In the previous example we showed how to
send data from the Wedge to a DOS application by first sending the data as keystrokes to
the NotePad program and then cutting the data out of NotePad, switching the focus to a DOS
window and pasting the data in. You can use the same technique to have the Wedge send data
to two (or more) Windows or DOS programs at a time. For example, if in the previous
example we were to copy the data from NotePad instead of cutting the data, we would end up
with both the NotePad and the DOS programs receiving the data.
All you need to do to pass data to two Windows programs is to send
the data to the first application and then use whatever keystrokes
are necessary to copy the data to the clipboard, switch the focus
to the second application and finally paste the data in. Even if
neither of the applications provides an explicit copy or paste function,
you can always copy text to the clipboard in any Windows program
by first selecting the text and issuing the keystroke Ctrl+Insert
(or Ctrl+C). In a "Field Postamble Keystroke" macro in
the Wedge, Ctrl+Insert is represented by: ^{INSERT}. Likewise, you
can paste text data from the clipboard into any Windows program
using the keystrokes Shift+Insert (or Ctrl+V). In the Wedge Shift+Insert
is represented by: +{INSERT}. To select text in any program you
can hold down the shift key while using the arrow keys, Home, End,
Page Up and Page Down keys to highlight and select characters.
Windows will also switch the focus between all running
application when you hold the Alt key down and press the Tab key. Windows maintains a list
of all currently running applications with the application that currently has the input
focus placed at the top of the list. If you switch to another application, the new
application moves to the top of the list and the previously active application moves down
one spot in the list. When hold the ALT key down, each time you press the tab key, Windows
moves down the list one item and selects the application at that position in the list.
When you release the Alt key, the selected application is given the focus and is moved to
the top of the list pushing all other application that were above it in the list down one
spot.
For example, if you had the Wedge set up to send keystrokes to
NotePad and you also wanted to send the data to the WordPad you
could use the following procedure:
Set up the Wedge in "Send Keystrokes" mode
specifying the NotePad program as the target for all keystrokes from the Wedge. Next,
configure the Wedge to work with your serial device and then add the following characters
to the end of the "Field Postamble Keystrokes" for the very last data field that
you have defined in the Wedge: +({LEFT}{HOME})^{INSERT}{DOWN}%{TAB}+{INSERT}
Activate the Wedge and then launch the WordPad program followed
by the NotePad program. At this point NotePad has the focus and
is therefore at the top of the Window list with the WordPad program
directly underneath it. When you input data from your device, it
will be sent to both NotePad and WordPad. The keystrokes: +({LEFT}{HOME})
means hold the shift key while pressing the left arrow and the home
key. This selects all text in the current line. The keystrokes:
^{INSERT} means Ctrl+Insert and causes all selected text to be copied
to the clipboard. The {DOWN} keystroke that follows is there to
simply de-select the currently selected text. The keystrokes: %{TAB}
means Alt-Tab and causes Windows to switch the focus to the WordPad
program. Finally, the keystrokes: +{INSERT} means shift+insert and
performs the job of pasting the data from the clipboard into the
WordPad program.
To send the data to three Windows programs at a time you
could use the following "Field Postamble Keystrokes": +({LEFT}{HOME})^{INSERT}{DOWN}%{TAB}+{INSERT}%{TAB
2}+{INSERT}
More Cool Wedge Tricks
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