AppInteract - Yet another interaction UDF

[MrCreatoR]

Yes, we have those here and there (including my Container UDF), but i didn't  find one that able to pass arrays or other types to be reliable enough.

Differences from other analogs:

• Stability (reliability)
• Array support (2D ATM)
• Ability to get the return data from the interaction process
• Easy both ways interaction

 

Notes:

Quote

* This UDF registers $WM_COPYDATA, if you or other UDF uses this message, __AppInteract_WM_COPYDATA($hWnd, $iMsg, $wParam, $lParam) should be called from that other message function.
* Do not use any delay functions inside the receiver function, the return must be as soon as possible.

 

Examples (run both)...

Spoiler

Script1.au3:

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#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include <ListViewConstants.au3>
#include <Array.au3>
#include 'AppInteract.au3'

Global $iApp = 1

Global $sApp_Name = 'My App' & $iApp
Global $sSend_App_Name = 'My App' & Mod($iApp, 2) + 1
Global $sSend_Script_Name = 'Script' & Mod($iApp, 2) + 1 & '.' & (@Compiled ? 'exe' : 'au3')

Global $iGUI_Width = 600
Global $iGUI_Left = 100 + ($iGUI_Width * ($iApp - 1)) + (10 * ($iApp - 1))

_AppInteract_SetReceiver($sApp_Name, '_Receiver')

$hGUI = GUICreate(@ScriptName & ' - AppInteract Example', $iGUI_Width, 400, $iGUI_Left, 20)

GUICtrlCreateLabel('Please run ' & $sSend_Script_Name & ' and enter some data to send:', 10, 5, -1, 15)
$iEdit = GUICtrlCreateEdit(StringFormat('Send\r\nThis\r\nData\r\nTo\r\n%s', $sSend_Script_Name), 10, 20, 580, 150)

GUICtrlCreateLabel('Received:', 10, 175, -1, 15)
$iReceiver_LV = GUICtrlCreateListView('Type|Data', 10, 190, 580, 170)
GUICtrlSendMsg($iReceiver_LV, $LVM_SETCOLUMNWIDTH, 0, 285)
GUICtrlSendMsg($iReceiver_LV, $LVM_SETCOLUMNWIDTH, 1, 285)

GUICtrlCreateLabel('Send to ' & $sSend_Script_Name & ' as:', 20, 373)
$iSendStr_Bttn = GUICtrlCreateButton('String', 150, 370, 70, 20)
$iSendArr_Bttn = GUICtrlCreateButton('Array', 230, 370, 70, 20)
$iSendBin_Bttn = GUICtrlCreateButton('Binary', 310, 370, 70, 20)

GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $hGUI)
WinSetOnTop($hGUI, '', 1)

While 1
    $nMsg = GUIGetMsg()
    
    Switch $nMsg
        Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            Exit
        Case $iSendStr_Bttn, $iSendArr_Bttn, $iSendBin_Bttn
            $vData = GUICtrlRead($iEdit)
            
            Switch $nMsg
                Case $iSendArr_Bttn
                    $vData = StringSplit(StringStripCR($vData), @LF)
                Case $iSendBin_Bttn
                    $vData = StringToBinary($vData)
            EndSwitch
            
            _AppInteract_Send($sSend_App_Name, $vData, @AutoItExe)
            
            If @error Then
                MsgBox(48, @ScriptName, 'Unable to send, probably ' & $sSend_Script_Name & ' is not executed!', 0, $hGUI)
            EndIf
    EndSwitch
WEnd

Func _Receiver($vData)
    Local $sData = $vData
    Local $sType = VarGetType($vData)
    
    Switch $sType
        Case 'Array'
            $sData = _ArrayToString($vData, '~', -1, -1, Chr(10))
        Case 'Binary'
            $sData = BinaryToString($vData)
    EndSwitch
    
    GUICtrlCreateListViewItem($sType & '|' & $sData, $iReceiver_LV)
EndFunc

Script2.au3:

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#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include <ListViewConstants.au3>
#include <Array.au3>
#include 'AppInteract.au3'

Global $iApp = 2

Global $sApp_Name = 'My App' & $iApp
Global $sSend_App_Name = 'My App' & Mod($iApp, 2) + 1
Global $sSend_Script_Name = 'Script' & Mod($iApp, 2) + 1 & '.' & (@Compiled ? 'exe' : 'au3')

Global $iGUI_Width = 600
Global $iGUI_Left = 100 + ($iGUI_Width * ($iApp - 1)) + (10 * ($iApp - 1))

_AppInteract_SetReceiver($sApp_Name, '_Receiver')

$hGUI = GUICreate(@ScriptName & ' - AppInteract Example', $iGUI_Width, 400, $iGUI_Left, 20)

GUICtrlCreateLabel('Please run ' & $sSend_Script_Name & ' and enter some data to send:', 10, 5, -1, 15)
$iEdit = GUICtrlCreateEdit(StringFormat('Send\r\nThis\r\nData\r\nTo\r\n%s', $sSend_Script_Name), 10, 20, 580, 150)

GUICtrlCreateLabel('Received:', 10, 175, -1, 15)
$iReceiver_LV = GUICtrlCreateListView('Type|Data', 10, 190, 580, 170)
GUICtrlSendMsg($iReceiver_LV, $LVM_SETCOLUMNWIDTH, 0, 285)
GUICtrlSendMsg($iReceiver_LV, $LVM_SETCOLUMNWIDTH, 1, 285)

GUICtrlCreateLabel('Send to ' & $sSend_Script_Name & ' as:', 20, 373)
$iSendStr_Bttn = GUICtrlCreateButton('String', 150, 370, 70, 20)
$iSendArr_Bttn = GUICtrlCreateButton('Array', 230, 370, 70, 20)
$iSendBin_Bttn = GUICtrlCreateButton('Binary', 310, 370, 70, 20)

GUISetState(@SW_SHOW, $hGUI)
WinSetOnTop($hGUI, '', 1)

While 1
    $nMsg = GUIGetMsg()
    
    Switch $nMsg
        Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            Exit
        Case $iSendStr_Bttn, $iSendArr_Bttn, $iSendBin_Bttn
            $vData = GUICtrlRead($iEdit)
            
            Switch $nMsg
                Case $iSendArr_Bttn
                    $vData = StringSplit(StringStripCR($vData), @LF)
                Case $iSendBin_Bttn
                    $vData = StringToBinary($vData)
            EndSwitch
            
            _AppInteract_Send($sSend_App_Name, $vData, @AutoItExe)
            
            If @error Then
                MsgBox(48, @ScriptName, 'Unable to send, probably ' & $sSend_Script_Name & ' is not executed!', 0, $hGUI)
            EndIf
    EndSwitch
WEnd

Func _Receiver($vData)
    Local $sData = $vData
    Local $sType = VarGetType($vData)
    
    Switch $sType
        Case 'Array'
            $sData = _ArrayToString($vData, '~', -1, -1, Chr(10))
        Case 'Binary'
            $sData = BinaryToString($vData)
    EndSwitch
    
    GUICtrlCreateListViewItem($sType & '|' & $sData, $iReceiver_LV)
EndFunc

 

 

Downloads:

AppInteract_v0.5.zip

AppInteract_v0.4.zip

AppInteract_v0.3.zip

AppInteract_v0.2.zip

AppInteract_v0.1.zip

Edited May 19, 2020 by MrCreatoR
New version

[MrCreatoR]

Update:

Quote

v0.2
* Better interaction in both ways.
+ Added $sCmdLine optional parameter to check executable command line.
* Examples changed.

 

[MrCreatoR]

Update:

Quote

v0.3
+ Added option to return from the receiver back to the sent process.
+ For the return option, added optional parameter $sRetAppName to _AppInteract_Send function.
* Minor corrections.
+ Added examples to show how the _AppInteract_Send can get the return.
 

 

[MrCreatoR]

Update:

Quote

v0.4
+ Added x64 support.
+ Added more examples (Thanks to Vanguger for Example #3).
* Now sent data can be any type of data except 3D (or higher) arrays, objects and structures.
* Now the option to return data back from the receiver is more reliable.
* _AppInteract_Send now returns only string data type (up to 1024 bytes) from the receiver.
- Removed $sRetAppName parameter from _AppInteract_Send function due to change of return method.
 

 

[MrCreatoR]

Update:

Quote

v0.5
* Removed 1024 bytes limitation (thanks to Danyfirex).
* Now the return data can be any type of data except 3D (or higher) arrays, objects and structures.
* Changed return values on @error in _AppInteract_Send.
* Better error handling.

 

[RAMzor]

MrCreatoR, 

Many thanks for awesome UDF! 

Some issue:

Although v0.5 shouldn't have limitation, I can't send more then 1013 chars. Your UDF crashes without any error.

Edited July 2, 2022 by RAMzor