waits indefinitely. Timeout values are specified in seconds
(fractional seconds are allowed).
get_windows
This method returns a list of all windows matching the passed criteria.
Same criteria format as for `wait_for_window'. Instead of a timeout, the
third parameter is the optional justone parameter. If it is true,
`get_windows' returns only the first window to match the criteria. The
returned windows are, of course, `Win32::CtrlGUI::Window' objects.