Windows API - Win32
A core set of Windows application programming interfaces (APIs) for desktop and server applications. Previously known as Win32 API.
2,281 questions
Detect keypress event and show UI in windows and mac os
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Shabari Pragash
126
Reputation points
Is there any way to detect keypress events from some specific apps and show some UI within those apps?
in both windows and mac os
something like Grammarly app
{count} votes
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Junjie Zhu - MSFT 10,791 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor2022-03-28T08:02:56.473+00:00 Could you describe it in more detail,
In win32 desktop applications
'detect keypress events' can use Hooks
'show some UI within those apps', can use SetWindowPos ; hide and unhide with ShowWindow -
Shabari Pragash 126 Reputation points
2022-03-28T10:36:12.373+00:00 if i am making changes in ms word in windows or mac os, i could be able to detect it and show some UI.
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Junjie Zhu - MSFT 10,791 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
2022-03-29T10:06:47.077+00:00 What are the specific changes? Delete? Write? Select? Copy? or It's exactly the same as Grammarly app.
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Shabari Pragash 126 Reputation points
2022-03-29T20:04:37.417+00:00 There is no specific changes. Need to detect any type of changes in ms word and show an UI within that app.
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Junjie Zhu - MSFT 10,791 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
2022-03-30T10:29:37.557+00:00 This is a hook class that can monitor mouse and keyboard events, I hope it can help you. https://github.com/SchrdingerCAT123/Hook_Sample
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Shabari Pragash 126 Reputation points
2022-03-30T13:10:32.23+00:00 Thanks will check hook mechanism. Is there some better mechanism for ms office apps? something like event handler when ms office document is updated (i.e., being edited but yet to save).
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Junjie Zhu - MSFT 10,791 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
2022-03-31T08:00:57.323+00:00 This topic provides a brief overview of the Word object model by C#, Is it a better solution for you?
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Shabari Pragash 126 Reputation points
2022-03-31T21:55:16.847+00:00 That topic is part of VSTO add-in. But VSTO add-in has 2 dependencies - .NET framework and VSTO runtime library. I don't want dependencies for this. Is there any better native solution for ms office apps? Even Grammarly app doesn't seem to have any dependencies. So i believe some native solution should be available.
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Junjie Zhu - MSFT 10,791 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
2022-04-08T12:56:44.103+00:00 I think it's a complex algorithmic process that needs to listen for specific mouse and keyboard behavior, and needs to be filtered. Your needs don't currently seem to have a dedicated API that does what you want. I think Hooks is a viable solution.
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