AutoIt recorder

[Dislocated Time]

Hello.

The AutoIt recorder doesn't do what it's supposed to do: record keystrokes and mousemovement and mouse clicks.

Who has the experience or understanding to explain to me what is necessary for using AutoIt.

I installed it and it seems to have installed correctly because I can compile other peoples AutoIt scripts correctly and they work.

But the recorder doesn't correctly record the keystrokes and mouse clicks of my programs any more, it just gets to the popup of the installation initiation and then stops cold.

Strangely enough I tried it once to install a program and it did record keystrokes and mouse clicks successfully, but my virus scanner activated itself right in the middle of the installation and those mouse clicks and keystrokes to appease the virus scanner were recorded into the AutoIt script and when I tried to run the script, of course it didn't work.

Thereafter I recorded over the old script and since then all it does is run the setup popup and goes no further.

Are there any settings that I have implement in Process Guard or my router firewall to get Autoscript to work?

Does AutoIt implement ActiveX, Javascript, Java or DCOM? (I shut those off for security reasons)

I would really like to have a better understanding of the program. Isn't there anyone out there that can help me understand this?

D.T.

[MHz]

Strangely enough I tried it once to install a program and it did record keystrokes and mouse clicks successfully, but my virus scanner activated itself right in the middle of the installation and those mouse clicks and keystrokes to appease the virus scanner were recorded into the AutoIt script and when I tried to run the script, of course it didn't work.

Thereafter I recorded over the old script and since then all it does is run the setup popup and goes no further.

Are there any settings that I have implement in Process Guard or my router firewall to get Autoscript to work?

Process Guard is advertised as a rootkit prevention application so I am unsure why it is an issue. As for a firewall, if you try to use InetGet() with AutoIt then any firewall should alert you and ask permission to allow.

Does AutoIt implement ActiveX, Javascript, Java or DCOM? (I shut those off for security reasons)

AutoIt does hamdle Com, Dom and ActiveX objects but you need to create the objects first before any issue can relate to the use of them. AutoIt is easy target for Antivirus programs as some virus writers tend to use AutoIt for their use. You may need to clear false positives with your AV vendor if a false positive happens to you.

I would really like to have a better understanding of the program. Isn't there anyone out there that can help me understand this?

If you want some basic help with AutoIt, then a forum full of helpers exist at the AutoIt Forums. I and others here can help with specific questions here but if you want to learn the language good then consider joining the AutoIt forum so many experienced people with AutoIt can help you.

[bj-kaiser]

If I remember right, the AutoIt recorder works by scripting mouse movements, ie. it writes the coordinates of your mouse clicks to the script. Now if you change the screen resolution it all goes *kaboom* on you.

Best idea, play around with AutoIt, learn the basic functions to control installers (ie. ControlClick, WinWait...) and try other options first. Like installer answer files if such an option is documented by the software vendor or the vendor of the installer system (for MSI for example its called "administrative installation" iirc).

[MHz]

If I remember right, the AutoIt recorder works by scripting mouse movements,

There exists 2 script recorders within Scite4AutoIt3. One is for installations (AutoItMacroGenerator) and the other is for general desktop use (Au3Recorder). AutoItMacroGenerator uses Control* functions so is a good option and works good also as standalone so you see each line recorded.

AutoIt is my 1st preferred default option for installations.

[sp00f]

I use it when everything else fails, why use autoit when it can be done with swiches etc.

[MHz]

I use it when everything else fails, why use autoit when it can be done with swiches etc.

And your valid reasons being?

I have a question for you. What is the difference between using a cmd file to run a file with switches and using a au3 file to run a file with switches?

My answer is none, so long as you have both interpreters. AutoIt IMO gives you many more options to achieve your goal. So saying AutoIt is a last resort seems very illogical. AutoIt is far more then just an automation language and people who know this make very good use of AutoIt.

[Geej]

I use it when everything else fails, why use autoit when it can be done with swiches etc.

And your valid reasons being?

I have a question for you. What is the difference between using a cmd file to run a file with switches and using a au3 file to run a file with switches?

My answer is none, so long as you have both interpreters. AutoIt IMO gives you many more options to achieve your goal. So saying AutoIt is a last resort seems very illogical. AutoIt is far more then just an automation language and people who know this make very good use of AutoIt.

To Dislocated Time:

This is my personal experience: Learn Autoit the manual way first. This way, you understand autoit function better. The program help file (AutoIt3.chm) is very useful. I use it a lot for quick reference. Read the WINZip installation found in the help file. (Learn a few functions to get started such as Run, runwait, WinwaitActive, send, sleep , processclose, controlsend, controlclick, ShellExecute, ShellExecuteWait, MouseClick. Oh yes, marcos such as @ProgramFilesDir are important too. This is the equivalent for environment path %programfiles% use in cmd file)

[Tripredacus]

If you look at the script it made for you, and recreate what it is doing, you can learn to read what exactly the recorder code is. Then you can remove the extra lines of code that aren't required for your application.

EDIT: I made a script using the recorded once, but with a resolution detection. While the program supported multiple resolutions, the management at the company the software was for couldn't rule out the possibility of having rogue resolutions on their machine, so I had to scrap the entire idea of basing it on mouse control. If you have the ability to script it totally using keyboard only controls, then I would recommend you do it that way.

Edited June 4, 2008 by Tripredacus