Hotkeys

Sending Multiple Saved Data Items to Documents and Forms in AutoHotkey (Temporary Hotkeys)

Jack Dunning #Directives, Arrays, AutoHotkey, Hotkeys, InputBox, Loops, MsgBox Techniques, Windows scripting , ,

Sometimes We Want Single-key Hotkeys to Work Only for Short Periods of Time

The press of a single key provides the easiest method for inserting data into an edit field or document. In AutoHotkey, you can activate any key as that quick action single-key with either a Hotkey or Hotstring. However, in the normal course of work, that technique renders that keyboard action useless for anything else. To get the convenience of one-key instant activation, we must activate that Hotkey when needed—only in specific circumstances and for short periods of time.

AutoHotkey offers a number of different methods for accomplishing this instant key action. Which we choose depends upon what we want to do. In this blog, I look at three different methods:

  1. Use the Hotkey command to temporarily turn Hotkeys on then off again.
  2. Use the #If directive to designate conditional Hotkeys.
  3. Temporarily pause the script after Hotkey activation, then deactivate Hotkeys upon resuming.

While each temporary Hotkey works in a similar manner—activating only when needed—each has its advantages and disadvantages.

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Track Graphic Line Measurement Segments Using AutoHotkey Arrays

Jack Dunning Arrays, AutoHotkey, Graphic Editing Tools, Graphic Tools, Hotkeys, Intermediate Level, Loops, Send Command, Windows scripting , , ,

When Refreshing the MouseMeasure.ahk Invisible GUI Graphics Layer, AutoHotkey Uses a Simple Array of Associative Arrays to Track the Data

In my last blog (“Measure Multiple Line Segments with an AutoHotkey On-Screen Ruler“), I introduced multi-segment lines for estimating distances of non-linear routes. When refreshing the graphics to animate the moving line, all previously fixed segments need redrawing. Objects-based arrays provide the best method for tracking and regenerating these lines.

Each leg of the journey corresponds to a simple array element containing an associative array of data. The white box displays the key:value data saved in MyArray[4].

The difference between pseudo-arrays, simple arrays, and associative arrays can get confusing. For the novice AutoHotkey scriptwriter, unfamiliar Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) notation can make understanding the code even more difficult—especially if you attempt to learn OOP from online documentation.

You may think you need to choose between the traditional AutoHotkey syntax and OOP coding, but you don’t! AutoHotkey allows you to mix-and-match most OOP and classic AutoHotkey syntax—as long as you understand how they integrate.

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Measure Multiple Line Segments with an AutoHotkey On-Screen Ruler

Jack Dunning Arrays, AutoHotkey, Graphic Tools, GUI (Graphical User Interface) Pop-ups, Hotkeys, Intermediate Level, Mouse Tricks, Toggling Variables, Tooltip Pop-ups, Windows scripting , , ,

Taking the MouseMeasure.ahk Script to the Next Level, We Add Multiple Calculations for Going Around Corners

The original MouseMeasure.ahk script captures a single-length in a straight line—as a crow flies. While this works great for many applications, roads and highways generally wind over travel distances. Depending upon where you’re going, this can cause a significant variation in the total calculation. To return a more accurate overall estimate, we must break the measurement line into shorter segments.

Start the measurement with the Ctrl+LButton Hotkey, then click the left mouse button for each new leg of the journey. Press the Shift key to terminate the last leg and display the total distance.

The original form of the MouseMeasure.ahk script only allows for a sole straight line. To add more legs to our journey (at different angles), we must implement AutoHotkey techniques for:

  1. Terminating one segment and starting a new one.
  2. Tracking the position of each segment, its length, and the total distance traveled.
  3. Refreshing the screen to include all past legs as well as the new leg.
  4. Sending multiple saved data items for each leg to documents and forms.
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Pass-Through Hotkey Combinations to Prevent Shortcut Blocking (AutoHotkey Tip)

Jack Dunning AutoHotkey, Graphic Tools, GUI (Graphical User Interface) Pop-ups, Hotkeys, Mouse Tricks , ,

Sometimes You Want AutoHotkey Hotkeys to Block Other Program Shortcuts While Other Times You Want Both to Work

One of the effects of AutoHotkey Hotkeys includes blocking action for key combinations in Windows and other programs. While often desirable, occasionally you want both the Hotkey and the program shortcut to work. To do this we put a squiggle (tilde prefix ~) in front of the Hotkey combination.

In the MouseMeasure.ahk app, use the cursor keys (Right, Left, Up, Down) to move the mouse cursor one pixel at a time for accurate placement of both ends of the graphic measurement line. Delete to clear the line and ToolTip.

When I added the Arrow keys to the MouseMeasure.ahk script as Hotkeys for precisely locating the mouse cursor onscreen, it triggered the undesirable side effect of blocking the text cursor movement associated with those same keys in editing screens. By placing a tilde (~) in front of each Hotkey, I can accomplish both accurate mouse cursor placement in the invisible GUI and continue using text cursor movement in an editing window without disabling or closing the MouseMeasure.ahk app. (See “Replace Hotkeys with the AutoHotkey GetKeyState() Function” for an introduction to the GDIPlus version of the script. See “How to Draw Lines with AutoHotkey Using Windows GDIPlus Graphics” for information on the GDIPlus functions used in the script.)

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Replace Hotkeys with the AutoHotkey GetKeyState() Function

Jack Dunning #Directives, AutoHotkey, DllCall(), Function Libraries, Graphic Editing Tools, Graphic Tools, Hotkeys, Mouse Tricks, Timer, Windows scripting, Windows Utilities , , ,

While Digging into On-Screen Graphic Line Generation, I Discovered a Number of New AutoHotkey Techniques to Add to the MouseMeasure.ahk Distance Capturing Script

Last time, I looked into adding a line drawn on-screen to visually represent a linear measurement (“Drawing Lines on Screens with AutoHotkey“). However, I didn’t feel that the drivers I used presented the result I wanted for the MouseMeasure.ahk script. The line jittered too erratically and I found holding down the left-mouse button while dragging awkward and lacking precision. Therefore, I didn’t post the final product—although I did provide a download for the curious.

I have since drawn upon the expertise of other AutoHotkey Forum users to revise the script and create a much more robust app. The new script includes the following improvements:

  1. Only one Hotkey combination (Ctrl+LButton) activates both the calibration and measuring subroutine.
  2. The script no longer requires holding down the left mouse button while positioning the end point of the measurement. The end-point remains attached to the moving mouse cursor.
  3. The more advanced GDIPlus graphics used to draw the line make the line smoother and more robust.

The MouseMeasure.ahk script now uses Windows GDIPlus graphics to draw a red line between the start and end points of the on-screen ruler. The end point of the line moves with the mouse cursor until pinned with either the Shift or Alt key.

I pulled these improvements from a number of sources.

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Capturing Computer Screen Measurements (An AutoHotkey Tool)

Jack Dunning AutoHotkey, Graphic Images, GUI (Graphical User Interface) Pop-ups, Hotkeys, Hotstrings, Mouse Tricks, MsgBox Techniques, Tooltip Pop-ups, Windows Utilities , , , ,

Calibrate the MouseMeasure AutoHotkey Tool to Grab Calculated Lengths from Your Computer Monitor

Recently, a reader asked, “Do you think it is conceivable to create a screen ruler in AHK that can be calibrated to my native application ruler. The problem I have now is that I take tons of measurements off the screen and then I have to type that number back into a document. I would love to make a ruler that can basically calibrate with the native app ruler once and make the data from the AHK ruler transfer automatically to the clipboard or better yet straight to the document.”

I responded, “The application you’re looking at is quite conceivable. You can pick coordinates off the screen with the MouseGetPos command and save them. Then you can possibly use two clicks to calculate the difference between the two in pixels then convert it to your scale. There are a number of methods for sending data to documents. It is certainly within the realm of possibilities.”

I then searched the AutoHotkey board only to find that he had already posted the same Ruler question in the “Ask for Help” forum. Fortunately, AutoHotkey Forum user colt had already posted a response. With the heart of the work completed by colt, I decided to add an onscreen calibration method.

Pythagorean Theorem

Pythagoras gave every high school math student a reason to remember his name. He provided the method for calculating the hypotenuse of a right triangle. For most people, the formula fell into the toolbox of things-I’ll-never-do-again. But for anyone who wants to measure distances on a computer screen, the Pythagorean Theorem returns with a vengeance.

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AutoHotkey Tip of the Week: Tricks for Tracking and Activating Target Process Windows

Jack Dunning AutoHotkey, GUI (Graphical User Interface) Pop-ups, Hotkeys, Menu, System Tray, Menus, Window Manipulation, Windows scripting , ,

When Implementing Various AutoHotkey Techniques Sometimes We Need to Find Our Way Back to the Proper Window

Most AutoHotkey applications don’t require complicated tracking of process windows. Hotstrings, Hotkeys, and most other techniques do their work in the currently active window. Generally, menus and GUIs automatically return to the original on-top location once they close. However, occasionally circumstances force us to move to other apps or tools—deactivating the current window—before returning to the original target. AutoHotkey offers a couple of techniques for getting back to the right spot on our Windows Desktop.

piechartcartoonFor example, the MousePrecise.ahk app (for precision movement of the mouse cursor) allows users to temporarily enable the mouse accuracy tool in new windows with either a Hotkey combination or a right-click selection from the Windows System Tray icon menu. Since the Hotkey doesn’t change window focus, it works fine, but the act of selecting an item from the System Tray icon menu deactivates the original window. Therefore, before AutoHotkey can include the new app in the active group, it must refocus on that process window and capture its title. Continue reading →

Quick Tip: The Best Way to Paste with the AutoHotkey Send Command

Jack Dunning AutoHotkey, Clipboard Routine, Hotkeys, Send Command, Windows scripting, Windows shortcuts , , ,

When Using the Send Command to Paste from the Clipboard, a Simple Best Practice Can Make the Difference

tipsI’ve noticed that occasionally a couple of my Clipboard paste Hotkeys would cause a jump to the Bottom of the page in the WordPress editing window—a huge source of aggravation. Fortunately, I rarely used those Hotkeys. Then, while working on my blog for next week, I ran into the problem again in a simple capitalization Hotkey routine. This confused me since my standard uppercase, lowercase, and initial cap Hotkeys work just fine. The new Hotkey wasn’t that much different. I investigated. Continue reading →

AutoHotkey Tip of the Week: Quick Menu for Activating Open Windows

Jack Dunning AutoHotkey, Cool Scripts, DropDownList Control, Forcing Expressions, GoSub Command, GUI (Graphical User Interface) Pop-ups, Hotkeys, Icons, Intermediate Level, Menus, Mouse Tricks, OnMessage Function, Parsing Data, Script Speed, Switch/Case Command, Windows Automation , , ,

With a Few Modifications, the WindowList.ahk Script Pops Up a Menu of Open Windows for Quick Activation—Plus, How to Detect When a Windows Opens or Closes

I originally used the WindowList.ahk script as a demonstration of how to use the GUI DropDownList control as a list of selection options for activating open windows (included in the Digging Deeper Into AutoHotkey book). Once, while testing someone’s script, it proved very useful. I could not find the GUI window generated by the code. The script had placed the target window somewhere off the screen. The scriptwriter originally used a second monitor—which I didn’t have. The WindowList.ahk script moved the window back into my view.

As I reviewed the script, I realized that building a pop-up menu of open windows could serve a purpose similar to the QuickLinks.ahk script—except, rather than launching apps and Web sites, the menu would activate open windows. Now, that’s something that I can use!

I often keep numerous windows open simultaneously. Generally, I locate a window by hovering over the Windows Taskbar then selecting the image which looks right. It takes a second for the thumbnails to appear, then hovering over each helps me make my selection. But what if I could maintain a menu of all open Windows available in a menu for instant activation? Continue reading →

AutoHotkey Tip of the Week: Use the GUI Menu Bar for Instant Hotkeys

Jack Dunning AutoHotkey, AutoHotkey GUIs, GUI (Graphical User Interface) Pop-ups, Hotkeys, Menu Bars, Menus, Windows Automation, Windows scripting, Windows shortcuts , , , , , ,

Rather than Creating New Hotkeys and Isolating Them Using the #IfWinActive Directive, Simply Add Keyboard Accelerators Using a GUI Menu Bar

Note: This week’s keyboard accelerator tip is not the same technique as adding an ampersand before any letter in a menu item—although that trick still works. The beauty of this technique lies in the fact that you can embed and execute a multitude of active window Hotkey-like actions in a menu bar without ever opening the menu itself.

In almost every one of my books, I discuss using the Menu command to build free-floating selection lists for a wide variety of tasks. I use menus for the HotstringMenu.ahk script, the QuickLinks.ahk favorites app, SynomynLookup.ahk, and numerous other purposes. In the GUI ListView control examples found in the AutoHotkey Applications book for the to-do list, the address book, the calorie counting app and listings of icon images, the right-click context menu pops open for individual action items. Menus provide an easy method for adding features to AutoHotkey scripts while saving space. I’ve always known that you can add a menu bar to the top of any AutoHotkey GUI (Graphical User Interface) but had little to say about it—until now.

ToDoListINI
The Ctrl+T in the menu bar item creates an accelerator key combination which, whenever pressed, acts as an active window Hotkey for instantly executing the option—even without opening the GUI menu bar.

While working on my latest to-do list script (ToDoListINI.ahk), I realized that I wanted to add a couple more options to the app, but I didn’t like the idea of inserting more buttons into the GUI. I naturally turned to a menu bar at the top of the GUI which could include many more actions while taking up minimal area. After a quick glance at the Gui, Menu command, I realized that I had routinely overlooked one of the most important aspects of Gui menu bars: accelerator keyboard combinations. Continue reading →