simulate window to focus

Question

How can I simulate a foreign window as the focused window? I need this, because I want to send keys to the notepad window and it only works if the notepad window has the focus. But I don't want to loose the focus on my own window.

public IntPtr Find(string taskName, string windowName)
{
    return Fenster.FindWindow(taskName, windowName);
}
public void Send(IntPtr hwnd, string text)
{
    if (!hwnd.Equals(IntPtr.Zero))
    {
        SendKeys.Send(text);
    }
}
public bool SetForeground(IntPtr hwnd)
{
    return SetForegroundWindow(hwnd);   
}

[DllImport("user32.dll", EntryPoint = "FindWindow")]
private static extern IntPtr FindWindow(string lp1, string lp2);

[DllImport("user32.dll", ExactSpelling = true, CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
[return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
private static extern bool SetForegroundWindow(IntPtr hWnd);

Thanks a lot!

You can't, or at least you don't want to. Send the proper messages to Notepad, don't use SendKeys. — CodeCaster, Sep 23 '14 at 11:25
Now you're asking the right question. See duplicate. :) Using `SendMessage()` you can [send a `WM_CHAR` message to a window's message queue](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13514820/sendmessage-when-to-use-keydown-syskeydown-etc), simulating keypresses to a window that doesn't have focus. — CodeCaster, Sep 23 '14 at 11:30

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 23 '14 at 11:30

1

The best solution would be to get the HWND of the window that you want to control and send the key message (either WM_KEY_DOWN and WM_KEY_UP or WM_CHAR - may depend on Application and purpose) directly via SendMessage or PostMessage.

answered Sep 23 '14 at 11:30

vlad_tepesch

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simulate window to focus

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