Any tips on using MEPro with Windows Server 2003?

[patgenn123]

Hello all,

 

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving!

 

I have finally been able to use Server 2003 and I am having a difficult time trying to use MEPro with it. in other words, for example, if I use CTRL+ESC to view the Start Menu, it opens the desktop Start menu and not the Windows Server Start Menu.

 

Does anyone have any inside tips on how to fully use MEPro with Windows Server 2003?

 

Thanks!

 

Pat

[Cory]

I use it with Sever 2000, 2003, and 2008 with no problems however most of the macros are automated and don't use the UI at all. I imagine that some of the keyboard shortcuts are different and you will need to add logic to your macros to detect which OS is running and act accordingly.

 

 

[patgenn123]

Cory,

 

I hope you are doing well.

 

Well, do you mean putting the Windows Server 2003/2008 etc. window on top by using set window order to always on top while a macro is running?

 

Also, when I use Get Control, it gets the full screen and it looks like it cannot capture any control in the server screen.

 

Pat

[Cory]

Gosh Pat, I'm not sure what you're up against. For me 2003 Server operates exactly like XP. I mean I have one set up as a Terminal Server for a client which all the users run regular apps on. [scratches head] Are you perhaps accessing this server using Remote Desktop? Sometimes people do this and think that MEP running on their client machine can somehow reach thru the RDP session and act on the server. If this is the case you need to run MEP locally on the server. Of course this requires another license as well.

 

 

[patgenn123]

Cory,

 

Sorry for not including Remote Desktop in my forum topic.

 

Yes, I am using Remote Desktop. I would assume that the only way macros could work is by pixels and coordinates that the mouse can click on. It looks like it has to be in the same location everytime.

 

Does anyone have any other workarounds?

 

Pat

[Cory]

You just need to run MEP on that server. I do it all the time. Works fine. But if somehow you get MEP to work thru RD I'd be interested to know how.

 

 

[paul]

You just need to run MEP on that server. I do it all the time. Works fine. But if somehow you get MEP to work thru RD I'd be interested to know how.

In my former job I was using MEP and Remote Desktop all the time, and discovered odd behaviours I could never properly explain.

 

Here's an example:

MEP is running on both local and remote machines.

I have a macro that I want to run on the remote machine if that machine's window is active, otherwise run it on the local machine. It's activated on both machines by Ctrl-G. It determines whether the remote session is active (i.e. the foreground window); if no, then the macro processes locally in the normal way. If yes, then all the macro has to do is Type Ctrl-G, and, somehow, the remote machine's macro runs.

 

This technique works in 95% of key combinations, like Ctrl-G, but the key combinations cannot ever include the Windows key (having a macro type such a combination never invokes the remote macro, irrespective of what RDP settings are selected).

[patgenn123]

Well, I cannot run the macro on the server. I can only run it from the desktop looking in. This is a pickle.

 

The reason it's a pickle, is because it easily works when there is one size screen by using mouse coordinates and clicks and pixels to find your way around. A mojority of the keyboard and hotkeys are disabled. The pickle is when the macro is run on one size screen and then another size some other time.

 

Now I see we have Variable set Integer from screen height, width, current window left, height, width, monitor height, width, desktop height, width.

 

What I am trying to do is this:

 

If I choose a point on the screen/window when using remote desktop with a specific size screen and then someday use this macro on a wider screen, the mouse coordinates for each screen will be completely different and clicking on one screen will not translate to the same relative location on the larger screen. I am assuming this is correct? I have not experimented to see how this works.

 

Can someone educate me if I am wrong? What happens when a Maximized window is maximized with a larger screen? How can a macro track EACH specific coordinate so the mouse click nails the location/coordinate chosen on one type of screen(using remote desktop) every time no matter the size of the screen/window?

 

Happy New Year!

 

Pat