Possible to trigger a GUI's function without using the GUI?
Posted: 12 Apr 2015, 16:20
Is it possible to trigger a GUI's function without actually interacting with the GUI? Like "puppet-stringing" the behind-the-GUI function, essentially bypassing the GUI entirely.
For example, in Internet Explorer, pressing F12 brings up the Developer Tools pane. Inside this pane, there's a button called "Clear domain cookies" -- it clears the cookies for the current page's domain. I'm wondering if it'd be possible to trigger this function without having to press F12 and then mouse-clicking the button.
Perhaps if there was some way to "listen" behind the scenes for what's happening in memory when a button is clicked, capture that, then replay it without having to use the GUI.
Note: I'm more interested in this general ability rather than merely using the button in this IE example -- I want to avoid GUI-clicking automation. I'd love to get the ability to "hook" any program's GUI functions for my own scripts and programs, if possible. Sort've like hacking out your own API for a program.
For example, in Internet Explorer, pressing F12 brings up the Developer Tools pane. Inside this pane, there's a button called "Clear domain cookies" -- it clears the cookies for the current page's domain. I'm wondering if it'd be possible to trigger this function without having to press F12 and then mouse-clicking the button.
Perhaps if there was some way to "listen" behind the scenes for what's happening in memory when a button is clicked, capture that, then replay it without having to use the GUI.
Note: I'm more interested in this general ability rather than merely using the button in this IE example -- I want to avoid GUI-clicking automation. I'd love to get the ability to "hook" any program's GUI functions for my own scripts and programs, if possible. Sort've like hacking out your own API for a program.