How to send a CTRL-B command after using ControlFocus()?

[cag8f]

Hi all.  I have AutoIt code that activates an open window, then focuses one of its controls:

WinActivate (" - Task")
ControlFocus ( " - Task", "", "Message")

The window in-question is a Microsoft Outlook window, and the control is its 'message' field (screenshot).  When this code is run, the Windows and control focus, and I can then type text into this control, as expected. But I cannot carry out a CTRL-B to enable bold text (or CTRL-U, or similar commands).  When I do so, I am met with an audible alert for 'command not allowed' (or something similar).  It is only after I manually mouse over the control in-question and click inside it, that a CTRL-B is then recognized.  How can I resolve this, and ensure that after I focus the control, I can carry out a CTRL-B command?

The end goal is to eventually use `send()` to send a CTRL-B command to this control.  But this issue is tripping me up when I try to do so.

Thanks in advance.

[Subz]

Have you looked at the Outlook UDF?  You can create tasks etc... using dom which is alot better than send functions.  Have a look at the _OL_ItemCreate.htm from the link below and it has an example of how to create a Task.

 

[cag8f]

@Subz OK thanks for that.  I'll have a look. But I don't plan on doing very much else with send() besides CTRL-U, CTRL-B, and sending text.  Nor do I plan on doing much more AutoiIt coding with Outlook.  So if there are more 'quick-and-dirty' methods to do what I want, I might be interested in at least hearing what they entail.  It might be the path of least resistance in this case.

[Subz]

Use the Autoit Window Info Tool on the body of the Task Sequence to get the Control Information, after that just put it together example:

Opt("SendKeyDelay", 10)     ;~ Wait 10 Ms between key strokes
Opt("WinTitleMatchMode", 2) ;~ Window Title Match Mode = Partial
WinActivate (" - Task")
ControlFocus(" - Task", "", "[CLASS:_WwG; INSTANCE:1]")
ControlSend (" - Task", "", "[CLASS:_WwG; INSTANCE:1]", "^bTitle^b" & @CR)      ;~ ^b Enable Bold :: Text = Title :: ^b Disable Bold :: @CR Carriage Return
ControlSend (" - Task", "", "[CLASS:_WwG; INSTANCE:1]", "^uSubtitle^u" & @CR)   ;~ ^u Enable Underline :: Type Subtitle :: ^u Disable Underline :: @CR Carriage Return

 

[cag8f]

Ah OK, looks like you're using ControlSend() instead of send().   I didn't know that existed--it looks to be more applicable here, and perhaps it is the source of my issue?

Thanks for that.  Give me a few days to test this.  I'll report back here.

[cag8f]

@Subz sorry for the delay.  Here are my follow ups. 

I had a look with the AutoIt Window Info Tool, and what you indicated for CLASS and INSTANCE seem to be accurate (screenshot).  I then entered your code and ran it. But the same issue occurs.  Namely, the text `Title` and `Subtitle` are entered into the control, as well as the carriage returns.  But the bold and underline don't occur--instead are two audible Windows 'error' prompts (not sure of the correct term).

Thoughts on that?  Maybe I specify something different for the `controlID` parameter in `controlsend()`?

Edited February 23, 2019 by cag8f

[alienclone]

does Outlook allow inline html formatting? <b><ins>this text is in bold and underlined</ins></b>

[cag8f]

@alienclone  Good question.  But no it does not :-/