Note: To learn how to simulate user actions over text edit box controls in web applications, see Working With Text Edit Controls in Web Applications.

While testing edit controls, you can use specific properties and methods of the corresponding program object to perform certain actions and obtain data stored in controls. You can call these methods and properties from your keyword tests, as well as from scripts. This topic describes how to work with the needed properties and methods from your scripts. However, when testing a control from your keyword test, you can use the same methods and properties calling them from keyword test operations. For more information, see Keyword Tests Basic Operations.

Working with an edit control often implies modifying text within it. The text displayed within the edit control can be changed in different ways:

By using the SetText action or the wText property to specify new text.
By “typing” text using the Keys action (see Simulating Keystrokes). Before using the Keys action, make sure to place the insertion point at the needed position within the control.
By pasting text from the clipboard. This approach is described in the Copying and Pasting Text in an Edit Control in Desktop Windows Applications topic.
By replacing the selected text. This approach is described in the Replacing Text in an Edit Control in Desktop Windows Applications topic.

The following sample code demonstrates how to enter new text in an edit control:

JavaScript, JScript

function Main()
{
  // Run Notepad
  WshShell.Run("notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL);

  // Obtain the edit object
  var p = Sys.Process("NOTEPAD");
  var Edit = p.Window("Notepad").Window("Edit");

  // Enter text into the edit control
  Edit.SetText("I should like to have it explained");
}

Python

def Main():
  # Run Notepad 
  WshShell.Run("notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL)

  # Obtain the edit object
  p = Sys.Process("NOTEPAD")
  Edit = p.Window("Notepad").Window("Edit")

  # Enter text into the edit control
  Edit.SetText("I should like to have it explained")

VBScript

Sub Main
  Dim p, Edit
  ' Run Notepad
  WshShell.Run "notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL

  ' Obtain the edit object
  Set p = Sys.Process("NOTEPAD")
  Set Edit = p.Window("Notepad").Window("Edit")

  ' Enter text into the edit control
  Edit.SetText "I should like to have it explained"
End Sub

DelphiScript

procedure Main;
  var p, Edit;
begin
  // Run Notepad
  WshShell.Run('notepad.exe', SW_SHOWNORMAL);

  // Obtain the edit object
  p := Sys.Process('NOTEPAD');
  Edit := p.Window('Notepad').Window('Edit');

  // Enter text into the edit control
  Edit.SetText('I should like to have it explained');
end;

C++Script, C#Script

function Main()
{
  // Run Notepad
  WshShell["Run"]("notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL);

  // Obtain the edit object
  var p = Sys["Process"]("NOTEPAD");
  var Edit = p["Window"]("Notepad")["Window"]("Edit");

  // Enter text into the edit control
  Edit["SetText"]("I should like to have it explained");
}

If you need to delete text displayed in the edit control, you can do any of the following:

Simulate Delete or Backspace keystrokes via the Keys action. Here is an example:
JavaScript, JScript

Python

VBScript

DelphiScript

C++Script, C#Script
Copy Code
JavaScript, JScript

function Main()
{
  // Run Notepad
  WshShell.Run("notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL);

  // Obtain the edit object
  var p = Sys.Process("NOTEPAD");
  var Edit = p.Window("Notepad").Window("Edit");
  Edit.Keys("White Rabbittt");

  // Delete text using keystrokes
  Edit.Keys("[BS][BS]");
}
Python
def Main(): # Run Notepad WshShell.Run("notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL) # Obtain the edit object p = Sys.Process("NOTEPAD") Edit = p.Window("Notepad").Window("Edit") Edit.Keys("White Rabbittt") # Delete text using keystrokes Edit.Keys("[BS][BS]")
VBScript

Sub Main
  Dim p, Edit
  ' Run Notepad
  WshShell.Run "notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL

  ' Obtain the edit object and fill it with text
  Set p = Sys.Process("NOTEPAD")
  Set Edit = p.Window("Notepad").Window("Edit")
  Edit.Keys "White Rabbittt"

  ' Delete text using keystrokes
  Edit.Keys "[BS][BS]"
End Sub

DelphiScript

procedure Main;
  var p, Edit;
begin
  // Run Notepad
  WshShell.Run('notepad.exe', SW_SHOWNORMAL);

  // Obtain the edit object
  p := Sys.Process('NOTEPAD');
  Edit := p.Window('Notepad').Window('Edit');
  Edit.Keys('White Rabbittt');

  // Delete text using keystrokes
  Edit.Keys('[BS][BS]');
end;

C++Script, C#Script

function Main()
{
  // Run Notepad
  WshShell["Run"]("notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL);

  // Obtain the edit object
  var p = Sys["Process"]("NOTEPAD");
  var Edit = p["Window"]("Notepad")["Window"]("Edit");
  Edit["Keys"]("White Rabbittt");

  // Delete text using keystrokes
  Edit["Keys"]("[BS][BS]");
}
Use the Cut or Delete items of the edit control’s context menu. In this case, you should do the following:
- Select the text to be deleted (for more information on how to do this, see Selecting Text Within an Edit Control in Desktop Windows Applications).
- Call the context menu by using the ClickR action or by simulating the Application keystroke.
- Select the Cut or Delete command from the menu. You can perform this operation by using the Window.PopupMenu.Click method or by simulating a T or D keystroke - these are hot keys of these commands.
  
  The following code demonstrates how to delete text using the context menu:
  JavaScript, JScript
  
  Python
  
  VBScript
  
  DelphiScript
  
  C++Script, C#Script
  Copy Code
  JavaScript, JScript
  
  function Main()
  {
    // Run Notepad
    WshShell.Run("notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL);
  
    // Obtain the edit object
    var p = Sys.Process("NOTEPAD");
    var Edit = p.Window("Notepad").Window("Edit");
    Edit.Keys("White Rabbitttt");
  
    // Select a portion of the text
    Edit.Keys("![Left]![Left]![Left]");
  
    // Delete the selected text using the context menu
    Edit.ClickR();
    Edit.PopupMenu.Click("Delete");
  
    // Select a portion of the text
    Edit.Keys("^a");
  
    // Cut the selected text using the context menu
    Edit.ClickR();
    Edit.PopupMenu.Click("Cut");
  
    // Post the clipboard content to the log
    Log.Message(Sys.Clipboard);
  }
  Python
  
  def PopupMenuExample(): # Run Notepad WshShell.Run("notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL) # Obtain the edit object p = Sys.Process("NOTEPAD") Edit = p.Window("Notepad").Window("Edit") Edit.Keys("White Rabbitttt") # Select a portion of the text Edit.Keys("![Left]![Left]![Left]") # Delete the selected text using the context menu Edit.ClickR() Edit.PopupMenu.Click("Delete") # Select a portion of the text Edit.Keys("^a") # Cut the selected text using the context menu Edit.ClickR() Edit.PopupMenu.Click("Cut") # Post the clipboard content to the log Log.Message(Sys.Clipboard)
  VBScript
  
  Sub Main
    Dim p, Edit
    ' Run Notepad
    WshShell.Run "notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL
  
    ' Obtain the edit object and fill it with text
    Set p = Sys.Process("NOTEPAD")
    Set Edit = p.Window("Notepad").Window("Edit")
    Edit.Keys "White Rabbitttt"
  
    ' Select a portion of the text
    Edit.Keys "![Left]![Left]![Left]"
  
    ' Delete the selected text using the context menu
    Edit.ClickR
    Edit.PopupMenu.Click "Delete"
  
    ' Select a portion of the text
    Edit.Keys "^a"
  
    ' Cut the selected text using the context menu
    Edit.ClickR
    Edit.PopupMenu.Click "Cut"
  
    ' Post the clipboard content to the log
    Log.Message Sys.Clipboard
  End Sub
  
  DelphiScript
  
  procedure Main;
    var p, Edit;
  begin
    // Run Notepad
    WshShell.Run('notepad.exe', SW_SHOWNORMAL);
  
    // Obtain the edit object
    p := Sys.Process('NOTEPAD');
    Edit := p.Window('Notepad').Window('Edit');
    Edit.Keys('White Rabbitttt');
  
    // Select a portion of the text
    Edit.Keys('![Left]![Left]![Left]');
  
    // Delete the selected text using the context menu
    Edit.ClickR;
    Edit.PopupMenu.Click('Delete');
  
    // Select a portion of the text
    Edit.Keys('^a');
  
    // Cut the selected text using the context menu
    Edit.ClickR;
    Edit.PopupMenu.Click('Cut');
  
    // Post the clipboard content to the log
    Log.Message(Sys.Clipboard);
  end;
  
  C++Script, C#Script
  
  function Main()
  {
    // Run Notepad
    WshShell["Run"]("notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL);
  
    // Obtain the edit object
    var p = Sys["Process"]("NOTEPAD");
    var Edit = p["Window"]("Notepad")["Window"]("Edit");
    Edit["Keys"]("White Rabbitttt");
  
    // Select a portion of the text
    Edit["Keys"]("![Left]![Left]![Left]");
  
    // Delete the selected text using the context menu
    Edit["ClickR"]();
    Edit["PopupMenu"]["Click"]("Delete");
  
    // Select a portion of the text
    Edit["Keys"]("^a");
  
    // Cut the selected text using the context menu
    Edit["ClickR"]();
    Edit["PopupMenu"]["Click"]("Cut");
  
    // Post the clipboard content to the log
    Log["Message"](Sys["Clipboard"]);
  }
Call the SetText action with an empty string as a parameter, or assign an empty value to the wText property. In this case, the whole text displayed in the edit control will be deleted. The example below demonstrates how to perform this operation:
JavaScript, JScript

Python

VBScript

DelphiScript

C++Script, C#Script
Copy Code
JavaScript, JScript

function Main()
{
  // Run Notepad
  WshShell.Run("notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL);

  // Obtain the edit object
  var p = Sys.Process("NOTEPAD");
  var Edit = p.Window("Notepad").Window("Edit");
  Edit.Keys("There was nothing so very remarkable in that.");

  // Delete the whole text displayed in the control
  Edit.SetText("");
}
Python
def Main(): # Run Notepad WshShell.Run("notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL) # Obtain the edit object p = Sys.Process("NOTEPAD") Edit = p.Window("Notepad").Window("Edit") Edit.Keys("There was nothing so very remarkable in that.") # Delete the whole text displayed in the control Edit.SetText("")
VBScript

Sub Main
  Dim p, Edit
  ' Run Notepad
  WshShell.Run "notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL

  ' Obtain the edit object and fill it with text
  Set p = Sys.Process("NOTEPAD")
  Set Edit = p.Window("Notepad").Window("Edit")
  Edit.Keys "There was nothing so very remarkable in that."

  ' Delete the whole text displayed in the control
  Edit.SetText ""
End Sub

DelphiScript

procedure Main;
  var p, Edit:OleVariant;
begin
  // Run Notepad
  WshShell.Run('notepad.exe', SW_SHOWNORMAL);

  // Obtain the edit object and fill it with text
  p := Sys.Process('NOTEPAD');
  Edit := p.Window('Notepad').Window('Edit');
  Edit.Keys('There was nothing so very remarkable in that.');

  // Delete the whole text displayed in the control
  Edit.SetText('');
end;

C++Script, C#Script

function Main()
{
  // Run Notepad
  WshShell["Run"]("notepad.exe", SW_SHOWNORMAL);

  // Obtain the edit object and fill it with text
  var p = Sys.Process("NOTEPAD");
  var Edit = p["Window"]("Notepad")["Window"]("Edit");
  Edit["Keys"]("There was nothing so very remarkable in that.");

  // Delete the whole text displayed in the control
  Edit["SetText"]("");
}

Note: When you change the text of the edit control using the wText property or the SetText action, the text change event in the tested application is raised twice.

Entering Text into an Edit Control in Desktop Windows Applications

See Also