Using the AutoIt PowerShell Cmdlets

[Jon]

This is a quick start guide to using the AutoIt PowerShell Cmdlets. The best bits of AutoIt directly from PowerShell  

The files you need are as follows (get them from the zip file or the Program Files folder after installation):

• AutoItX.psd1
• AutoItX3.PowerShell.dll
• AutoItX3.Assembly.dll
• AutoItX3.dll
• AutoItX3_x64.dll

To use the Cmdlets open a PowerShell cmd prompt and enter:

Import-Module .\AutoItX.psd1

 

Now you can get a list of available AutoIt Cmdlets by doing Get-Command *AU3*:

expandcollapse popup

PS> Get-Command *AU3*

Name                              Category  Module 
----                              --------  ------ 
Invoke-AU3MouseWheel              Cmdlet    AutoItX
Move-AU3Mouse                     Cmdlet    AutoItX
Invoke-AU3MouseClickDrag          Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3MouseCursor                Cmdlet    AutoItX
Invoke-AU3MouseUp                 Cmdlet    AutoItX
Assert-AU3WinActive               Cmdlet    AutoItX
Assert-AU3WinExists               Cmdlet    AutoItX
Assert-AU3IsAdmin                 Cmdlet    AutoItX
Invoke-AU3Shutdown                Cmdlet    AutoItX
Send-AU3ControlKey                Cmdlet    AutoItX
Invoke-AU3MouseDown               Cmdlet    AutoItX
Invoke-AU3MouseClick              Cmdlet    AutoItX
Invoke-AU3ControlTreeView         Cmdlet    AutoItX
Invoke-AU3ControlListView         Cmdlet    AutoItX
Invoke-AU3ControlCommand          Cmdlet    AutoItX
Invoke-AU3ControlClick            Cmdlet    AutoItX
Move-AU3Control                   Cmdlet    AutoItX
Set-AU3ControlText                Cmdlet    AutoItX
Show-AU3Control                   Cmdlet    AutoItX
Hide-AU3Control                   Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3ControlText                Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3ControlFocus               Cmdlet    AutoItX
Set-AU3ControlFocus               Cmdlet    AutoItX
Disable-AU3Control                Cmdlet    AutoItX
Enable-AU3Control                 Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3StatusbarText              Cmdlet    AutoItX
Invoke-AU3RunAsWait               Cmdlet    AutoItX
Invoke-AU3RunAs                   Cmdlet    AutoItX
Invoke-AU3RunWait                 Cmdlet    AutoItX
Invoke-AU3Run                     Cmdlet    AutoItX
Set-AU3Clip                       Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3Clip                       Cmdlet    AutoItX
Set-AU3WinTrans                   Cmdlet    AutoItX
Set-AU3WinTitle                   Cmdlet    AutoItX
Set-AU3WinState                   Cmdlet    AutoItX
Set-AU3WinOnTop                   Cmdlet    AutoItX
Move-AU3Win                       Cmdlet    AutoItX
Show-AU3WinMinimizeAllUndo        Cmdlet    AutoItX
Show-AU3WinMinimizeAll            Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3WinState                   Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3WinProcess                 Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3WinClassList               Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3WinCaretPos                Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3WinClientSize              Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3ControlPos                 Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3ControlHandle              Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3MousePos                   Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3WinPos                     Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3WinHandle                  Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3ErrorCode                  Cmdlet    AutoItX
Initialize-AU3                    Cmdlet    AutoItX
Show-AU3WinActivate               Cmdlet    AutoItX
Close-AU3Win                      Cmdlet    AutoItX
Wait-AU3WinClose                  Cmdlet    AutoItX
Wait-AU3WinNotActive              Cmdlet    AutoItX
Set-AU3Option                     Cmdlet    AutoItX
Send-AU3Key                       Cmdlet    AutoItX
Wait-AU3Win                       Cmdlet    AutoItX
Wait-AU3WinActive                 Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3WinTitle                   Cmdlet    AutoItX
Get-AU3WinText                    Cmdlet    AutoItX

 

I’ll show how to use the Cmdlets using a simple example that will open notepad.exe and modify the edit window by setting the text and simulating some keystrokes. First create a blank PowerShell script called notepad_example.ps1 in the same folder as the AutoItX components above and open it for editing.

Now we want to import the PowerShell module which is AutoItX.psd1. Enter the following in the script:

Import-Module .\AutoItX.psd1

 

We want to run notepad.exe:

Invoke-AU3Run -Program notepad.exe

 

After notepad opens we want to wait for the notepad “Untitled -Notepad” window to appear. You might need to change the title for non-English versions of Windows:

$notepadTitle = "Untitled - Notepad"
Wait-AU3Win -Title $notepadTitle
$winHandle = Get-AU3WinHandle -Title $notepadTitle

 

Get-AU3WinHandle returns a native Win32 handle to the notepad window. We can use this handle in many other AutoIt functions and it uniquely identifies the window which is much more reliable than constantly using a windows title. If you have obtained a window handle using any other Win32 function you can use it with AutoIt.

After obtaining the handle to the notepad window we want to ensure that the window is active and then get a handle to the Edit Control. Using the AU3Info.exe tool that comes with AutoIt we can find that the name of the edit control in notepad is Edit1.

Show-AU3WinActivate -WinHandle $winHandle
$controlHandle = Get-AU3ControlHandle -WinHandle $winhandle -Control "Edit1"

 

Now that we have a handle to the edit control we can set text in two ways: Directly (Set-AU3Controltext) or with simulated keystrokes (Send-AU3ControlKey):

Set-AU3ControlText -ControlHandle $controlHandle -NewText "Hello! This is being controlled by AutoIt and PowerShell!" -WinHandle $winHandle
Send-AU3ControlKey -ControlHandle $controlHandle -Key "{ENTER}simulate key strokes - line 1" -WinHandle $winHandle

Now let’s see what the entire script looks like:

# Import the AutoIt PowerShell module
Import-Module .\AutoItX.psd1

# Run notepad.exe
Invoke-AU3Run -Program notepad.exe

# Wait for an untitled notepad window and get the handle
$notepadTitle = "Untitled - Notepad"
Wait-AU3Win -Title $notepadTitle
$winHandle = Get-AU3WinHandle -Title $notepadTitle

# Activate the window
Show-AU3WinActivate -WinHandle $winHandle

# Get the handle of the notepad text control for reliable operations
$controlHandle = Get-AU3ControlHandle -WinHandle $winhandle -Control "Edit1"

# Change the edit control
Set-AU3ControlText -ControlHandle $controlHandle -NewText "Hello! This is being controlled by AutoIt and PowerShell!" -WinHandle $winHandle

# Send some keystrokes to the edit control
Send-AU3ControlKey -ControlHandle $controlHandle -Key "{ENTER}simulate key strokes - line 1" -WinHandle $winHandle
Send-AU3ControlKey -ControlHandle $controlHandle -Key "{ENTER}simulate key strokes - line 2" -WinHandle $winHandle
Send-AU3ControlKey -ControlHandle $controlHandle -Key "{ENTER}{ENTER}" -WinHandle $winHandle

 

This is how the notepad window should look if everything is working correctly:

[mLipok]

Please add this to AutoItX HelpFile.

 

[PrakashVel]

Could we have examples for each commandlets in autoitx.

Example : get-help autoit-commandlet -full 

If that provides examples it would really help to incorporate faster.could not find any other resources in internet also. 

Edited November 29, 2015 by PrakashVel
Needed to complete the message info.

[MattHiggs]

On 11/29/2015 at 11:58 AM, PrakashVel said:

Could we have examples for each commandlets in autoitx.

Example : get-help autoit-commandlet -full 

If that provides examples it would really help to incorporate faster.could not find any other resources in internet also. 

Agreed.  The environment in which I work pretty much classifies any AutoIT script I write as a virus and quarantines it immediately, forcing me to use powershell.  Initially I thought I was just stupid (and/or lazy for disregarding the trial/error approach) for having difficulty in determining the autoit function that each powershell function was related to , but seeing as I am not the first to request that information be included with the module, I feel less stupid.  Please do include at least the autoit function that corresponds to the given powershell function in the autoit powershell module.  That would be greeeaaaattttt.

[Valnurat]

Sorry, for bringing this up in this post, but I have a issue with this exampel.

n00b question

Maybe you can help me?

[Sallyy]

Hi there. I have some questions.

Where i can read the documentation of the each cmdlet from the first post?

What is the name of cmdlet, that provides PixelGetColor? 

Which cmdlet can detect mouse click and kb button click?

Thanks.

[JLogan3o13]

@Sallyy if you want to read the help file on each cmdlet, install the module in PS, then look at the help text. Or open the .chm file in the directory where AutoItX is installed.

As for PixelGetColor and MouseClick, as the first post clearly states, not all AutoIt functions have been translated to cmdlets. Install the module, what you see is what you get.

Edited April 2, 2020 by JLogan3o13

[PoSH]

The help text on each cmdlet is just the parameter sets available, no examples, nada.

How I worked around this is using the AutoIt help online under Functions.  Easy to find the appropriate help topic once you understand the organization of the functions.

e.g. Get-AU3WinHandle -> WinGetHandle

Would be nice to have the help incorporated into the cmdlets themselves but I understand that is a lot of work.  Be sure to unblock all the files if you are having problems.

Edited November 12, 2020 by PoSH

[James_K]

Hello,

I have a problem that might be resolved via the Powershell cmdlets, but in a roundabout way I am hoping this makes a clear reasoning for a feature request.

---------

I am currently trying to write a Powershell script to automate the extraction of information from a program window.
It is a static table, i can select a line but I have no way to cursor move, or space, or tab through the cells and copy/paste the data out.
Before I go any further, I must make it clear that any solution must work under the following environmental restrictions:
* You have User privileges only
* You cannot install or run an EXE, or add COM objects.
* Only Powershell v2.0 is available.

I extracted the AutoItX powershell cmdlets module and Dll files from the zip file, but Powershell v3.0 restrictions forbid Import-Module.
I was able to get around this by running 'Powershell -version 2' and downloading this version of the cmdlets:
    https://github.com/rhapsodyman/AutoIt/blob/master/autoit-v3/install/AutoItX/
The demo commands shown on this webpage work perfectly fine with Notepad
    https://www.autoitconsulting.com/site/scripting/autoit-cmdlets-for-windows-powershell/

Since it is not possible to run or execute AU3INFO.EXE, I have no way of finding the control name or handle of the table I need from within the window.

It seems the only way available would be if there was a powershell cmdlet that would list all of the controls in a window, and present them in a formatted table.
From there I could try each control individually until I hit gold.

Who would I need to contact regarding this feature, and how realistic is it that this feature would be added or implemented?