RobotJS – Node.js Desktop Automation • Hacker News Board

Re: RobotJS – Node.js Desktop Automation

#11

Post by jbrooksuk » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 7:55 AM UTC

AutoIt MVP member here (James on the forums).

I'm really glad to see a replacement for AutoIt and AHK and potentially, if not already, cross-platform too.

I can't speak for AHK but AutoIt has made huge progress over the last couple of years. Jon has been working on new features, especially improved COM support.

Maybe RobotJS will have a community too? It'd be great to see UDF's and a thriving ecosystem.

Re: RobotJS – Node.js Desktop Automation

#12

Post by octalmage » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 8:14 AM UTC

jbrooksuk wrote: post #11

AutoIt MVP member here (James on the forums). I'm really glad to see a replacement for AutoIt and AHK and potentially, if not already, cross-platform too. I can't speak for AHK but AutoIt has made huge progress over the last couple of years. Jon has been working on new features, especially improved COM support. Maybe RobotJS will have a community too? It'd be great to see UDF's and a thriving ecosystem.

Awesome! AutoIt is great. AutoHotkey wouldn't exist if it wasn't for AutoIt.

AutoHotkey has also improved a bunch recently. Lexikos picked up development and he's done a killer job. But unfortunately it (and AutoIt) will never be cross platform. That's why I made RobotJS.

I honestly never thought about a community but that's an amazing idea. A classic forum would be great, I've spent so much time on the AutoHotkey/AutoIt forums. I'd love for this to happen.

Re: RobotJS – Node.js Desktop Automation

#13

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 8:42 AM UTC

[deleted]

Re: RobotJS – Node.js Desktop Automation

#14

Post by rolux » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 8:51 AM UTC

    //Type "Hello World".
    robot.typeString("Hello World");

    //Press enter. 
    robot.keyTap("enter");

Whoever designed this interface didn't think much about consistency.

Re: RobotJS – Node.js Desktop Automation

#15

Post by krat0sprakhar » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 8:51 AM UTC

Looks damn neat! I've not used AutoIT (and the likes) previously so I can't think of compelling use-cases yet. Can someone suggest some possible ideas on what to automate in my desktop with this Node library? Thanks!

Re: RobotJS – Node.js Desktop Automation

#16

Post by octalmage » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 9:16 AM UTC

rolux wrote: post #14

//Type "Hello World". robot.typeString("Hello World"); //Press enter. robot.keyTap("enter"); Whoever designed this interface didn't think much about consistency.

It's very temporary! There's discussion about it here:

https://github.com/octalmage/robotjs/issues/4

Re: RobotJS – Node.js Desktop Automation

#17

Post by anon3_ » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 10:38 AM UTC

Thank you OP!

> 95.1% C

Any intention on making this available for other languages?

Re: RobotJS – Node.js Desktop Automation

#18

Post by mwagstaff » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 10:57 AM UTC

Despite its many syntax quirks, AutoHotkey is an amazingly powerful tool for automating Windows keyboard and mouse input - I use it daily at work.

Having an equivalent tool on the Mac would be awesome, as I don't think anything in AutoHotkey's class exists right now...

Re: RobotJS – Node.js Desktop Automation

#19

Post by tjallingt » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 11:39 AM UTC

anon3_ wrote: post #17

Thank you OP! > 95.1% C Any intention on making this available for other languages?

I think you are misunderstanding; robotjs is written in C but it is a module for Node.js which means you implement it using Javascript.

Node.js modules can be written in C or Javascript but implementing new features like this requires you to use C so there is no "making this available for other languages".

Re: RobotJS – Node.js Desktop Automation

#20

Post by anon3_ » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 11:55 AM UTC

tjallingt wrote: post #19

anon3_ wrote: post #17

Thank you OP! > 95.1% C Any intention on making this available for other languages?

I think you are misunderstanding; robotjs is written in C but it is a module for Node.js which means you implement it using Javascript. Node.js modules can be written in C or Javascript but implementing new features like this requires you to use C so there is no "making this available for other languages".

I stand corrected. I looked closer.

I never knew node modules could be written in C.