Robot class

[Fred Abbot]

hi
Is anyone here familiar with the robot class in java 1.3
i was wondering if i can type from the keyboard as well or can i just use the mouse
thank you
Fred

[Junaid Bhatra]

Yes you can simulate key-strokes as well as mouse movements/clicks using the Robot class.
Use keyPress(int keyCode) and keyRelease(int keyCode) methods where keyCode is one of several constants defined in the KeyEvent class, like KeyEvent.VK_J

[Fred Abbot]

Thank you - have you used it as i do not see that method in the api

[Cindy Glass]

From the API for 1.3

keyPress
public void keyPress(int keycode)
Presses a given key.
Key codes that have more than one physical key associated with them (e.g. KeyEvent.VK_SHIFT could mean either the left or right shift key) will map to the left key.
Parameters:
keyCode - Key to press (e.g. KeyEvent.VK_A)
Throws:
IllegalArgumentException - if keycode is not a valid key
----------------------------------------------------
keyRelease
public void keyRelease(int keycode)
Releases a given key.
Key codes that have more than one physical key associated with them (e.g. KeyEvent.VK_SHIFT could mean either the left or right shift key) will map to the left key.
Parameters:
keyCode - Key to release (e.g. KeyEvent.VK_A)
Throws:
IllegalArgumentException - if keycode is not a valid key

[Fred Abbot]

thank you
whats the diffrence between pressed and released?
do i have to press it and then release it ?

[This message has been edited by Fred Abbot (edited July 19, 2001).]

[Cindy Glass]

You press the shift key and DON'T release and the press the "a" key to get a capital A. So the pattern is
Press shift
Press A
Release A
Release shift
Notice that a "Press A" and "Release A" together make a "typed A", however you can press and release shift all day and nothing will get typed, some keys are typing keys and some are not.

[Fred Abbot]

so if i just wanted a lower case letter i would just use keyPressed(virtual key ...)?
or do i have to press it and then release it

[This message has been edited by Fred Abbot (edited July 19, 2001).]

[Cindy Glass]

Actually I was not sure how the Robot class handles it - so I ran a test with this code. I just threw it in with some other stuff that I had laying around - so ignore the other stuff:

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
class ListenerTest extends WindowAdapter implements KeyListener, MouseListener {
   public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e){
          System.out.println("WindowEvent");
   }
   public void keyPressed(KeyEvent e){
          System.out.println("KeyPressed");
   }
   public void keyReleased(KeyEvent e){
          System.out.println("KeyReleased");
   }
   public void keyTyped(KeyEvent e){
          System.out.println("KeyTyped");
   }
   public void mousePressed(MouseEvent e){
          System.out.println("MousePressed");
   }
   public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e){
          System.out.println("MouseClicked");
   }
   public void mouseEntered(MouseEvent e){
          System.out.println("MouseEntered");
   }
   public void mouseExited(MouseEvent e){
          System.out.println("MouseExited");
   }
   public void mouseReleased(MouseEvent e){
          System.out.println("MouseReleased");
   }
   public static void main(String args[])throws AWTException 
     {
        ListenerTest t = new ListenerTest();
        Frame f = new Frame("ListenerTest");
        f.setLayout(new FlowLayout());
        f.addWindowListener(t);
        f.addKeyListener(t);
        f.addMouseListener(t);
                final TextField field = new TextField(10); 
        f.add(field);
        f.setSize(400,300);
        f.setVisible(true);
        Robot rob = new Robot();
                int keyinput[] = { KeyEvent.VK_T,
                                           KeyEvent.VK_E, 
                                           KeyEvent.VK_S, 
                                           KeyEvent.VK_T, 
                                           KeyEvent.VK_I, 
                                           KeyEvent.VK_N,  
                                           KeyEvent.VK_G }; 
                rob.delay(1000); 
                rob.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_SHIFT); 
                field.requestFocus(); 
                for (int i = 0; i < keyinput.length; i++) { 
                     rob.keyPress(keyinput[i]); 
                     rob.delay(1000); 
                } 
                rob.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_SHIFT); 
                rob.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_ENTER); 
        rob.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_A);
        rob.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_A);
        rob.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_A);
        rob.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_A);
   }
}

So the answer seems to be NO, just a keyPress will get it to type.

[Fred Abbot]

thank you