Windows 8 - Alt+Tab emulation

[Matej]

I'm trying to make an AutoIt script that would quickly (instantly) switch between metro and standard apps on Windows 8.

My first try was using WinActivate. While this worked, it was slow. When you are inside metro, it will play animation, switch to empty desktop and then switch to program you want. So not exactly what I want.

My next (and current) idea is to emulate ALT+TAB on keyboard since this switches instantly. However it does not seem to work:

Send("{ALTDOWN}")
Send("{TAB}")
Send("{ALTUP}")

Above code works fine on Windows 7 (switches to next app), but nothing happens when I run it on Win8 PC. I have tried compiling it and running it as admin, but nothing helps.

Is there a way I could make this code work for Windows 8?

[Chimaera]

can you not use the win + X menu?

Ive managed to add a load of stuff to it so i can still do what i want without messing about with Metro

[Matej]

I want to use metro.

EDIT: Now that you have mentioned it, Send("#x") also does nothing.

Edited November 21, 2012 by Matej

[Chimaera]

do you mean switch between the metro and the desktop? just press the windows key

Or are you meaning something else

[Matej]

I want to switch from metro application to desktop application instantly using AutoIT.

Send("{LWIN}") works in desktop and start screen, but fails to work in metro applications.

[Pradheep]

I was also stuck with this problem in Windows 8. I found an alternate solution.

Instead of trying to do an alt+tab. I captured the position of the application buttons in the task bar. And I simulated a click on each of them on a loop (either linear or random).

So I was able to get back to the alt+tab behavior.

I'm trying to make an AutoIt script that would quickly (instantly) switch between metro and standard apps on Windows 8.

My first try was using WinActivate. While this worked, it was slow. When you are inside metro, it will play animation, switch to empty desktop and then switch to program you want. So not exactly what I want.

My next (and current) idea is to emulate ALT+TAB on keyboard since this switches instantly. However it does not seem to work:

Send("{ALTDOWN}")
Send("{TAB}")
Send("{ALTUP}")

Above code works fine on Windows 7 (switches to next app), but nothing happens when I run it on Win8 PC. I have tried compiling it and running it as admin, but nothing helps.

Is there a way I could make this code work for Windows 8?

[ahha]

As Matej mentions and I confirm, Send("#x") does nothing. Is Send broke in windows 8 for this sequence?

Edited February 8, 2013 by ahha