LinuxAsmTools
"xhelper" desktop controler
PURPOSE
xhelper is a simple way to control linux desktop
programs. It is a script (batch processor)
for x windows. The language is easy to read
and can be understood without useing a manual.
It has the unique capibility to add comments
everywhere, even inside commands. Also, it
is designed for embedding into scripts or
other languages.
STARTING XHELPER
The calling sequence for xhelper is;
xhelper <switches> <control file>
"switches" can be: -h for help
-s disable focus save at
start and restore at exit
-goto <label> start at label
-x alternate window
list
"control file" is optional file name.
If no file is provided a dump of all
known windows, programs, and help is
sent to stdout.
The alternate window list uses x server
information about windows. Normally, the
window information is provided by the
window manager.
For more information on using the goto
parameter, see discussion of function
libraries.
Some examples:
1. list all windows and programs active.
xhelper
-or-
xhelper -x
2. start a control file running.
xhelper file-name
3. embed xhelper into a script
#!/bin/bash
#add additional script commands here
xhelper $0
exit 0
;xhelper commands are placed here
The above text can be placed in any
file and the execute attribute set. It
will run as a xhelper program.
XHELPER OPERATION
All xhelper commands start with "^" followed by a name.
Everything else is assumed to be comments and is ignored.
Once a valid command name is found, the program then
expects parameters which are enclosed by (" and ").
xhelper is primarily a "window" minipulation tool
and relies on its ability to identify windows.
Any command that has a ("window") name, results
in a search of all current windows for a match.
Matches can be partial and the first match found
is used by a command. If you enter ("") this
will match all windows. Entering ("dog") will
match all window titles with "dog" somewhere
in the name.
To identify a window, find a unique string
that appears in the title. Titles visible to
the program can be seen with the ^dump command
or by running xhelper without a command file.
The windows known to xhelper can be modified
by using the -x parameter. When -x is used, the
window list is obtained from x server. The
x server list can include hundreds of windows.
The default xhelper operation is to get the
window list from "window manager". The window
manager list is shorter and easier to work
with, but special windows may not appear.
XHELPER COMMANDS
^run ("program")
Start a program running. Before working with a
running program, it may be necessary to wait
until windows are created or the program has
been given control. the "wait_program" and
"wait_window" can be used.
Running programs will die when xhelper exitss,
so it may be necessary to wait while programs
run.
example: ^run ("xclock")
^wait_program ("xclock")
^stop
^kill ("program")
Kill a running program.
^stop
The ^stop command terminates xhelper. It needs to
be used at end of program and within any "if" commands
that want to force an exit.
example: 1. terminate the program if error
^if_no_program ("browser")
^show ("browser died or exited")
^stop
^endif
^goto ("label")
Labels may be defined anywhere, and are
followed by a ":" The goto command will
jump to the label and begin processing.
example:
^goto ("my_label")
^show ("this command is not executed")
my_label: <-- note the ":" added at end
^stop
^sleep ("seconds")
Sleep gives other programs time to run. It
may be useful when waiting for windows or
programs to appear.
^dump
Dump sends a list of programs and windows to
stdout out. This is useful to find the names
of windows or status of a point in xhelper
command execution. If xhelper output is
piped to a file, the dump command can be
used to log status:
xhelper command_file > log_file
^show ("message")
The ^show command displays text. It can be used
to debug programs or display status of processing.
example: ^show ("string")
^set_timeout ("seconds")
The "wait" commands wait forever and this
can create programs that hang. To
avoid hung programs, the "set_timeout"
command will cause all "wait" commands to
exit when the timeout expires. The timeout
needs to be restarted for each command, or
can be used with multiple "wait" commands.
It continues to count down as each wait
command is called.
see also, ^if_timeout command and all
wait commands.
^wait_program ("name")
wait_program will wait for a named program
to appear. To avoid waiting forever, the
set_timeout command should be used.
To be safe always set the timeout first. To
disable the timeout set it to ("0")
^wait_no_program ("name")
wait_no_program will wait for a named program
to exit. To avoid waiting forever, the
set_timeout command should be used.
To be safe always set the timeout first. To
disable the timeout set it to ("0")
^wait_window ("name")
Windows can come and go, so it may be
necessary to wait before trying to operate
on them. The set_timeout should be used
to avoid waiting forever.
To be safe always set the timeout first. To
disable the timeout set it to ("0")
^wait_no_window ("name")
Wait for a window to be destroyed. This
can also be used to wait for a program
to exit and close its windows. See
set_timeout.
To be safe always set the timeout first. To
disable the timeout set it to ("0")
^wait_file ("file")
Wait for a file to exist. This command
can work with set_timeout.
To be safe always set the timeout first. To
disable the timeout set it to ("0")
^wait_no_file ("file")
Wait for a file to be deleted. Also, see
set_timeout
To be safe always set the timeout first. To
disable the timeout set it to ("0")
^if_program ("name")
Check if a program is running. If program
is found, execute all commands until a
^endif command is encountered.
example: ^if_program ("kppp")
^show ("kppp running")
^endif
^if_no_program ("name")
Check if program is not running. If no program
then execute all commands until a ^endif
command is encountered.
example: ^if_no_program ("kppp")
^run ("kppp")
^show ("starting conection")
^endif
^if_window ("name")
Check if a window has been created. It is
possible the window is a work in process and
not ready to be displayed yet, so beware.
If window is found, all commands are executed
until a ^endif is found. Otherwise, commands
are ignored until a ^endif
example: ^if_window ("jumbo")
^show ("found window jumbo")
^endif
^if_no_window ("name")
Check if a window is not present.
example: ^if_no_window ("jumbo")
^show ("window jumbo not found")
^endif
^if_file ("name")
Check if file exists.
example: ^if_file ("/etc/ppp/x")
^show ("found file x")
^endiff
^if_no_file ("name")
Check if file not present.
example: ^if_no_file ("/etc/resolv")
^show ("file resolv not found")
^endif
^if_timeout
Check if last wait command timed out.
example: ^if_timeout
^show ("wait timed out")
^stop aborting program here
^endif
^if_no_timeout
Check if last wait was successful.
example: ^if_no_timeout
^show ("do operation now")
^endif
^endif
^endif signal the end of a list of "if" commands.
It can be nested.
^move_window ("window name") ("x") ("y")
Move a window. The ^dump command or executing
xhelper without a command file, will show current
window location. The x and y values are in
decimal. x is pixel column, y is pixel row.
^resize_window ("window name") ("x") ("y")
Resize a displayed window.
^activate_window ("name")
The send_keys command only works with the
active window. Once a window has focus and
is displayed, it can be minipulated or used
as target for keys.
^send_keys ("flag") ("xkey")
Send_keys uses the xtest protocall extension
to send keys to a activated window (See the
activate_window command).
Each key consists of two hex values; a flag
and xcode. The flag is used to hold down a
modifier key. Modifier keys are:
shift 01
ctrl 04
alt 08
example: to hold down ctrl-alt flag=0c
to send upper case flag=01
The xkey is a code used by x server to identify
a key. The follow is a table of common keys:
x-code
-----
08
09 (Escape)
0a (1)
0b (2)
0c (3)
0d (4)
0e (5)
0f (6)
10 (7)
11 (8)
12 (9)
13 (0)
14 (minus)
15 (equal)
16 (BackSpace)
17 (Tab)
18 (q)
19 (w)
1a (e)
1b (r)
1c (t)
1d (y)
1e (u)
1f (i)
20 (o)
21 (p)
22 (bracketleft)
23 (bracketright)
24 (Return)
25 (Control L)
26 (a)
27 (s)
28 (d)
29 (f)
2a (g)
2b (h)
2c (j)
2d (k)
2e (l)
2f (semicolon)
30 (apostrophe)
31 (grave)
32 (Shift_L
33 (backslash)
34 (z)
35 (x)
36 (c)
37 (v)
38 (b)
39 (n)
3a (m)
3b (comma)
3c (period)
3d (slash)
3e (Shift_R)
3f (KP_Multiply)
40 (Alt_L)
41 (space)
42 (Caps_Lock)
43 (F1)
44 (F2)
45 (F3)
46 (F4)
47 (F5)
48 (F6)
49 (F7)
4a (F8)
4b (F9)
4c (F10)
4d (Num_Lock)
4e (Scroll_Lock)
4f (KP_Home)
50 (KP_Up)
51 (KP_Pgup)
52 (KP_Subtract)
53 (KP_Left)
54 (KP_Begin)
55 (KP_Right)
56 (KP_Add)
57 (KP_End)
58 (KP_Down)
59 (KP_Pgdn)
5a (KP_Insert)
5b (KP_Delete)
5c (Mode_switch)
5e (less)
5f (F11)
60 (F12)
61 (Home)
63 (Pgup )
64 (Left)
66 (Right)
67 (End)
69 (Pgdn)
6b (Delete)
6c (KP_Enter)
6d (Control R)
6e (Pause)
6f (Print)
70 (KP_Divide)
71 (Alt_R)
^move_mouse ("x_col") ("y_row")
The move_mouse command sets the mouse cursor.
It is independent of windows that may or may
not be present. The values for x and y are
in decimal
example:
^move_mouse ("500") ("10")
^click_mouse ("right")
^click_mouse ("left")
^cllck_mouse ("middle")
The click_mouse command sends a mouse button
down command, followed by a mouse button up.
COMPILING
xhelper does not need to be compiled, but if a
compile is desired, the libraries asmlibx and
asmlib are needed. The linker needs to have
asmlibx listed first.
FUNCTION LIBRARIES AND SCRIPT USAGE
It is easy to create complex programs with
libraries of functions and interact with a
script. The script could be shell such as
bash or zsh and xhelper programs can be
included within the script.
Here is an example of three xhelper programs
inside a bash script.
#!/bin/bash
xhelper $0 -goto program1
#shell commands here, other programs,
#dialog with user, etc.
xhelper $0 -goto program2
xhelper $0 -goto program2
exit 0
program1:
^show ("hello this is program1")
^stop
program2:
^show ("hello this is program2")
^stop
program3:
^show ("hello this is program3")
^stop
XHELPER EXAMPLES
A simple hello world program. Assumes that
xhelper is installed.
#!/bin/bash
xhelper $0
exit 0
^show ("hello world")
^stop
We can create a standalone command file
and duplicate the previous example:
file cmds = ^show ("hello world")
^stop
we now call xhelper as follows:
xhelper cmds
PROBLEMS
Nothing happened?
This often occurs if xhelper runs without any pauses, or
logging. It is very fast for some commands, windows
come and go without being seen. First try putting in
some delays or printouts.
The window moved and my mouse clicks went to wrong
place!
It is best to force windows to known locations.
The window manager often decides to move windows
and we have to tell it where we want the window.
