Trying to Automate a task in iTunes

[modern]

What I am trying to accomplish:

Automate the task for selecting all episodes (Click on an episode and then ctrl+a to highlight all) for a podcast in my iTunes Library and choosing "Download Episodes" and then once all episodes are done downloading select all the episodes  (Click on an episode and then ctrl+a to highlight all) and choose "Remove Download".

Using Au3Record I was able to get:

_WinWaitActivate("iTunes")
MouseClick("left",659,332,1)
Send("{CTRLDOWN}a{CTRLUP}")
MouseClick("right",659,332,1)
MouseClick("left",680,344,1)

From doing more searching it seems this is very primitive and not an ideal way of doing this based on this.

By going off that I would assume I should start with using something like this:

#include "WinAPI.au3"
#include "WindowsConstants.au3"

; #VARIABLES# ===================================================================================================================
Local $hWnd

; #CONSTANTS# ===================================================================================================================
 
; Open iTunes
Run("iTunes.exe")
Sleep(1000)
 
; Get iTunes handle
$hWnd = WinGetHandle("[Class:iTunes]")

So from there I'm not sure how to proceed.

Using Inspect I have been able to get the following which I believe are what I would need to use (just not sure how).

class="iTunesTableView" (When moused over episodes) 

class="#32768" (When moused over Remove Download in context menu after right clicking) Name: "Remove Download" Name: "Download Episodes"

 

Any help I could get would be greatly appreciated!

 

Disclaimer: I have no idea what I am doing but trying to learn.

[Beege]

What your doing reminds me so much of my first scripts that started it all for me

Based on what you have given me I can only give you some general direction. When It comes to the mouseclicks() that au3record gave you, that is the most primitive clicks can get and will simply click on your screen at that coordinate no matter what, even if the itunes window moved. A non-primitive way to click (sure why not) is to use the inspector to send commands to the control using the details like class and IDs to describe the control instead of blindly clicking a coordinate hoping the itunes window has not moved. Check out the documenations on controls. Do be warned though that you cant always do this with every control so you have to test a lot. If you dont get any kind of change happening in the inspector when when you are mousing over the "remove download" button then you may not be able to send a command directly to that control. If that would be the case coordinates may be the fall back but if that is the case you can still most of the time send commands to a cordinate somewhere within a certian window (like the itunes window) as opposed to sending a mouseclick() just somewhere on the screen. Also for your task you will need to have some way of identifying when the episodes are "all done" 

[modern]

4 hours ago, Beege said:

What your doing reminds me so much of my first scripts that started it all for me

Based on what you have given me I can only give you some general direction. When It comes to the mouseclicks() that au3record gave you, that is the most primitive clicks can get and will simply click on your screen at that coordinate no matter what, even if the itunes window moved. A non-primitive way to click (sure why not) is to use the inspector to send commands to the control using the details like class and IDs to describe the control instead of blindly clicking a coordinate hoping the itunes window has not moved. Check out the documenations on controls. Do be warned though that you cant always do this with every control so you have to test a lot. If you dont get any kind of change happening in the inspector when when you are mousing over the "remove download" button then you may not be able to send a command directly to that control. If that would be the case coordinates may be the fall back but if that is the case you can still most of the time send commands to a cordinate somewhere within a certian window (like the itunes window) as opposed to sending a mouseclick() just somewhere on the screen. Also for your task you will need to have some way of identifying when the episodes are "all done" 

 

Thanks for some of that insight!

 

I'm wondering if using imagesearch to check for this would do it for checking when they are done (disappears when done downloading):

[water]

Welcome to AutoIt and the forum!

Please check the wiki. You'll find two UDFs to automate iTunes.

Edited February 5, 2019 by water

[modern]

Little update since I'm getting a little frustrated and probably just need to step away from this for a little bit.

What I'm working with now:

#include "WinAPI.au3"
#include "WindowsConstants.au3"
#include "iTunes.au3"

HotKeySet("!a", "Main") ;wait for ALT-a keystroke, then go to Main()
While 1
  Sleep(100)
WEnd

Func Main()
    ; Run iTunes
   _iTunes_Start()

    ; Wait 15 seconds for the iTunes window to appear.
    Local $hWnd = WinWait("[CLASS:iTunes]", "", 15)

    ; Click on iTunesTable where podcast episodes are.
    ControlClick($hWnd, "", "[CLASS:iTunesTableView]")
    
    ;Start Loop
    While 1
        MouseClick("left")
        Send("{CTRLDOWN}a{CTRLUP}")
        ControlClick($hWnd, "Download Episodes", "[CLASS:#32768]") ;
        Sleep(2000)
        MouseClick("left")
        Send("{CTRLDOWN}a{CTRLUP}")
        ControlClick($hWnd, "Remove Download", "[CLASS:#32768]") ;
        Sleep(1800000)
    WEnd

EndFunc

iTunes opens (Had issues with getting the focus right but even with manually clicking on iTunes after it opens it did not see to click the iTunesTable.

I also have a feeling I have my loop incorrect too but haven't gotten to that yet.

[caramen]

Hello,

1) If you loose focus, then you can use

WinActivate

2) Your loop seem to be correct, if you want to do that for life after hotkey press. 

If not, dont forget : 

ExitLoop

Or even : 

If <Expression> Then 
    ExitLoop
EndIf

At the end of your second loop: 

While (1)
    Sleep(1800000)
    ;<<<< Here 
WEnd

I dont got Itunes installed on my pro laptop so if you can give us full windows info. So all peoples in my case can still help you about 

ControlClick($hWnd, "", "[CLASS:iTunesTableView]")

 

Edited February 8, 2019 by caramen

[Earthshine]

for these types of modern applications, it's best to use UI Automation as described here. I will use it and do some testing.

 

[modern]

3 hours ago, Earthshine said:

for these types of modern applications, it's best to use UI Automation as described here. I will use it and do some testing.

 

I will definitely take a look at this, thank you!

 

4 hours ago, caramen said:

Hello,

1) If you loose focus, then you can use

WinActivate

2) Your loop seem to be correct, if you want to do that for life after hotkey press. 

If not, dont forget : 

ExitLoop

Or even : 

If <Expression> Then 
    ExitLoop
EndIf

At the end of your second loop: 

While (1)
    Sleep(1800000)
    ;<<<< Here 
WEnd

I dont got Itunes installed on my pro laptop so if you can give us full windows info. So all peoples in my case can still help you about 

ControlClick($hWnd, "", "[CLASS:iTunesTableView]")

 

This is with my mouse over an episode (where I need to click)

Edited February 8, 2019 by modern

[caramen]

I dont know this Windows info tool This sceenshot is omitting the instance number. Maybe you can use the AutoIT Windows info tool to get the instance number and do a ControlClick with the good syntax it s lookîng Like this :

ControlClick("Program Manager", "", "[CLASS:SysListView32; INSTANCE:1]", 'right')

 

Edited February 9, 2019 by caramen

[modern]

5 minutes ago, caramen said:

I dont know this Windows info rooo This sceenshot is omitting the instance number. Maybe you can use the AutoIT Windows info rooo to get the instance number and do a controleclick with the good syntax it s lookîng Like this :

ControlClick("Program Manager", "", "[CLASS:SysListView32; INSTANCE:1]", 'right')

 

 

Summary from using AutoIT Window Info

expandcollapse popup

>>>> Window <<<<
Title:  iTunes
Class:  iTunes
Position:   356, 158
Size:   959, 725
Style:  0x16CF0000
ExStyle:    0x00000100
Handle: 0x000B183E

>>>> Control <<<<
Class:  Static
Instance:   1
ClassnameNN:    Static1
Name:   
Advanced (Class):   [CLASS:Static; INSTANCE:1]
ID: 1573925840
Text:   
Position:   501, 265
Size:   443, 460
ControlClick Coords:    194, 125
Style:  0x52010000
ExStyle:    0x00010020
Handle: 0x000D1714

>>>> Mouse <<<<
Position:   1051, 548
Cursor ID:  0
Color:  0xFFFFFF

>>>> StatusBar <<<<

>>>> ToolsBar <<<<

>>>> Visible Text <<<<
Search
LCD section
Application
Podcast
Help
Account
Controls
View
Edit
File


>>>> Hidden Text <<<<
switch to miniplayer
show next view
show previous view
airplay
genius shuffle

 

[caramen]

with this : 

Advanced (Class):   [CLASS:Static; INSTANCE:1]

you can do this :

Advanced (Class):   

ControlClick($hHND, "", "[CLASS:Static; INSTANCE:1]", 'right')

But maybe it wont work. 

You will be sometime ( dépend of what you trying to automate ) obliged to use iuia-automation. Try controlclick first, the easy way.

Edited February 8, 2019 by caramen

[modern]

14 minutes ago, caramen said:

with this : 

Advanced (Class):   [CLASS:Static; INSTANCE:1]

you can do this :

Advanced (Class):   

ControlClick($hHND, "", "[CLASS:Static; INSTANCE:1]", 'right')

But maybe it wont work. 

You will be sometime ( dépend of what you trying to automate ) obliged to use iuia-automation. Try controlclick first, the easy way.

 

Doing that now gives me:

 

[caramen]

Show full code please

[modern]

3 minutes ago, caramen said:

Show full code please

expandcollapse popup

; #INDEX# =======================================================================================================================
; Title .........: iTunes Podcast Download Automation
; AutoIt Version : 1.0.0.0
; Description ...: Automate downloading and removing podcast episodes in iTunes
; Author(s) .....: MODERN
; ===============================================================================================================================

#include "WinAPI.au3"
#include "WindowsConstants.au3"
#include "iTunes.au3"

HotKeySet("!a", "Main") ;wait for ALT-a keystroke, then go to Main()
While 1
  Sleep(100)
WEnd

Func Main()
    ; Run iTunes
   _iTunes_Start()

    ; Wait 30 seconds for the iTunes window to appear.
    Local $hWnd = WinWait("[CLASS:iTunes]", "", 30)
    WinActivate( "iTunes", "iTunes")

    ; Send a mouse click to the edit control of iTunes using the handle returned by WinWait.
    ControlClick($hHND, "", "[CLASS:Static; INSTANCE:1]", 'right')
    MouseClick("left")
    Send("{CTRLDOWN}a{CTRLUP}")


    While 1
      MouseClick("left")
      Send("{CTRLDOWN}a{CTRLUP}")
      MouseClick("right")
      MouseClick("left")
        Sleep(2000)
      MouseClick("left")
      Send("{CTRLDOWN}a{CTRLUP}")
      MouseClick("right")
      MouseClick("left")
        Sleep(1800000)
    WEnd

EndFunc

 

Edited February 8, 2019 by modern

[caramen]

Dont say me you pasted this lol... m’y faut i guess.

Advanced (Class):

Remove this Line lol. Post what you included.

 

I am talking to you with my iOS and i got hard Time to write sry

Edited February 8, 2019 by caramen

[modern]

1 minute ago, caramen said:

Dont say me you pasted this lol... m’y faut i guess.

 

Advanced (Class):

Remove this Line lol. Post what you included

lol removing that I get

[caramen]

Ok this is the $hHND adapt to your needs. Please RUN in SciTE first

[caramen]

If you look carefully you just have to change one letter

 

change $hHND to $hWND

Edited February 8, 2019 by caramen

[modern]

Just now, caramen said:

If you look carefully you just have to change one letter

derp! haha i see it 

[caramen]

Re Read all msg before. Becose i edited all. As i said my iPhone is not familiar with english. Same as me ;p.

 

i gave you the answer.