Python: How to get the text label from another program window?

Question

I want to read text labels from another program, with Python. I think I have to use WM_GETTEXT, but I don't know how and I couldn't find anything on the internet. My program gets the active window, but doesn't read the text labels. So I hope that somebody can help me.

EDIT: I have added the buffer and SendMessage Part. I can get the text from Editor for example, but not from the program I am trying to get the text labels from.

I have the following code, which I found here on stackoverflow(Get text from popup window):

import win32gui
import time

while True:
    window = win32gui.GetForegroundWindow()
    title = win32gui.GetWindowText(window)
    if 'GLS Exportdatei' in title:
        control = win32gui.FindWindowEx(window, 0, 'static', None)
        buffer = win32gui.PyMakeBuffer(20)
        length = win32gui.SendMessage(control, win32con.WM_GETTEXT, 20, buffer)

        result = buffer[:length]
        print result
        time.sleep(1)

If you click on the window you want to get text from (so it becomes the foreground window) does your app report the correct value? — Steve Mayne, Jan 24 '13 at 12:13
No it only displays a blank. The variable result does return an empty string. The title variable gives back the correct window name. — Xirama, Jan 24 '13 at 12:23
The title is longer than 20 characters. The title is: "GLS Exportdatei erstellen... [RG 100000]". — Xirama, Jan 24 '13 at 14:36

Steve Mayne · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-24T15:12:31.063

5

If the text of your window has more than 20 characters, then the buffer you have created is too small. Try expanding it to more than you're likely to need:

buffer = win32gui.PyMakeBuffer(255)
length = win32gui.SendMessage(control, win32con.WM_GETTEXT, 255, buffer)

If you want to get to the controls within the main window, then use EnumChildWindows, passing the handle of the parent window. You may need to do this recursively.

edited Jan 24 '13 at 15:12

answered Jan 24 '13 at 14:41

Steve Mayne

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The title is not the problem. It is the textfields I want to get. Here is an example of what the window looks like: [http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/689/exampleot.png/](http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/689/exampleot.png/) I try to store these textfields in the result variable. – Xirama Jan 24 '13 at 14:54
@Xirama, whether the text is a title or the contents of the window depends on the window type. It's the same call either way. – Mark Ransom Jan 24 '13 at 16:45
Many thanks for all your help. I now use EnumChildWindows to get the controls. – Xirama Feb 06 '13 at 14:30

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered May 13 '15 at 18:58

2

win32gui.PyMakeBuffer has been deprecated. Also, buffer is a builtin function, so don't use it as a variable name.

Instead, just do this:

buf = " " * 255
length = win32gui.SendMessage(control, win32con.WM_GETTEXT, 255, buf)
result = buf[:length]

answered May 13 '15 at 18:58

twasbrillig

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Python: How to get the text label from another program window?

2 Answers2

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