Previous versions of DataLoad sent data and commands to the target window by simulating key presses. Most keys could be sent to the target by entering the printing character or a command which told DataLoad to send a non-printing character. For reasons of performance, reliability and accuracy the default method for sending data has been changed to copy and paste, utilising the standard Windows Clipboard functionality to paste whole strings of characters into the target application. The pasting is conducted one cell at a time.
In certain circumstances a simulated key press is required. For instance, to select an entry from a Oracle Applications Pick List the name or part name cannot be pasted into the form, rather the individual character keys must be pressed. To denote a single key or string of keys should be sent as key strokes the character(s) should be prefixed with a backslash '\'. The backslash, when used at the start of a cell, indicates the whole cell should be sent as keystrokes, not be pasted into the target window. Non-printing characters can be sent with the use of special commands.
See also: Sending Keystrokes