CODEWITHSUNDEEP
delphiwinapi
jimsweb
jimsweb

Reputation: 1082

Can I find out current typing co-ordinates in a notepad relative to desktop window

Is it possible for me to find out the typing co-ordinates (relative to desktop co-ordinates) in a notepad window from a Delphi application? For example, if we look at the below picture, I am typing on a notepad window. Can I find out the screen co-ordinates, where I am typing on notepad.

Edit It would be helpful if someone can suggest a generic solution. Answer no1 speaks about notepad. How about a console window? Is it possible to figure out the co-ordinates, if i am typing on a console window?

enter image description here

Upvotes: 4

Views: 263

Answers (1)

Arioch 'The
Arioch 'The

Reputation: 16045

I guess, if UAC would not disable it, you can implement the following sequence:

  1. you have to learn the windows structure of the notepad. Using tools like WinSpy++, WinSight or ProcFS for Total Commander or whatever. And then you have to get the handle (HWND) of the actual editbox window. The topic of enumerating or finding other applications windows was discussed many times already on StackOverflow and on Google.

  2. Then you have to ask the main edit window for it coordinates. See Get{Client/Window}Rect functions, see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms633503.aspx and http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms633519.aspx Perhaps even better would be to SendMessage the EM_GETRECT custom message: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms997530.aspx

  3. Then you have to know the position of caret: like TMemo.SelEnd and TEdit.SelStart - again best way would be to just read how they are implemented in VCL. Probably that would be rooted in SendMessage(EM_GETSEL,...) - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms997530.aspx - there is a ready example to do this

  4. Then you would have to ask Widows for relative coordinates of that position - relative to the Client Rect you get in above steps. See EM_POSFROMCHAR message http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb761631.aspx and Delphi sample at http://www.delphipages.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33707

However some claims that this does not always work reliably: http://vbcity.com/forums/t/14951.aspx so as last resort you can use hard-core string parsing, as described in version 1 of this answer.

Upvotes: 4

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