Using Macro Scheduler with Windows remote desktop client

[billtubbs]

Hi

I realise this is a big stretch but, but I am using macro scheduler on a Windows machine that I have connected to from a remote computer using Windows remote desktop client for Mac. Amazingly a lot of things actually work like regular key presses. But not everything.

For more info on remote desktop for Mac see:
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/otherprodu ... ktopclient

The first problem is that the Mac doesn't have an ALT key and the remote client uses the OPTION key as a substitute. Unfortunately macro scheduler ALT key presses don't therefore work.

More significantly, there seem to be some problems with the setfocus command.

My question is, should I expect Macro Scheduler to work with a remote desktop client or am I expecting too much? Has anyone tried this before?

Bill.

[Marcus Tettmar]

Think about how remote desktop (or any remote administration tool) works:

* You have a server component on the computer you want to control
* You have a client component on the computer you are using
* The server (remote PC) sends images of the screen to the client (you)
* The client (you) sends mouse and keyboard events to the server

All that is transferred are keyboard/mouse events and screen images.

So in the context of a remote session there is no such thing as window titles, no such thing as window handles, object captions, etc. Just images. Any underlying technology is unknown. You cannot access the API of a window being presented in a remote session. Even in a Windows remote session. In Mac the technology is not even the same anyway. You are working with nothing but images.

Let me make it really simple - when controlling a remote environment all you have are images.

Therefore the solution should jump right out at you: IMAGE RECOGNITION.

The ONLY reliable way to automate a remote session is Image Recognition. Plus Image Recognition will let you control ANY target technology - because it doesn't care about the technology. Just images. So you can control a Mac session, an X-Windows session, a Citrix session, whatever.

So use the image recognition functions.
http://www.mjtnet.com/imagerecognition.htm

Or look at AppNavigator which also works graphically:
http://www.mjtnet.com/appnav.htm

See how I've controlled a remote citrix session using image recognition here:
http://www.mjtnet.com/blog/2007/02/20/h ... cognition/

You can use the exact same methods to control ANY remote or local application, whatever the technology.

And here I do the same thing with AppNavigator:
http://www.mjtnet.com/blog/2007/02/23/r ... navigator/

[billtubbs]

Actually, further investigation and a few work arounds revealed that I can actually control the remote server computer with Macro Scheduler. You just have to be careful and more patient as the windows emulator is a little slower. Most windows are recognisable and can be manipulated OK.

I think you are talking about a scenario where Macro Scheduler is running on the client computer. I have installed Macro Scheduler on the server computer and I am operating Macro Scheduler remotely. (Note my client is an Apple Mac so I couldn't run Macro Scheduler on it anyway).

thanks
Bill.

[Marcus Tettmar]

Ah! Yes if Macro Scheduler is on the *server* then everything is as normal as Macro Scheduler knows about the local windows and objects. Indeed I was talking about a situation where Macro Scheduler must be on the client. And in that case image recognition is the answer. And just to clarify - I'm still talking about Macro Scheduler. Image Recognition is a feature of Macro Scheduler. I'm talking about the Image Recognition functions *IN* Macro Scheduler which are ideal for automating remote environments.