How to simulate keyboard input in ALL applications

Question

I'm writing an app (in C#) which as a part of it must simulate and send some key strokes to another application. I'm using http://inputsimulator.codeplex.com/ project for simulating keys, and it works in many applications, but in some it doesn't - i.e. Mortal Combat 4.

I've googled about it, and found many answers varying from 'it's impossible' to 'you must use XXX library' etc. Those answered scared me a lot, and even nearly convinced I'm not able to do it at that time, BUT...

M$ Virtual Keyboard works. It works in ALL applications. So it IS possible... Does anyone of you, clever guys, know how can I achieve this?

Answer 1

Take a look at SendKeys on MSDN

Answer 2

Ok, I think I finally got it to work. I used API Monitor recommended by Neal P and it showed just minimal differences between OSK calls and mine. A bit later I've tried to make my calling thread sleep some time between sending messages with press and release key and that was it.

Answer 3

Although you were able to achieve your purpose, the way you achieved it does not fundamentally answer your question: How to simulate keyboard input in ALL applications?

There's a bunch of situations where the common user mode Microsoft API already mentioned does not work, like game applications that use the DirectInput API or protected games.

I have built a library that can help in this situations, it provides a simple C API that internally communicates with device filter drivers. It is able to send input for DirectInput based games and also is able to bypass some game protections. I have checked and it is still able to bypass some known game protections by using the x64 version of the library. Game protections commonly hook only the x86 system's api. Well, at last now, 18 February 2012, this is what I'm seeing happening.