我如何才能让我的C ++程序自行“按下键”？

Question

Im writing a little C++ progam but got to a point from which on i could not go on: I want my program to control an external program using a certain combination of keys. Yes, this sounds like a horribly unclean workaround, but thats what i want to do ;)

To be more specific: I want my little C++ program to control the already running program elinks (a text based internet browser) by pressing the "esc" then "v" and then "h" -keys (this is used to toggle between html and plain text output in elinks).

But unfortunately, I do not know how to get a C++ program to type a certain combination of keys (...if this is possible at all). I already tried the search function but wasnt able to find a solution. It would be very kind of you, if someone could give me a hint on what to do here.

Thanks, Spoekenkieker

PS: Im running Linux

Answer 1

If you have control over how to start the elinks browser, you can start it under the GNU screen terminal multiplexer and use its stuff command to send key inputs:

• https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/13953/sending-text-input-to-a-detached-screen

This way you're not required to learn the complications of X Windows programming.