[comp.windows.ms.programmer] Help needed driving apps with dynamic macros

DAVE.JENKINS@OFFICE.WANG.COM (David E. Jenkins) (05/14/91)

I/We am/are trying to build a server that will convert application specific
files to TIFF image files by using the application that created it to "print"
it to a file.  That way we can get an EXCEL file (for example) into a PCL or
Postscript file then convert it to TIFF.  (Real translators are used in some
cases but in others we have to drive the original application.)  The problem
we anticipate (or at least one of them) is that when we create a macro to
drive the application we cannot deal with (or anticipate) the occasional
oh-my-god or help-me type dialog boxes that arise unexpectedly.  AND some
applications (particularly from Microsoft) won't accept a terminate message
while the dialog box is up.  The result is that we can report "something broke"
and a carbon based unit will have to go fix it.

If anyone has experience and/or suggestions please email.
All responses are appreciated.  Will summarize anything useful.

Thanks in advance.

dave.jenkins@office.wang.com