Help with a snake game?

Okay, so I am not quite making a game. I am trying to write some code that will play a snake game for me. Yes, cheating, thats right.

So, there is this stupid flash snake game that I play on some site. Being the curious computer science student that I am, I am trying to write a programming that will play the game.

At this point, it works to move the snake around the grid and even manage to eat a couple of apples. But I am just doing this by trying to time everything perfectly and by starting the program at exactly the right time ...with little success.

Heres what I have so far.

Code:

#include <windows.h>
#include <iostream>


const static double LONG_WAYS = 3937.5;
const static double SHORT_WAYS = 1950;

using namespace std;
 
void snake()
{
	cout << "Go!" << endl;

	for(int j = 0; j < 410; j++)
	{
		for(int i = 0; i < 15; i++)
		{
			cout << i << endl;

			keybd_event(VK_DOWN,0x28,0 , 0); // Down Arrow Press
			keybd_event(VK_DOWN,0x28,KEYEVENTF_KEYUP,0); // Down Arrow Release
			keybd_event(VK_RIGHT,0x27,0 , 0); // Right Arrow Press
			keybd_event(VK_RIGHT,0x27,KEYEVENTF_KEYUP,0); // Right Arrow Release

			Sleep(LONG_WAYS);

			keybd_event(VK_DOWN,0x28,0 , 0); // Down Arrow Press
			keybd_event(VK_DOWN,0x28,KEYEVENTF_KEYUP,0); // Down Arrow Release
			keybd_event(VK_LEFT,0x25,0 , 0); // Left Arrow Press
			keybd_event(VK_LEFT,0x25,KEYEVENTF_KEYUP,0); // Left Arrow Release

			Sleep(LONG_WAYS);
		}

		keybd_event(VK_DOWN,0x28,0 , 0); // Down Arrow Press
		keybd_event(VK_DOWN,0x28,KEYEVENTF_KEYUP,0); // Down Arrow Release
		keybd_event(VK_RIGHT,0x27,0 , 0); // Right Arrow Press
		keybd_event(VK_RIGHT,0x27,KEYEVENTF_KEYUP,0); // Right Arrow Release

		Sleep(LONG_WAYS+62.5);

		keybd_event(VK_UP,0x26,0 , 0); // Up Arrow Press
		keybd_event(VK_UP,0x26,KEYEVENTF_KEYUP,0); // Up Arrow Release

		Sleep(SHORT_WAYS);

		keybd_event(VK_LEFT,0x25,0 , 0); // Left Arrow Press
		keybd_event(VK_LEFT,0x25,KEYEVENTF_KEYUP,0); // Left Arrow Release

		Sleep(LONG_WAYS+62.5);
	}
}
void main()
{
	system("PAUSE");

	cout << endl << "10" << endl;
	Sleep(1000);
	cout << "9" << endl;
	Sleep(1000);
	cout << "8" << endl;
	Sleep(1000);
	cout << "7" << endl;
	Sleep(1000);
	cout << "6" << endl;
	Sleep(1000);
	cout << "5" << endl;
	Sleep(1000);
	cout << "4" << endl;
	Sleep(1000);
	cout << "3" << endl;
	Sleep(1000);
	cout << "2" << endl;
	Sleep(1000);
	cout << "1" << endl;
	Sleep(1000);

	snake();
}

At this point, I'm a little stuck.

Does anyone have any ideas/ suggestions that might help get me going again?

Thanks!

Sleep Function (Windows)

Remarks

This function causes a thread to relinquish the remainder of its time slice and become unrunnable for an interval based on the value of dwMilliseconds. The system clock "ticks" at a constant rate. If dwMilliseconds is less than the resolution of the system clock, the thread may sleep for less than the specified length of time. If dwMilliseconds is greater than one tick but less than two, the wait can be anywhere between one and two ticks, and so on. To increase the accuracy of the sleep interval, call the timeGetDevCaps function to determine the supported minimum timer resolution and the timeBeginPeriod function to set the timer resolution to its minimum. Use caution when calling timeBeginPeriod, as frequent calls can significantly affect the system clock, system power usage, and the scheduler. If you call timeBeginPeriod, call it one time early in the application and be sure to call the timeEndPeriod function at the very end of the application.

If the system clock is say 10ms, then anything that ends in say 7.5 is going to miss the mark.

Okay thanks.

And is there any way to make my application wait for a specific key press even if i am not focused on the output window? This would help me coordinate the start of the snake game and my application.