Java robot useful scripts part 1

Windows + D to bring desktop

Using Java/Groovy/Scala to change the focus to a application in Windows by simulation keyboard input.

import java.awt.Robot;
import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
Robot r = new Robot();

//window + D to bring desktop
   r.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_WINDOWS);
   r.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_D);
   r.delay(1000); //set the delay
   r.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_WINDOWS);
   r.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_D);

ALT + TAB to change focus

import java.awt.Robot;
import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
Robot r = new Robot();
   
//ALT + TAB to change focus
   r.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_ALT);
   r.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_TAB);
   r.delay(1000); //set the delay
   r.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_ALT);
   r.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_TAB);

Java Robot Class KeyPress

Note that you have to release the keys after pressing them.

Robot r=new Robot();
r.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_CAPS_LOCK);
r.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_CAPS_LOCK);
r.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_V);
r.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_V);
r.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_CAPS_LOCK);
r.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_CAPS_LOCK);

Type a String using java.awt.Robot and Clipboard java/groovy

Common solution by using the clipboard embed functionality in the OS:

String text = "Hello World";
StringSelection stringSelection = new StringSelection(text);
Clipboard clipboard = Toolkit.getDefaultToolkit().getSystemClipboard();
clipboard.setContents(stringSelection, stringSelection);
Robot robot = new Robot();
robot.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_CONTROL);
robot.keyPress(KeyEvent.VK_V);
robot.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_V);
robot.keyRelease(KeyEvent.VK_CONTROL);

Simulate a real mouse click using java

Simulating mouse click by method

public static void click(int x, int y) throws AWTException{
       Robot bot = new Robot();
       bot.mouseMove(x, y);
       bot.mousePress(InputEvent.BUTTON1_MASK);
       bot.mouseRelease(InputEvent.BUTTON1_MASK);
}

Groovy script like code to simulate mouse

Robot bot = new Robot();
int mask = InputEvent.MOUSE_BUTTON1_DOWN;
bot.mouseMove(x, y);
bot.mousePress(mask);
bot.mouseRelease(mask);

Java Simulate typing

Groovy script like code to simulate mouse

Solution by using keyboard's type method:

import static java.awt.event.KeyEvent.*;

public class Keyboard {
   private Robot robot;
   public static void main(String... args) throws Exception {
       Keyboard keyboard = new Keyboard();
       keyboard.type("Hello there, how are you?");
   }

Self defined keyboard:

public void type(char character) {
        switch (character) {
        case 'a': doType(VK_A); break;
        case 'b': doType(VK_B); break;
        case 'c': doType(VK_C); break;
        case 'd': doType(VK_D); break;
        case 'e': doType(VK_E); break;
        case 'f': doType(VK_F); break;
        case 'g': doType(VK_G); break;
        case 'h': doType(VK_H); break;
        case 'i': doType(VK_I); break;
        case 'j': doType(VK_J); break;
        case 'k': doType(VK_K); break;
        case 'l': doType(VK_L); break;
        case 'm': doType(VK_M); break;
        case 'n': doType(VK_N); break;
        case 'o': doType(VK_O); break;
        case 'p': doType(VK_P); break;
        case 'q': doType(VK_Q); break;
        case 'r': doType(VK_R); break;
        case 's': doType(VK_S); break;
        case 't': doType(VK_T); break;
        case 'u': doType(VK_U); break;
        case 'v': doType(VK_V); break;
        case 'w': doType(VK_W); break;
        case 'x': doType(VK_X); break;
        case 'y': doType(VK_Y); break;
        case 'z': doType(VK_Z); break;
        case 'A': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_A); break;
        case 'B': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_B); break;
        case 'C': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_C); break;
        case 'D': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_D); break;
        case 'E': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_E); break;
        case 'F': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_F); break;
        case 'G': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_G); break;
        case 'H': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_H); break;
        case 'I': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_I); break;
        case 'J': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_J); break;
        case 'K': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_K); break;
        case 'L': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_L); break;
        case 'M': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_M); break;
        case 'N': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_N); break;
        case 'O': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_O); break;
        case 'P': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_P); break;
        case 'Q': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_Q); break;
        case 'R': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_R); break;
        case 'S': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_S); break;
        case 'T': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_T); break;
        case 'U': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_U); break;
        case 'V': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_V); break;
        case 'W': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_W); break;
        case 'X': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_X); break;
        case 'Y': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_Y); break;
        case 'Z': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_Z); break;
        case '`': doType(VK_BACK_QUOTE); break;
        case '0': doType(VK_0); break;
        case '1': doType(VK_1); break;
        case '2': doType(VK_2); break;
        case '3': doType(VK_3); break;
        case '4': doType(VK_4); break;
        case '5': doType(VK_5); break;
        case '6': doType(VK_6); break;
        case '7': doType(VK_7); break;
        case '8': doType(VK_8); break;
        case '9': doType(VK_9); break;
        case '-': doType(VK_MINUS); break;
        case '=': doType(VK_EQUALS); break;
        case '~': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_BACK_QUOTE); break;
        case '!': doType(VK_EXCLAMATION_MARK); break;
        case '@': doType(VK_AT); break;
        case '#': doType(VK_NUMBER_SIGN); break;
        case '$': doType(VK_DOLLAR); break;
        case '%': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_5); break;
        case '^': doType(VK_CIRCUMFLEX); break;
        case '&': doType(VK_AMPERSAND); break;
        case '*': doType(VK_ASTERISK); break;
        case '(': doType(VK_LEFT_PARENTHESIS); break;
        case ')': doType(VK_RIGHT_PARENTHESIS); break;
        case '_': doType(VK_UNDERSCORE); break;
        case '+': doType(VK_PLUS); break;
        case '\t': doType(VK_TAB); break;
        case '\n': doType(VK_ENTER); break;
        case '[': doType(VK_OPEN_BRACKET); break;
        case ']': doType(VK_CLOSE_BRACKET); break;
        case '\\': doType(VK_BACK_SLASH); break;
        case '{': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_OPEN_BRACKET); break;
        case '}': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_CLOSE_BRACKET); break;
        case '|': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_BACK_SLASH); break;
        case ';': doType(VK_SEMICOLON); break;
        case ':': doType(VK_COLON); break;
        case '\'': doType(VK_QUOTE); break;
        case '"': doType(VK_QUOTEDBL); break;
        case ',': doType(VK_COMMA); break;
        case '<': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_COMMA); break;
        case '.': doType(VK_PERIOD); break;
        case '>': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_PERIOD); break;
        case '/': doType(VK_SLASH); break;
        case '?': doType(VK_SHIFT, VK_SLASH); break;
        case ' ': doType(VK_SPACE); break;
        default:
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Cannot type character " + character);
        }