How Can I Send Selection and Copy Keys Using SendINput

Question

How Can I Send Selection and Copy Keys Using SendINput

Peter Boshra 66

I Want To Send These Keys To Active Window To Copy The Text which i stand on it
Keys : Shift + Right Arrow
Then : Ctrl + Left Arrow
Then : Shift + Ctrl + Right Arrow
Then : Ctrl + C

// I Tried This Code But Shift Key not Released so, Copy Operation have not Done
// i wrote This Code also in one array in sent as one but same problem

// Wait until all modifiers will be unpressed (to avoid conflicts with the other shortcuts)
while (GetAsyncKeyState(VK_LWIN) || GetAsyncKeyState(VK_RWIN) || GetAsyncKeyState(VK_SHIFT) || GetAsyncKeyState(VK_MENU) || GetAsyncKeyState(VK_CONTROL)) {};

//// Generate Ctrl + C input
INPUT copyText[1];
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));


// Set the press of the "Right" key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = VK_RIGHT;
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = 0; // 0 for key press
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));

// Set the Release of the "Right" key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = VK_RIGHT;
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = KEYEVENTF_KEYUP; // 0 for key press
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));

// Set the press of the "Ctrl" key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = VK_CONTROL;
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = 0; // 0 for key press
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));

// Set the press of the "Left" key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = VK_LEFT;
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = 0; // 0 for key press
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));


// Set the Release of the "Left" key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = VK_LEFT;
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = KEYEVENTF_KEYUP; // 0 for key press
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));


// Set the Release of the "Ctrl" key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = VK_CONTROL;
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = KEYEVENTF_KEYUP; // 0 for key press
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));


// Set the press of the "Ctrl" key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = VK_CONTROL;
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = 0; // 0 for key press
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));

//// Set the press of the "Shift" key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = VK_SHIFT;
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = KEYEVENTF_EXTENDEDKEY | 0;
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD; // Type Of Input
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));

// Set the press of the "Right" key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = VK_RIGHT;
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = 0; // 0 for key press
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));

// Set the Release of the "Right" key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = VK_RIGHT;
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = KEYEVENTF_KEYUP; // 0 for key press
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));

////// Set of Release the "Shift" Key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = VK_SHIFT;
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = KEYEVENTF_EXTENDEDKEY | KEYEVENTF_KEYUP; // 0 for key press
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));

// Set the press of the "Ctrl" key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = VK_CONTROL;
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = KEYEVENTF_KEYUP; // 0 for key press
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));

// Set the press of the "Ctrl" key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = VK_CONTROL;
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = 0; // 0 for key press
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));

// Set the press of the "C" key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = 'C';
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = 0; // 0 for key press
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));

// Set the Release of the "C" key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = 'C';
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = KEYEVENTF_KEYUP; // 0 for key press
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));
ZeroMemory(&copyText, sizeof(copyText));

// Set the Release of the "Ctrl" key
copyText[0].ki.wVk = VK_CONTROL;
copyText[0].ki.dwFlags = KEYEVENTF_KEYUP; // 0 for key press
copyText[0].type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;
SendInput(static_cast<UINT>(std::size(copyText)), copyText, sizeof(INPUT));

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Your answer

Answer 1

I don't understand your keys combinations :
Shift + Right Arrow
Then :
Ctrl + Left Arrow
as the second keys cancel the first ones...

Otherwise, you can adapt this test which works to select and copy all text in Notepad ([Ctrl] + [a], then [Ctrl] + [c] ) =>

            HWND hWndDest = FindWindow(L"Notepad", NULL);  
            if (hWndDest)  
            {  
                SwitchToThisWindow(hWndDest, TRUE);  
                SendKey(VK_CONTROL, 100, 0, true, false);  
                SendKey((WORD)LOBYTE(VkKeyScan('a')), 100, 0, true, true);  
                SendKey(VK_CONTROL, 100, 0, false, true);  

                SendKey(VK_CONTROL, 100, 0, true, false);  
                SendKey((WORD)LOBYTE(VkKeyScan('c')), 100, 0, true, true);  
                SendKey(VK_CONTROL, 100, 0, false, true);  
            }

Utility function :

void SendKey(WORD wVk, int nSleep, BOOL bExtendedkey, BOOL bDown, BOOL bUp)  
{  
    INPUT input;  
    if (bDown)  
    {  
        input.ki.wVk = wVk;  
        input.ki.wScan = (WORD)MapVirtualKey(wVk, 0);  
        input.ki.dwFlags = KEYEVENTF_SCANCODE;  
        if (bExtendedkey)  
            input.ki.dwFlags |= KEYEVENTF_EXTENDEDKEY;  
        input.ki.time = 0;  
        input.ki.dwExtraInfo = GetMessageExtraInfo();  
        input.type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;  
        SendInput(1, &input, sizeof(INPUT));  
        Sleep(nSleep);  
    }  
  
    if (bUp)  
    {  
        input.ki.wVk = wVk;  
        input.ki.wScan = (WORD)MapVirtualKey(wVk, 0);  
        input.ki.dwFlags = KEYEVENTF_SCANCODE | KEYEVENTF_KEYUP;  
        if (bExtendedkey)  
            input.ki.dwFlags |= KEYEVENTF_EXTENDEDKEY;  
        input.ki.time = 0;  
        input.ki.dwExtraInfo = GetMessageExtraInfo();  
        input.type = INPUT_KEYBOARD;  
        SendInput(1, &input, sizeof(INPUT));  
        Sleep(nSleep);  
    }  
}

Peter Boshra 66 Reputation points

2022-04-17T22:36:22.47+00:00

Thanks for Reply,
Could you please make some example with "Shift" Key , Because it's my main problem
I'm tried your code with shift key and i send it as extended key but the problem is the same.

this is example of what i want..
Castorix31 90,681 Reputation points

2022-04-18T06:33:34.517+00:00

[Ctrl] + [Left Arrow]
[Shift] + [Ctrl] + [Right Arrow]

works for me :

SendKey(VK_CONTROL, 100, 0, true, false); SendKey(VK_LEFT, 100, true, true, true); SendKey(VK_CONTROL, 100, 0, false, true); SendKey(VK_CONTROL, 100, 0, true, false); SendKey(VK_SHIFT, 100, 0, true, false); SendKey(VK_RIGHT, 100, true, true, true); SendKey(VK_SHIFT, 100, 0, false, true); SendKey(VK_CONTROL, 100, 0, false, true); SendKey(VK_CONTROL, 100, 0, true, false); SendKey((WORD)LOBYTE(VkKeyScan('c')), 100, 0, true, true); SendKey(VK_CONTROL, 100, 0, false, true);
Peter Boshra 66 Reputation points

2022-04-18T12:14:01.877+00:00

It's Working. Thank You So Much.

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How Can I Send Selection and Copy Keys Using SendINput

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