Winbatch over AutoIT

[siocnarf]

Hi,

We are planning to automate the deployment of some complex softwares on our computers. I have to choose between Auto IT and Winbatch. Personnally, I used a lot of Winbatch and not AutoIT. As AutoIT is free and Winbatch is not I need some arguments...

I cannot guarantee the screen will be lock or unlock. This is a good point but AutoIT is managing this as Winbatch.
So what Winbatch as more than AutoIt to perform the task?

Thanks,

François

[stanl]

Your question is impossible to answer without a more definitive description of 'tasks'. I can only speak from personal experience but if 'tasks' involves database management, i.e. server access, Microsoft Office, ADO/OLEDB, text parsing...  I would recommend WB over Autoit.

Then there are the more non-specific tasks - i.e. asking for Technical Support, and again my experience is that WB goes the extra mile whereas Autoit often is 'go figure'.

Both of those aside, the real comparison (if you are deploying to multiple users/locations) is that both products produce a distributable executable and it comes down to whether 'free' is utlimately better than the initial costs of the WB compiler + yearly maint.

[siocnarf]

Hi,

I described the task during the whole post.
In some case, we cannot deploy a software by using setup /s or msiexe command or any other command line. Then in the past, I used winbatch to perform the installation with postbutton, winwaitexist, etc.. So even if the computer screen is logout or lock the software installation will run in the background. In other situations, the software will have such commandline but the registration of the software is manual and AutoIT or Winbatch would be use to automate that part.

I have the choice between AutoIt or Winbatch to solve those particular case. There won't be very much of these situation but when it is happening, we appreciate such tool.

For sure, as you said the price is a point. But it is not the most important. I asked the Winbatch support previously and found the sales arguments very disappointing and unclear. So I hope the forum would be more helpful.

Thanks,

François

[ChuckC]

Hi,

I described the task during the whole post.
In some case, we cannot deploy a software by using setup /s or msiexe command or any other command line. Then in the past, I used winbatch to perform the installation with postbutton, winwaitexist, etc.. So even if the computer screen is logout or lock the software installation will run in the background. In other situations, the software will have such commandline but the registration of the software is manual and AutoIT or Winbatch would be use to automate that part.

I have the choice between AutoIt or Winbatch to solve those particular case. There won't be very much of these situation but when it is happening, we appreciate such tool.

For sure, as you said the price is a point. But it is not the most important. I asked the Winbatch support previously and found the sales arguments very disappointing and unclear. So I hope the forum would be more helpful.

Thanks,

François

I highly doubt that *ANY* product successfully performed the sending of simulated keystrokes or button presses while the user was logged out or the session was locked *IF* it was on some version of the Windows NT platform and not Win9x/ME, for the simple reason that such behavior flat out doesn't work under those conditions.  That being said, the Control Manager extender in WinBatch doesn't use simulated keyboard & mouse events, and can automate an application's UI under those circumstances.  I don't know if AutoIT has a similar capability, but if it doesn't, then WinBatch most definitely has a significant advantage over AutoIT when it comes to automation of an application's UI while running within a locked session.

[siocnarf]

Hi.

I know with winbatch if you use postbutton then everything will be fine. I was using it with Windows XP.

Thanks,

[ChuckC]

Hi.

I know with winbatch if you use postbutton then everything will be fine. I was using it with Windows XP.

Thanks,

Yes, cPostButton() and cClickButton() are functions in the Control Manager extender that I was referring to.  Those will work in a locked session.  However, using the basic simulated input functions, such as SendKey(), SendKeysTo(), MouseMove(), MouseClickBtn(), etc..., will not work in a locked session.  So, if AutoIt doesn't have functionality equivalent to WinBatch's Control Manager extender, then that provides you with a justifiable reason for favoring WinBatch over AutoIt.

[siocnarf]

Hi,

From my knowledge, they have something like that.

Thanks,