Windows 8 acts different on the ALT+TAB

[Djek]

hi all,
if i have to grab some text from a website or a document, i startup a script with

Code: Select all

    PutClipBoard>
    press ALT
    press TAB
    Release ALT
    wait>0.2 
    press CTRL
    wait>0.1
    send>c
    wait>0.1
    Release CTRL
    wait>0.1
    GetClipBoard>sl,0

this switches the focus of Windows to the previous opened window, press ctrl-c and returns the selected text in the var sl.
Well, so far it worked on xp and win7, but somehow Microsoft decided that this had to alter.
Now in Windows 8 it does not work any more.
Strange, because a physical press on the keyboard with alt tab still does the trick.
But what has changed?

I allready tried (suggestions from Google)
-to disable the windows keys > no solution
-put the exe in program files (as to have Adminstrative rights) > no solution
-tried different timings > no solution
-run Window Switcher and manipulate it > no solution
-disabled the graphic layout from the alt-tab viewer > no solution

there not much to find on the internet about this problem. So is there anyone out there who knows something to get this working again?
Thanks in advance,
Djek

[Marcus Tettmar]

From what I can gather Microsoft have blocked simulated ALT-TABs in Windows 8 party because they want to stop apps from automatically switching away from Metro apps. Seems a bit odd to me.

However, ALT-ESC still works - this does pretty much the same thing but bypasses the thumbnail preview. No idea why this should be enabled but ALT-TAB isn't.

Anyway this little test script successfully switches focus back to Notepad after starting Calc:

Code: Select all

Let>STEP_DELAY=20
Run>Notepad.exe
Wait>1
Run>Calc.exe
Wait>2
Press ALT
Press Esc
Release ALT

[Djek]

Thanks Marcus,

your alternative method works for me,

let's not spread the word around, because there is a chance that Microsoft forgot to block the ALT-ESC
But i hope not

Kind regards,
Djek