Kbd Macro To Another Desktop, Possible?

[artm]

Hello,

 

I have the following requirement:

 

1. Running Win2000 Pro, SP3

 

2. Running VirtuaWin, a multiple desktop program

 

3. I have a target program running on a non-active desktop. By non-active I mean one used just for this program and not the one I mainly use.

 

4. I need to send a keyboard macro to this program every few minutes. Alternatively, I can send a mouse click to a specific location within this program's window. Either of these will start a sequence of actions by this program.

 

Will ME acoomplish this? It would seem that ME is overkill for my needs so if anyone can recommend a simpler solution I'll consider it.

 

 

-Arthur

[kevin]

Arthur,

 

I do not have any experience with VirtuaWin nor have I heard from anyone who uses it. Whether or not Macro Express will work with VirtuaWin depends on how VirtuaWin is written and on how it interacts with Windows.

 

Windows imposes some limitations when using Remote Desktop, Windows Terminal Services, or Citrix. For these programs when the 'session' loses focus, Windows does not allow Macro Express macros to run.

 

However, when using a program like VMWare, macros continue to run even if the session does not have focus.

 

When using Remote Desktop I found that Windows XP only allows one session to be logged on at a time. But Windows 2000 allows more than one session at a time. So the version of Windows that you are using may affect how it works.

 

Since I have not used VirtuaWin I cannot tell you whether or not Macro Express will work with it. Macro Express comes with a free 30-day trial so you can try it. I would like to hear whether or not you are able to get it to work. I suggest that you start with a simple macro to make sure that the macros will continue to run in your environment when the session does not have focus.

[artm]

So, to be clear, if we are talking about one desktop can ME run macros affecting a program not in focus?

 

I know I can evaluate it but so far I've gone through 5 similar programs without success. So, I thought I'd take the easy way out.

 

VirtuaWin is not like Remore Desktop. For example, if one brings up Task Manager it will display all programs running in all desktops. This suggests to me that programs such as ME should have access to all running programs.

 

I am not surprised more people aren't aware of VirtuaWin. it is an excellent program and I cannot do without it. It allows me to declare several desktops and switch among them either with keyboard shortcuts or running the mouse off screen. I run a "3 over 3" arrangement as follows:

 

1. Excel

2. 4 Firefox windows

3, Eudora and text editor

4. inventory control program

5. <special program>

6. misc programs

 

All this is 1600x1200 on a 19" monitor is close to ideal for me. Only improvement would be running two LCD monitors side by side.

[artm]

Update; I tried Keyboard Express and here's the result. If I am outside the desktop where the target program is the macro does not work.

 

Obviously, this will not do so the search goes on.