Automating Button Pushing - The Basics

Creating a Single Press Entry

Here's how to configure PTFB Pro to press a single button each time a particular window appears:

1. Wait until the offending window next appears
2. Open up PTFB Pro's main window by clicking on its tray icon
   
   
3. Click on "Single Press". The cursor will now change to hand with an outstretched finger. (If you want to abort the new entry at this point, just click the right mouse button or hit ESC on the keyboard).
   
   
4. Move the cursor over the button you want to be pressed, and click the mouse.

If PTFB Pro sees a standard Microsoft button underneath the cursor, a new target entry will be created and added to the list box. Unfortunately, not all programs use standard buttons. In this case, PTFB Pro will issue the following confirmation screen:

Just answer "Yes", and PTFB pro will go ahead a create the new entry anyway. When PTFB Pro next sees the window, it will simulate a mouse press in the same location relative to the top-left of the window.

Note: if a lot of your applications use non-standard buttons and you grow tired of PTFB Pro's confirmation dialog, just tick "Do not show this again" before you answer with Yes or No. PTFB Pro will remember your response, and won't bother you with the same message again.

Additional Configuration

Now you've created a new single press entry, you may want to tweak some of its settings.

You'll notice that the new entry has been given a name based on the caption of the target window, but you may wish to change this to something more meaningful. The new entry has also been given the current default delay, meaning that PTFB Pro will wait a few seconds between seeing the target window and pressing the target button. You might wish to change this delay.

There's another reason why you might like to edit the new entry's settings. PTFB Pro tries to avoid "false positives" - pressing a button in the wrong window - by ensuring that every detail of the window matches the snapshot it took when the entry was created. Unfortunately some windows change subtly each time they're displayed, so you may need to tell PTFB Pro to be a little less strict when it comes to recognizing this target.

The following topic tells you how to make these changes and more:

Automating Button Pushing - Tweaking the Settings

Putting PTFB Pro to work!

Don't forget that PTFB Pro won't take any action while its main window is open.

To put PTFB Pro to work, click "Start Watching", or press the Close box in the top-right corner. PTFB Pro will minimize to the system tray and keep watch for targets.

When it identifies a target, it will wait the prescribed period (if any) before taking action and signal an imminent press by putting a red border around its icon in the tray.