Python / Lua Script: Detect if a modifier is pressed when running a script

[Yaron]

Hello Claudia,

Sorry for the late reply. I was not by my PC.
And thank you for the beautiful script. I appreciate your kindness.

Now that you capture both the click and the modifier, there’s no need to use timeout and it works like a charm.

Two follow-up questions with your permission:

1. Customize Toolbar inserts a separator on pressing Shift and left-clicking a toolbar button.
   Which module should I import in order to use GetKeyState() and detect Alt?

2. The little programming experience I have is from Firefox.
   In that browser adding a right-click functionality to a toolbar button is done as follows:

• Get A specific toolbar button object.
• Add a click listener to that button and assign your own action to right-click.

I suppose this procedure would be more complex in NPP.

Actually you can replace in your script

if wParam == 5: # 0x0001 LButton + 0x0004 Shift

with

if wParam == 3: # 0x0001 LButton + 0x0002 MK_RBUTTON

and then if you hold the right button down and left-click - you can execute the script in “alternative mode”.

---

Another simple (and not as elegant) way to run a script in two modes:
In startup (py or lua) add testScriptDefaultMode = True.
Create a script Toggle TestScript Default Mode containing two lines:

global testScriptDefaultMode 
testScriptDefaultMode = not testScriptDefaultMode 

In TestScript check if testScriptDefaultMode:.

Assign a simple shortcut (e.g. Alt+Spacebar) to Toggle TestScript Default Mode and use it to quickly toggle the modes…

---

Thanks again.
Have a nice weekend.

[Claudia Frank]

@Yaron

Customize Toolbar inserts a separator on pressing Shift and left-clicking a toolbar button.
Which module should I import in order to use GetKeyState() and detect Alt?

The function is also called GetKeyState and is in user32.dll.
You need to provide the virtual key code to get the state, so something like

alt_state = windll.user32.GetKeyState(0x12)

but using wine, I was not able to press alt and do left click with mouse.
Would be interesting to see if this works on Windows.

The little programming experience I have is from Firefox.
In that browser adding a right-click functionality to a toolbar button is done as follows:
Get A specific toolbar button object.
Add a click listener to that button and assign your own action to right-click.
I suppose this procedure would be more complex in NPP.

I think so too. Out of my mind, you would need to find notepad++ window handle,
enumerate child windows to get toolbar, enumerate toolbar child windows to get
the button in question (not sure how to identify), register a function which hooks into
buttons message queue and I don’t know what happens if another program accesses toolbar
to modify (or add/delete) a button?? I’m pretty sure it can be done but I’m not convinced
it should be done.

Another possible solution to run script in alternate mode would be to use a
inputbox (prompt method) ;-) (also not as elegant but most painless version) :-D

Cheers
Claudia

[Yaron]

Hello Claudia,

The function is also called GetKeyState and is in user32.dll.

Great. Thank you.

but using wine, I was not able to press alt and do left click with mouse.
Would be interesting to see if this works on Windows.

alt_state = windll.user32.GetKeyState(0x12)
if alt_state < 0:

Works perfectly.

Out of my mind, you would need to find notepad++ window handle…

Your confirmation that this is indeed rather complex is important.

Another possible solution to run script in alternate mode would be to use a
inputbox

So I have multiple choices now. :)
Being a “mouse-oriented” user, your script detecting if the right button was down when left-clicking would probably fit me best.

Thanks again for your time and clever ideas. I do appreciate it.
BR

[Scott Sumner]

@Yaron and @Claudia-Frank

Oftentimes I find myself writing a Pythonscript that either acts on text above the caret or below the caret. So I need a way to tell it which way to go. An input box would work, but it slows down one’s “workflow”. Often it is an alternate but related keypress (e.g. F10 runs functionality above the caret, Shift+F10 for below the caret) that I want to use. So what I’ve been doing is having 3 scripts, one “common” one, and two others. The two others are tied to F10 and Shift+F10, and call the common script, telling it the direction.

So I just wanna say that this thread has gotten me thinking about how to do this cleaner; haven’t done anything about it yet, but definitely thinkin’… :-D

[Yaron]

Hello Scott,

It’s good to know an experienced “Pythoneer” like yourself have been coping with this issue.
Our Claudia is really clever, isn’t she? :)

Please share with us your preferred solution.

Best regards.

[Alan Kilborn]

@Scott-Sumner
I don’t know that this thread will be of any help for that kind of key differentiation. I do see how it might work with a toolbar button assigned to a pythonscript, though, but this seems like it isn’t what you want.

[Yaron]

Hello Claudia and all,

Thanks again for the script. I appreciate it.

I’ve slightly modified it so that right-clicking a toolbar button would execute its command.
Emulating the regular left-click behavior:

• When the right button is down, the toolbar button is “checked”.
  
• The command is executed only when the right button is released.

If anyone can think of a better way to achieve that behavior, please let me know.

---

from ctypes import windll, byref, wintypes, WINFUNCTYPE, Structure, sizeof

WndProcType = WINFUNCTYPE(wintypes.LONG,
                          wintypes.HWND,
                          wintypes.UINT,
                          wintypes.WPARAM,
                          wintypes.LPARAM)
                          
GWL_WNDPROC = -4

WNDENUMPROC = WINFUNCTYPE(wintypes.BOOL,
                          wintypes.HWND,
                          wintypes.LPARAM)


_g = globals()
CAPTURE_MOUSE_CLICK = _g.get('CAPTURE_MOUSE_CLICK', False)
OLD_WND_PROC = _g.get('OLD_WND_PROC', None)

RIGHT_CLICK_MODE = False
REAL_RIGHT_UP = False

class Hook():

    def EnumCallback(self, hwnd, lparam):
        curr_class = (wintypes.WCHAR * 256)()
        windll.user32.GetClassNameW(hwnd, curr_class, 256)
        if curr_class.value.lower() == 'toolbarwindow32':
            self.toolbar_handle = hwnd
            return False
            
        return True

    def __init__(self):
        self.toolbar_handle = None
        parent = windll.user32.FindWindowA('Notepad++', None)
        windll.user32.EnumChildWindows(parent, WNDENUMPROC(self.EnumCallback), 0)

        self.oldWndProc = None

    def register(self):
        if self.toolbar_handle:
            self.new_wnd_proc = WndProcType(self.sciWndProc)
            windll.kernel32.SetLastError(0)
            self.oldWndProc = windll.user32.SetWindowLongA(self.toolbar_handle, GWL_WNDPROC, self.new_wnd_proc)

            if self.oldWndProc:
                global OLD_WND_PROC
                OLD_WND_PROC = self.oldWndProc
            else:
                _err = 'GetLastError:{}'.format(windll.kernel32.GetLastError())
                notepad.messageBox('Could not register hook:\n{}\n'.format(_err) +
                                    'Right-click mode won\'t work',
                                    'Register Hook Failure', 0)
        else:
            console.write('no toolbar_handle found')

    def unregister(self):
        if OLD_WND_PROC:
            self.oldWndProc = OLD_WND_PROC
            windll.kernel32.SetLastError(0)
            dummy = windll.user32.SetWindowLongA(self.toolbar_handle, GWL_WNDPROC, self.oldWndProc)
            if not dummy:
                _err = 'GetLastError:{}'.format(windll.kernel32.GetLastError())
                notepad.messageBox('Could not unregister hook:\n{}\n'.format(_err) +
                                    'It is recommended to save data and restart npp to prevent data loss',
                                    'Unregister Hook Failure', 0)

        else:
            console.write('ERROR no saved window proc found')


	def sciWndProc(self, hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam):
		global REAL_RIGHT_UP
		global RIGHT_CLICK_MODE
		if msg == 0x0204:		# WM_RBUTTONDOWN.
			REAL_RIGHT_UP = False
			windll.user32.mouse_event(0x0002, 0, 0, 0, 0)	# Left down. WM_RBUTTONUP is sent although the right button is still down.
		elif msg == 0x0205:	# WM_RBUTTONUP.
			if REAL_RIGHT_UP:		# Another WM_RBUTTONUP is sent when the right button is released. Process it now.
				RIGHT_CLICK_MODE = True
				windll.user32.mouse_event(0x0004, 0, 0, 0, 0)	# Left up.
				windll.user32.SetTimer(hWnd, 1, 1000, 0);	# 1 == TIMER_ID.

			REAL_RIGHT_UP = True
		elif msg == 0x0113 and wParam == 1:		# WM_TIMER.
			RIGHT_CLICK_MODE = False
			windll.user32.KillTimer(hWnd, 1);

		return windll.user32.CallWindowProcA (self.oldWndProc, hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam)
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

_hook = Hook()
if not CAPTURE_MOUSE_CLICK:
    _hook.register()
    CAPTURE_MOUSE_CLICK = True
    console.write('registered')
else:
    _hook.unregister()
    CAPTURE_MOUSE_CLICK = False
    console.write('unregistered')

Copy and paste the code in startup.py.
In a script you want to run in two modes, (i.e. left-click and right-click) add modeRightClick = RIGHT_CLICK_MODE and handle it accordingly.
Since a 1 Sec timer is set to revert RIGHT_CLICK_MODE to False, it’s recommended to add modeRightClick = RIGHT_CLICK_MODE at the beginning of the script.

Best regards.

[Claudia Frank]

@Yaron

so you are concerned not seeing the pressed/checked button if right clicking on it, aren’t you?

Cheers
Claudia

[Claudia Frank]

@Yaron

here my solution, not fully error proved and just added without any structure
but I guess you get the point.

You need to import another 4 types from ctypes (pointer, c_ubyte, c_int, c_ulong)
The changed part is

def sciWndProc(self, hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam):
    if msg == 0x0201: #0x0201: # WM_LBUTTONDOWN
        global LEFT_MOUSE_CLICK_MOD
        if wParam == 5: # 0x0001 LButton + 0x0004 Shift
            console.write('left mouse click while holding shift\n')
            LEFT_MOUSE_CLICK_MOD = True
        else:
            console.write('left mouse click\n')
            
    elif msg == 0x0204:
            class TBBUTTON(Structure):
                _fields_ = [
                            ('iBitmap', c_int),
                            ('idCommand', c_int),
                            ('fsState', c_ubyte),
                            ('fsStyle', c_ubyte),
                            ('bReserved', c_ubyte * 6), # 2 if win32
                            ('dwData', c_ulong),
                            ('iString', c_int),
                           ]
                
            LEFT_MOUSE_CLICK_MOD = False
            _point = wintypes.POINT()
            result = windll.user32.GetCursorPos(byref(_point))
            if result:
                _hwnd = windll.user32.WindowFromPoint(_point)
                windll.user32.ScreenToClient(_hwnd,pointer(_point))
                button_id = windll.user32.SendMessageA(_hwnd,
                                                       1024+69, # TB_HITTEST(WM_USER + 69)
                                                       0, 
                                                       pointer(_point))

                
                _tbbutton = TBBUTTON()
                bool = windll.user32.SendMessageA(_hwnd,
                                                  1024+23, # TB_GETBUTTON(WM_USER + 23))
                                                  button_id, 
                                                  byref(_tbbutton))
                
                
                if bool:
                    pressed = windll.user32.SendMessageA(_hwnd,
                                                         1024+2, # TB_CHECKBUTTON(WM_USER + 2)
                                                         _tbbutton.idCommand, 
                                                         True)

    return windll.user32.CallWindowProcA (self.oldWndProc, hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam)

Seems to work on linux, so should work on windows as well.

Cheers
Claudia

[Yaron]

Hello Claudia,

Thank you very much for the new code. I do appreciate that.

I’m afraid we had some misunderstanding here.
With your permission, let’s start from scratch. :)

As I’ve mentioned in the first post here, my preferred solution is: right-click a toolbar button to execute its command in “alternative mode”.

A simple example: Select and Find Next and Select and Find Previous.
I want to have one toolbar button: Select and Find Next/Previous. - Left-clicking the button would find Next and right-clicking it would find Previous.

My code (that is: your code slightly modified) works perfectly well.
The button is “checked” on right-click and the command is executed on right-up (as the regular left-click behavior).

I just meant that my implementation is a bit tricky and I’d appreciate a better solution.
windll.user32.mouse_event(0x0002, 0, 0, 0, 0) # Left down. invokes a WM_RBUTTONUP message although the right button is still down.
And I want the command to be executed only when the right button is up…

Allow me to ask you to run my version and have a quick look at the code. You’ll get it very quickly. :)
Thank you.

I suppose your new code should make the button “checked”. It does that but the command is not executed.
Again: some misunderstanding.

---

I assume the following shorter version is adequate If I put the code in startup.py and I’m not interested in toggling the right-click capture. Is that correct?

from ctypes import windll, byref, wintypes, WINFUNCTYPE, Structure, sizeof

WndProcType = WINFUNCTYPE(wintypes.LONG,
                          wintypes.HWND,
                          wintypes.UINT,
                          wintypes.WPARAM,
                          wintypes.LPARAM)

GWL_WNDPROC = -4

WNDENUMPROC = WINFUNCTYPE(wintypes.BOOL,
                          wintypes.HWND,
                          wintypes.LPARAM)

RIGHT_CLICK_MODE = False
REAL_RIGHT_UP = False

class ToolbarRightClick():

	def EnumCallback(self, hwnd, lparam):
		curr_class = (wintypes.WCHAR * 256)()
		windll.user32.GetClassNameW(hwnd, curr_class, 256)
		if curr_class.value.lower() == "toolbarwindow32":
			self.toolbar_handle = hwnd
			return False

		return True

	def __init__(self):
		self.toolbar_handle = None
		parent = windll.user32.FindWindowA("Notepad++", None)
		windll.user32.EnumChildWindows(parent, WNDENUMPROC(self.EnumCallback), 0)
		self.oldWndProc = None

	def registerRightClick(self):
		if self.toolbar_handle:
			self.new_wnd_proc = WndProcType(self.sciWndProc)
			self.oldWndProc = windll.user32.SetWindowLongA(self.toolbar_handle, GWL_WNDPROC, self.new_wnd_proc)
			msgConsole = "Toolbar Right-Click Mode Registered.\n\n"
		else:
			msgConsole = "Error Registering Toolbar Right-Click Mode.\n\n"
		
		console.write(msgConsole)

	def sciWndProc(self, hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam):
		global REAL_RIGHT_UP
		global RIGHT_CLICK_MODE
		if msg == 0x0204:		# WM_RBUTTONDOWN.
			REAL_RIGHT_UP = False
			windll.user32.mouse_event(0x0002, 0, 0, 0, 0)	# Left down. WM_RBUTTONUP is sent although the right button is still down.
		elif msg == 0x0205:	# WM_RBUTTONUP.
			if REAL_RIGHT_UP:		# Another WM_RBUTTONUP is sent when the right button is released. Process it now.
				RIGHT_CLICK_MODE = True
				windll.user32.mouse_event(0x0004, 0, 0, 0, 0)	# Left up.
				windll.user32.SetTimer(hWnd, 1, 1000, 0);	# 1 == TIMER_ID.

			REAL_RIGHT_UP = True
		elif msg == 0x0113 and wParam == 1:		# WM_TIMER.
			RIGHT_CLICK_MODE = False
			windll.user32.KillTimer(hWnd, 1);

		return windll.user32.CallWindowProcA (self.oldWndProc, hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam)

# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_toolbarRightClick = ToolbarRightClick()
_toolbarRightClick.registerRightClick()

---

Thanks again.
Have a great day.

[Claudia Frank]

@Yaron

I guess I see now but this misunderstanding shows a way to solve it.
When you get the button command id (_tbbutton.idCommand) you are able
to execute it via notepads menuCommand function like

notepad.menuCommand(_tbbutton.idCommand)

so my latest example with the logic like this

global RIGHT_CLICK_MODE
if msg == 0x0201: # left
    RIGHT_CLICK_MODE = False
    ...
        
elif msg == 0x0204:
    RIGHT_CLICK_MODE = True
    ...
    pressed = windll.user32.SendMessageA(self.toolbar_hwnd,
                                         1024+2, # TB_CHECKBUTTON(WM_USER + 2)
                                         _tbbutton.idCommand, 
                                         True)  
    # execute script
    notepad.menuCommand(_tbbutton.idCommand)
                                                     
elif msg == 0x0205:
    RIGHT_CLICK_MODE = False
    pressed = windll.user32.SendMessageA(self.toolbar_hwnd,
                                         1024+2, # TB_CHECKBUTTON(WM_USER + 2)
                                         _tbbutton.idCommand, 
                                         False) 

should do what you want.

Cheers
Claudia

[Yaron]

Hello Claudia,

That’s brilliant. Thanks again for your time.

If you want the command executed on right-up, move

RIGHT_CLICK_MODE = True
# execute script
notepad.menuCommand(_tbbutton.idCommand)

to elif msg == 0x0205:.

Also, you can use windll.user32.mouse_event(0x0002, 0, 0, 0, 0) without a timer.

	def sciWndProc(self, hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam):
		global REAL_RIGHT_UP
		global RIGHT_CLICK_MODE
		if msg == 0x0204:		# WM_RBUTTONDOWN.
			REAL_RIGHT_UP = False
			windll.user32.mouse_event(0x0002, 0, 0, 0, 0)	# Left down. WM_RBUTTONUP is sent although the right button is still down.
		elif msg == 0x0205:	# WM_RBUTTONUP.
			if REAL_RIGHT_UP:		# Another WM_RBUTTONUP is sent when the right button is released. Process it now.
				RIGHT_CLICK_MODE = True
				windll.user32.mouse_event(0x0004, 0, 0, 0, 0)	# Left up.

			REAL_RIGHT_UP = True
		elif REAL_RIGHT_UP and msg == 0x0201:		# WM_LBUTTONDOWN.
			RIGHT_CLICK_MODE = False

		return windll.user32.CallWindowProcA (self.oldWndProc, hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam)

Have a nice weekend.

[Yaron]

Hello Claudia,

I had a closer look at your code and it’s really nice. Thanks again.

Getting the button ID is certainly the “proper” approach.
For the record, here is a shorter mouse_event implementation.

	def sciWndProc(self, hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam):
		global RIGHT_CLICK_MODE
		if msg == 0x0204:		# WM_RBUTTONDOWN.
			windll.user32.mouse_event(0x0002, 0, 0, 0, 0)	# Left down. WM_RBUTTONUP is sent although the right button is still down.
		elif msg == 0x0205:	# WM_RBUTTONUP.
			if RIGHT_CLICK_MODE:		# Another WM_RBUTTONUP is sent when the right button is released. Send "Left up" now.
				windll.user32.mouse_event(0x0004, 0, 0, 0, 0)	# Left up.
			else:	# The right button is still down.
				RIGHT_CLICK_MODE = True
		elif RIGHT_CLICK_MODE and msg == 0x0201:		# WM_LBUTTONDOWN.
			RIGHT_CLICK_MODE = False

		return windll.user32.CallWindowProcA (self.oldWndProc, hWnd, msg, wParam, lParam)

---

This is PythonScript console when using NPP in a RTL layout.

Reading the LTR output in a RTL layout is obviously inconvenient.

@dail has kindly added an option to force LuaScript console to LTR.
https://github.com/dail8859/LuaScript/issues/6#issuecomment-270676744
https://github.com/dail8859/LuaScript/commit/8fed28f8ffe494c5e68a02010fddcdac4b4d3f74

Do you think it would be possible to force PythonScript console to LTR using some code in startup.py?
Or would it require some modifications in PythonScript source files?

If and when you have some time to think about it, I’d be grateful.

Best regards.

[Claudia Frank]

Hello Yaron,

if dails commit solves your issue with lua then I don’t see why we could get this to work with python script.
The hard work to find out what needs to be done has been already done by @dail, thank you ;-).

So we need to get the window hwnd from python script console (and what about the inputbox?)
and change the style parameter for that window. Doesn’t sound undoable.

Obviously I tend to solve using a python script but if you prefer I will see what needs to be changed in plugin source in order
to make it happen but compiling and testing needs to be done on your site.

Cheers
Claudia

[Claudia Frank]

Yaron,
Am I right to assume that you do not only need RTL layout but also RTL reading, correct?
Or do you really want to have LTR layout in python script while using RTL layout in npp?

Cheers
Claudia

[Claudia Frank]

I’m talking about something like this

Cheers
Claudia

[Yaron]

Hello Claudia,

Thank you for your patience and kindness. Highly appreciated.
And allow me to thank @dail again for LuaScript in general and for the console issue in particular.

I assumed it was possible to change PythonScript console to LTR but I preferred to get the right direction by consulting with the expert first. :)
And, as usual, you already have the solution.

(and what about the inputbox?)

The InputBox in PythonScript is LTR even when NPP layout is RTL (so it doesn’t have to be modified).

Obviously I tend to solve using a python script…

That would be great.

Am I right to assume that you do not only need RTL layout but also RTL reading, correct?

You can change NPP text direction whether the layout is LTR or RTL (View -> Text Direction LTR/RTL).

Or do you really want to have LTR layout in python script while using RTL layout in npp?

Indeed.
The console’s frame and input are always LTR. The problem is the output.

Looking at your screenshot, I understand the the issue should be further clarified. :)

This is NPP in RTL layout with LuaSceipt console in LTR (perfect).

And this is NPP in RTL layout with PythonSceipt console in LTR (frame and input) and RTL (output - confusing).

I’d like to see the output as you see it in LTR layout.

This may further complicate the issue but OTOH it might help.
The status bar in both screenshots is LTR.
As I wrote to dail, I added the following line in StatusBar.cpp:

// Change to LTR. "WS_CHILD & (~WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL)" above won't work because WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL is added AFTER the bar has been created and inherited the RTL layout.
::SetWindowLongPtr(_hSelf, GWL_EXSTYLE, ::GetWindowLongPtr(_hSelf, GWL_EXSTYLE) & (~WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL)); 

after

if (!_hSelf)
		throw std::runtime_error("StatusBar::init : CreateWindowEx() function return null");

So getting the console’s handle (or only the output’s?) and changing the WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL style should work. :)

Can SetWindowLongPtr() be used via 'ctypes`?

Thanks again and good night.

[Claudia Frank]

Hello Yaron,

ok and yes SetWindowLongPtr() can be used.
I didn’t came across a windows api function which can’t be used with ctypes yet.
This is a toggle function which sets WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL if not set and unset
if was already set.

WNDENUMPROC = WINFUNCTYPE(wintypes.BOOL,
                          wintypes.HWND,
                          wintypes.LPARAM)


python_script_hwnd = None
python_script_sci_handle = None

GWL_EXSTYLE = -20
WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL = 0x00400000

def EnumCallback(hwnd, lparam):
    global python_script_hwnd
    global python_script_sci_handle
    
    curr_class = (wintypes.WCHAR * 256)()
    curr_name = (wintypes.WCHAR * 256)()
   
    windll.user32.GetClassNameW(hwnd, curr_class, 256)
    windll.user32.GetWindowTextW(hwnd, curr_name, 256)

    if curr_name.value.lower() == 'python script':
        python_script_hwnd = hwnd
    else:
        if python_script_hwnd is not None:
            if curr_class.value.lower() == 'scintilla':
                if windll.user32.GetParent(hwnd) == python_script_hwnd:
                    python_script_sci_handle = hwnd
                    return False
       
    return True

parent = windll.user32.FindWindowA('Notepad++', None)
windll.user32.EnumChildWindows(parent, WNDENUMPROC(EnumCallback), 0)
windll.user32.EnumChildWindows(python_script_hwnd, WNDENUMPROC(EnumCallback), 0)

exStyle = windll.user32.GetWindowLongA(python_script_sci_handle, GWL_EXSTYLE)

if (exStyle & WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL):
    exStyle = exStyle & WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL
else:
    exStyle = exStyle | WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL
windll.user32.SetWindowLongA(python_script_sci_handle, GWL_EXSTYLE, exStyle);

You have to use SetWindowLongPtr where I use Get/SetWindowLongA as
SetWindowLongPtr has not been transferred to wine.

Cheers
Claudia

[Yaron]

Hello Claudia,

Thank you very much. This is beautiful!

I get the AttributeError: function 'GetWindowLongPtr' not found error.
What should I import from ctypes?

BR

[Claudia Frank]

Hi Yaron,
you have to use either the ansi or unicode version

Unicode and ANSI names GetWindowLongPtrW (Unicode) and GetWindowLongPtrA (ANSI)

Same is true for Set…

Cheers
Claudia