Execute button inside a ribbon

Question

I want to write a script (C# or AutoIT or VBScript.. whatever works) which should

1. Get reference of already open outlook application

2. Iterate through ribbons to find a specific button

3. Execute that button click

How can I do it?

Answer 1

Use AutomationPeers.

Here is the MSDN article with lots of details: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms752331.aspx

Add references to:

• UIAutomationClient
• UIAutomationClientsideProviders
• UIAutomationProvider
• UIAutomationTypes

And here is a little C# code snippet of how to get the AutomationId of what currently has focus:

var id = AutomationElement.FocusedElement.Current.AutomationId;
this.txt.Text = id;

You can navigate the entire tree of a window and drive the entire UI using automation peers. This is how accessibility applications interact with applications in Windows. This is also one way that automated UI testing applications do it as well.