Auto-startup

Turn Web Addresses into Hotlinks for the AHK File Peek Window (AutoHotkey Tip)

Jack Dunning Auto-startup, AutoHotkey, AutoHotkey GUIs, Link controls, Regular Expressions (RegEx), Web Pages, Windows scripting ,

Using the AutoHotkey GUI Link Control to Display AHK File Notes Allows You to Turn Web Links Hot

While perusing the notes in various .ahk scripts using the subroutine ReadNotes—which I had added to the AutoStartupControl.ahk script and discussed in my blog “Peeking at Notes Inside Auto-Startup AHK Script Files (AutoHotkey Startup Control)“—I noticed that many scripts included URLs to reference sites. A common practice used by scriptwriters when giving credit to another script or offering additional information about the source, these sites can offer valuable insight or resources. Usually, a Web address appears as a complete URL including the HTTP(S)://. I wondered, “Wouldn’t it be great to just click a link in the Notes window to load the page?”

Since we write AutoHotkey scripts in plain text, attempting to provide hotlinks inside the file using HTML code (or other techniques) doesn’t make much sense. I can open the file and copy the Web address—pasting it into my browser, but a hotlink in the Notes window would save a lot of time. I immediately switched from using the Text GUI control to the Link GUI control. By inserting the Link control into the AutoStartupControl Notes GUI window, I can turn any URL into a hotlink—as long as I use a Regular Expressions (RegEx).

The Link GUI control in the Notes window can turn any fully formed Web address into a hotlink for immediate access.

Using the Link GUI control comes with a couple of foibles, but, for the most part, it behaves in a manner very similar to the Text GUI control.

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Peeking at Notes Inside Auto-Startup AHK Script Files (AutoHotkey Startup Control)

Jack Dunning Auto-startup, AutoHotkey, Loops, Menu, System Tray, Menus, MsgBox Techniques, Parsing Data, Regular Expressions (RegEx) , ,

We Can Track Numerous AutoHotkey Scripts Added to the Startup Folder, But Can We Remember How They All Work? Add a Peek Capability to the Auto-Startup Menu as an App Reminder

With so many different AutoHotkey scripts running, the problem of remembering how they all work arises. I may know that I have an app running but not recall the Hotkey combinations needed to access its features. Each new app creates a new set of memory challenges.

I could write one huge help message, but keeping it up-to-date turns into an unwieldy problem. I need a method for quickly peeking at an apps notes without forcing myself to open the .ahk file.

To accomplish this feat, the new ScriptNotes subroutine in the AutoStartupControl.ahk script must:

  1. Load the shortcut’s target file into a variable.
  2. Extract the script notes from that variable.
  3. Display the extracted notes in a pop-up MsgBox.
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Add Submenus to the Auto-Startup Menu to Increase Options (AutoHotkey Startup Control)

Jack Dunning Auto-startup, AutoHotkey, Loops, Menu, System Tray, Windows shortcuts , ,

Submenus Allow AutoHotkey Users to Add Features to Apps Without Needing More Screen Space

Last time in “Adding Startup Folder Shortcuts to a System Tray Menu,” I inserted the Startup folder shortcuts into a System Tray right-click menu. This gave me a method for quickly accessing an auto-load script even when it doesn’t display an icon in the System Tray.

A click of the menu item either opens the script (.ahk) in Notepad or opens the target folder for a compiled executable (.exe) file. While the original menu does the basic job of keeping track of the auto-startup scripts, it only executes one action—opening a script or folder. To expand the capabilities of the Startup Control, we need to add submenus.

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Adding Startup Folder Shortcuts to a System Tray Menu (AutoHotkey Startup Control)

Jack Dunning Auto-startup, AutoHotkey, Icons, Loops, Menu, System Tray, Windows shortcuts , ,

By Loading the Startup Folder Shortcuts into a Menu, We Can Access the Apps Even When No Icon Appears in the System Tray

Last time (“Collecting File Information from Windows Folders Using AutoHotkey“), I produced a simple MsgBox displaying the Windows shortcuts found in the Startup folder. When Windows launches, it reads and loads the programs or shortcut targets located in that folder. This provides AutoHotkey users an easy method for auto-loading their most-used scripts. However, the more scripts, the more clutter that appears in the System Tray in the form of AutoHotkey icons. You can reduce the crowding by adding the Menu,Tray,NoIcon command line to each script but then you need a technique for quickly reaching those hidden apps.

By inserting the shortcut names into a separate System Tray right-click context menu, you can both generate a list of shortcuts and provide quick access to the scripts. In this barebones AutoHotkey script, I create a menu that opens either the target script in Notepad (.ahk files) or the folder for the program (.exe files).

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Collecting File Information from Windows Folders Using AutoHotkey

Jack Dunning Auto-startup, AutoHotkey, BoundFunc Object, ListView Control, Menu, System Tray ,

In Order to Manage Scripts Launched from the Windows Startup Folder, We Must First Know the Folder’s Contents

Last time in “Auto-Loading AutoHotkey Scripts When Booting Windows,” I highlighted the problem introduced by launching scripts from the Windows Startup folder on boot up—too many AutoHotkey icons in the System Tray might overwhelm the status bar. We can turn off the icons, but that’s like turning out the lights in an unlighted, windowless room full of furniture. You don’t know what’s where. We need a handy system for consolidating the information sitting in the Startup folder without making it too intrusive.

This time I demonstrate one technique for consolidating the Startup folder data for display. I have yet to settle on how I want to display the information and use the data. I see a number of possibilities:

  1. A single MsgBox listing the Startup shortcuts—the simplest, yet least flexible approach.
  2. A single System Tray icon right-click menu listing the Startup shortcuts—more flexible but limited in action creating techniques.
  3. A GUI window using a ListView control displaying the Startup folder’s shortcut data—the most flexible and powerful approach but more complicated to implement.
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Auto-Loading AutoHotkey Scripts When Booting Windows

Jack Dunning Auto-startup, AutoHotkey, Menu, System Tray, MsgBox Techniques, Windows shortcuts ,

Add Shortcuts to Your Windows Startup Folder to Automatically Run Your Most Important Scripts

Every AutoHotkey user keeps a few favorite scripts at hand. Some people put them in one big master AHK file—auto-loading it when Windows boots. Others may use Windows Task Scheduler to initiate the apps. (See the “Windows Task Scheduler to Elevate Script Privileges” section of Chapter 16.1.4 of Jack’s Motley Assortment of AutoHotkey Tips.) Even more, add individual shortcuts to the Windows Startup folder for the preferred scripts. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. In this blog, I visit AutoHotkey techniques for adding shortcuts to the Windows Startup folder.

Recently, a reader pointed out that the link for the AutoStartupToggle.ahk script at the Free AutoHotkey Scripts page pointed to the wrong script. I repaired the link then took a closer look at the script.

After selecting an AutoHotkey script (.ahk) or compiled app (.exe) in Windows File Explorer, the Ctrl+Win+3 key combination creates a shortcut in the Startup folder—auto-loading the script on bootup. If the matching shortcut exists in the Startup folder, that same Hotkey combination removes it. While this barebones routine works fine, I began considering the implications of using the Startup folder for all my regular scripts. This prompted me to dig deeper into the possibilities.

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Eliminate Hotkeys with AutoHotkey Menus (AutoHotkey Tip)

Jack Dunning Auto-startup, AutoHotkey, Hotkeys, Menus , ,

Why Memorize a Bunch of Hotkey Combinations When Using an AutoHotkey Pop-up Menu Does the Trick?

A while back I talked about adding hard-to-remember AutoHotkey Hotkeys to the System Tray icon right-click menu. This saved me from needing to recall too many key combinations. As I worked on my last blog about creating the auto-startup script, I realized that I was again testing too many Hotkey combinations. Numerous combos activated other Windows or program functions. Since we can so easily set up AutoHotkey Hotkeys, we often go keyboard shortcut crazy—later finding that they interfere with others actions. Plus, remembering the various combinations doesn’t get any easier.

It dawned on me that I wanted an easier way to launch various AutoHotkey scripts without depending upon Hotkeys at all. This brought me back to my QuickLinks menu app. Continue reading →

Automatically Launch Apps at Windows Startup (AutoHotkey Tip)

Jack Dunning %Var%, Auto-startup, AutoHotkey, Beginning, Intermediate Level, Windows Clipboard, Windows scripting , , ,

Discover Autohotkey Tricks By Perusing Code In Other Scripts, Plus How to Load Any Windows Program at Startup

Many users find it easy to manually setup a program to auto-launch whenever they log onto Windows, but creating a shortcut and placing the new file into the Windows Startup folder requires a number of steps. With AutoHotkey, the same actions take just one command.

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