Msg

Note: The Msg() internal function (without the dollar sign) is only available for Windows & CS versions.

MSG("sleeptime",centiseconds) ! specify MSG keystroke time interval (100 = 1 Second)
MSG("KB",string$) ! send string to keyboard

With the Msg internal function you can directly control the keyboard under the Windows client from within a BR program by issuing a function call to:

Notice there is no dollar sign on this function name. This is useful for redisplaying Windows menus upon returning to a menu program from an application program. MSG() has no affect on Unix or Linux *terminal* sessions, but works under Client / Server with Unix the same as WINDOWS.

The first parameter ("KB" or "kb") is case insensitive.

Two new Error Codes are defined in support of this function:

• 0412 Invalid Action Code - The first parameter is not recognized.
• 0413 Window Not On Top - A KB message was sent to a task which is different from the one that currently owns the keyboard.

Note: The following error codes may be related to this function:

• 0414 Wrong number of arguments passed
• 0415 Some error that has err message
• 0416 Not enough elements in dimensioned array
• 0417 Dimensioned string length is not big enough
• 0418 Unknown
• 0419 Error in special char spec

Special Keystroke Values

This facility operates through the operating system, so it does not utilize BR scancodes. If you need to send a special character (which in turn may cause BR to generate its scancodes), you will need to emulate the corresponding keyboard activity.

Example 1

If you want to send ctrl+c, you must send the following string :

"|CTRL+cCTRL-".

This says that you want depress the "CTRL" key, type "c", and then release "CTRL".

Example 2

MSG("KB",'CTRL+pCTRL-')

Will input the CTRL-P character, which causes BR to perform a printscreen operation.

Special Character List

(each char must be enclosed in pipes - xxx)

ALT+ press ALT - see note below

ALT- release ALT

CTRL+ press CTRL

CTRL- release CTRL

SHIFT+ press SHIFT

SHIFT- release SHIFT

TAB press the tabulation key

RET press the return key

ESC press the escape key

BACK press the backward key

DEL press the delete key

INS press the insert key

HELP press the help key

LEFT send the cursor to the left (left arrow)

RIGHT send the cursor to the right (right arrow)

UP send the cursor up (up arrow)

DOWN send the cursor down (down arrow)

PGUP press the page up key

PGDN press the page down key

HOME press the home key

END press the end key

F1 press the function key F1

F2 press the function key F2

F3 press the function key F3

F4 press the function key F4

F5 press the function key F5

F6 press the function key F6

F7 press the function key F7

F8 press the function key F8

F9 press the function key F9

F10 press the function key F10

F11 press the function key F11

F12 press the function key F12

NUM0 press the 0 on the key pad

NUM1 press the 1 on the key pad

NUM2 press the 2 on the key pad

NUM3 press the 3 on the key pad

NUM4 press the 4 on the key pad

NUM5 press the 5 on the key pad

NUM6 press the 6 on the key pad

NUM7 press the 7 on the key pad

NUM8 press the 8 on the key pad

NUM9 press the 9 on the key pad

NUM* press the * on the key pad

NUM+ press the + on the key pad

NUM- press the - on the key pad

NUM, press the , on the key pad

NUM/ press the / on the key pad

To send the pipe character specify

MSG("sleeptime",seconds) specifies the number of seconds to wait before issuing each string and each control character. Seconds may also be expressed with *up to three decimal digits* The default value is 0.2 seconds.

Please note that under Windows messaging, the ALT key needs to be depressed and released (ALT+ and ALT-) for every Alt-character specified.

alt+malt-alt+malt- works

alt+mbalt- fails

alt+mdownalt- works

This is because keyboard entries via Windows messaging doesn't interpret more than one letter as an alt value properly like it does via the keyboard itself. However it will honor arrow keys while the alt key is held down.