ActiveState Expect for Windows is a tool for automating access to interactive applications. The original Expect version was written for Unix platforms; ActiveState Expect for Windows provides the automation power of Expect for the Windows platform. This lets users control applications running on mainframe or Unix servers from Windows workstations.

ActiveState Expect for Windows is consistent with the latest Expect version and is compatible with the Tcl 8.4 core. Usage differences between the Unix version of Expect and Expect for Windows are described in the Porting Expect Scripts to Windows section of the Usage Guide. Expect commands are described on the Reference page.

Expect "talks" to other interactive programs according to the commands defined in the Tcl script from which Expect is called. It can handle output from the program and provide the correct response based on possibilities outlined in the script. Tcl provides branching and high-level control structures to direct the exchange.

For example, Expect can:

Control console-based remote applications via Telnet, SSH or rlogin.
Configure routers and other devices accessed through console-based interfaces.
Carry session settings such as environment variables or current directory across rlogin, Telnet, tip, su, chgrp, etc.