{"id":7781,"date":"2018-04-18T14:22:07","date_gmt":"2018-04-18T21:22:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/?p=7781"},"modified":"2018-05-17T14:33:10","modified_gmt":"2018-05-17T21:33:10","slug":"autohotkey-is-so-useful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/2018\/04\/18\/autohotkey-is-so-useful\/","title":{"rendered":"Autohotkey Is So Useful"},"content":{"rendered":"

Autohotkey is mind bogglingly useful<\/strong>! Autohotkey is a free, open source Windows program that lets you do simple and complicated scripting with keyboard commands. I’ve been using it since about 2001. I use it a zillion times a day. I couldn’t imagine not having it.<\/p>\n

Some things you can do with it:
\n– Have a second copy-paste clipboard
\n– Do a “paste” and strip out the formatting
\n– type often used strings like addresses, phone numbers, and email signatures with just a few strokes.
\n– make a window on your computer to be always on top of the other windows
\n– start a favorite program (Chrome, Word, Calc, whatever) with a single keystroke
\n– Type today’s date with a single keystroke<\/p>\n

I’ve set it up to do about 50 commands. If you want to do things on the computer faster and easier, you might want to use it too. Just download Autohotkey<\/a> \u00a0and put some of the scripts I have below in your setting file. There’s a bunch of ways to do that, here is a tutorial<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here is my settings file. Just look at the first line of each script to see what it does.
\n<\/p>\n


\n; See the docs at the end of this file.<\/code><\/p>\n

^!i:: ; Run IEP Calendar with Ctrl-Alt-i
\nIfWinExist, IEP Calendar.xlsx
\nWinActivate
\nelse
\nRun, “C:\\aaa\\OT Work\\IEP Calendar.xlsx”
\nreturn<\/p>\n

^!s:: ; Run Scratch with Ctrl-Alt-s
\nIfWinExist, Scratch.docx
\nWinActivate
\nelse
\nRun, “C:\\aaa\\OT Work\\Scratch.docx”
\nreturn<\/p>\n

; Ctrl-Alt-v to paste text only; the formatted version remains in clipboard.
\n^!v:: ; paste stripping formatting via https:\/\/autohotkey.com\/board\/topic\/10412-paste-plain-text-and-copycut\/
\n; remove white space and new line marks and that avoids “pasting” because that can trigger unnecessary paste options in Microsoft
\n gosub getplain
\nclipboard:=clipboardt ; This works and does so quickly as long as “Ctrl-v” is used to paste
\nSend ^v
\n; Send {Raw}%clipboardt% ; This works but it’s slow
\n; SendInput {Raw}%clipboardt% ; This SHOULD work but it fucks shit up
\n clipboardt =
\n return<\/p>\n

getplain:
\n StringReplace, clipboardt, clipboard, `r, %A_Space%, All ; The `r strips out carriage return, `n strips out newlines.
\n clipboardt := RegExReplace(clipboardt, “` {2,}”, “` “)
\n StringLeft, 1st, clipboardt, 1
\n IfInString, 1st, %A_Space%
\n StringTrimLeft, clipboardt, clipboardt, 1
\n StringRIght, last, clipboardt, 1
\n IfInString, last, %A_Space%
\n StringTrimRight, clipboardt, clipboardt, 1
\n return<\/p>\n

; copy selected text to AutohotkeyClipboard
\n^!n::\t;Ctrl-Alt-n copy selected text to AutohotkeyClipboard
\n\toriginalclipboardcontents = %clipboardall%
\n\tclipboard = ; Start off empty to allow ClipWait to detect when the text has arrived
\n\tSend ^c
\n\tclipwait ; wait for the clipboard to contain text
\n \tautohotkeyclipboard = %clipboard% ; Grab it, strip it, and shove it
\n\tclipboard = %originalclipboardcontents% ; Restore original clipboard contents
\n; \toriginalclipboardcontents = ; Free up memory
\n\tReturn<\/p>\n

; paste text out of the AutohotkeyClipboard
\n^!m:: \t;Ctrl-Alt-m to paste from memory
\n\tSend %autohotkeyclipboard%{space}
\n\tReturn \t<\/p>\n

; hit ctrl-space to make the current window always on top. From http:\/\/www.labnol.org\/software\/tutorials\/keep-window-always-on-top\/5213\/
\n^SPACE:: Winset, Alwaysontop, , A<\/p>\n

^!d:: ; Run Chrome with Ctrl-Alt-d
\nIfWinExist, New Tab – Google Chrome ; If there is already a blank window, bring it to front.
\n{
\nWinActivate, New Tab – Google Chrome
\nControlFocus, Chrome_OmniboxView1
\n}
\nelse
\n{
\nRun, chrome
\n; Run, “C:\\Program Files\\Google\\Chrome\\Application\\chrome.exe”
\n; WinWaitActive, New Tab – Google Chrome, , 3 ; wait for for Chrome to open
\n;if ErrorLevel ; if Chrome doesn’t open within the timeframe, throw an error on the desktop
\n; {
\n; ; MsgBox, Chrome WinWait timed out.
\n; TrayTip, Autohotkey, Chrome WinWait timed out, 5
\n; WinActivate, New Tab – Google Chrome ; activate the chrome window
\n; return
\n; }
\nLoop 10 ; Let’s try pulling it up 10 times (Loop 10) waiting .2 seconds (sleep 200) to check and pull it up
\n{
\nSleep, 200 ; maybe this will help guarantee that it catches????????
\n; SoundPlay *-1
\nIfWinExist, New Tab – Google Chrome ; If there is already a blank window, bring it to front.
\n{
\nWinActivate, New Tab – Google Chrome
\nControlFocus, Chrome_OmniboxView1
\n}
\n}
\n}
\nreturn<\/p>\n

; This script opens my favorite text editor. If it’s already open, it pulls it to the front. I use this a zillion times a day
\n; I made it Ctrl-Alt-e because it used to start Editpad… My fingers remember the “e” better than the “s”. Change it to whatever you like.
\n^!e:: ; Run SublimeText++ with Ctrl-Alt-e
\nIfWinExist, sublime_text.exe
\nWinActivate
\nelse
\nRun, “C:\\Program Files\\Sublime Text 3\\sublime_text.exe”
\nreturn<\/p>\n

; Start up my favorite calculator
\n^!c:: ; Run Calc with Ctrl-Alt-c
\nIfWinExist, Moffsoft FreeCalc
\nWinActivate
\nelse
\nRun, “C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Moffsoft FreeCalc\\MoffFreeCalc.exe”
\nreturn<\/p>\n

^!t:: ; Run Truecrypt with Ctrl-Alt-t
\nIfWinExist, TrueCrypt
\nWinActivate
\nelse
\nRun, “C:\\aaa\\pocketpc.tc”
\nreturn<\/p>\n

^!k:: ; Open Truecrypt k: with Ctrl-Alt-k
\nSetTitleMatchMode, 2 ; allow partial matches for WinExist<\/p>\n

If WinExist(“K:\\”,”Namespace Tree Control”) or WinExist(“&crumb=location:K%3A”)
\n{
\nWinActivate
\nControlFocus, DirectUIHWND1
\n}
\nelse
\n{
\nRun, explorer K:\\
\nControlFocus, DirectUIHWND1
\n}
\nreturn<\/p>\n

; I have a lot of “..” codes. Just type “.. and whatever” and the text appears.
\n; type “..sig” and my signature appears
\n:o:..sig::Thanks,{enter}Lee Sonko, OTR\/L{enter}Occupational Therapist{enter}<\/p>\n

:o:..ot::occupational therapist
\n:o:..pot::pediatric occupational therapist<\/p>\n

:o:..b::Berkeley
\n:o:..bc::Berkeley, CA
\n:o:..9::94706<\/p>\n

:o:..s::San Francisco
\n:o:..c:: California<\/p>\n

:0:..80::123456789012345678901234567890123456 >40< 3456789012345678901234567890123456 >80{enter}<\/p>\n

:o:..-::{enter}————————————————–{up}<\/p>\n

:o:..=::=================================================={Right}<\/p>\n

; Here’s some old school message quoting. I don’t use this often. Try “..<” when you are at the top of some text you want to do message quoting to. ; :o:.>::{Home}>{left}{down}{Enter}>{left}{down}{Enter}>{left}{down}{Enter}>{left}{down}{Enter}>{left}{down}{Enter}>{left}{down}{Enter}>{left}{down}{Enter}>{left}{down}{Enter}>{left}{down}{Enter}>{left}{down}{Enter}<\/p>\n

:o:.<::{Home}>{Right 76}{ctrl left}{Enter}>{Right 76}{ctrl left}{Enter}>{Right 76}{ctrl left}{Enter}>{Right 76}{ctrl left}{Enter}>{Right 76}{ctrl left}{Enter}>{Right 76}{ctrl left}{Enter}>{Right 76}{ctrl left}{Enter}>{Right 76}{ctrl left}{Enter}>{Right 76}{ctrl left}{Enter}>{Right 76}{ctrl left}{Enter}<\/p>\n

; More message quoting. Try “..>” then hit enter, then type a number from 1 to 99 and hit enter again
\n:o:.>:: ; Perform message quoting… Give it 1-99 and it’ll quote that many lines.
\nInput,variable,L2,{Enter}
\nSetKeyDelay 0
\nBlockInput,on
\nSend {Home}
\nLoop, %variable%
\n{
\nSend >{Right 78}{ctrldown}{left}{ctrlup}{Enter}
\n}
\nBlockInput,off<\/p>\n

:o:.p::——– Page Break ————-{enter}<\/p>\n

:o:.ms::——– Original Message ————-{enter}<\/p>\n

:o:.me::——– End of Original Message ——{enter}<\/p>\n

:o:.ss::—- Start of Snippet —-{home}{down}<\/p>\n

:o:.se::—- End of Snippet —-{enter}<\/p>\n

:o:..d:: ; current date
\nFormatTime, CurrentDateTime,, M-d-yy ; It will look like 9-1-17
\nSetKeyDelay 0 ; This sets the keystrokes below to be sent faster than the default.
\nSend %CurrentDateTime%
\nSend {space}{enter}————————————————–{up}
\nreturn<\/p>\n

:o:..date:: ; This hotstring replaces “]d” with the current date and time.
\nFormatTime, CurrentDateTime,, M\/d\/yyyy h:mm tt ; It will look like 9\/1\/2005 3:53 PM
\nSetKeyDelay 0 ; This sets the keystrokes below to be sent faster than the default.
\nSend %CurrentDateTime%
\nreturn<\/p>\n

; —————————————————————————————————–
\n; IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT GETTING STARTED: Lines that start with a
\n; semicolon, such as this one, are comments. They are not executed.<\/p>\n

; This script is a .INI file because it is a special script that is
\n; automatically launched when you run the program directly. By contrast,
\n; text files that end in .ahk are associated with the program, which
\n; means that they can be launched simply by double-clicking them.
\n; You can have as many .ahk files as you want, located in any folder.
\n; You can also run more than one .ahk file simultaneously and each will
\n; get its own tray icon.<\/p>\n

; Please read the QUICK-START TUTORIAL near the top of the help file.
\n; It explains how to perform common automation tasks such as sending
\n; keystrokes and mouse clicks. It also explains how to use hotkeys.<\/p>\n

; SAMPLE HOTKEYS: Below are two sample hotkeys. The first is Win+Z and it
\n; launches a web site in the default browser. The second is Control+Alt+N
\n; and it launches a new Notepad window (or activates an existing one). To
\n; try out these hotkeys, run AutoHotkey again, which will load this file.<\/p>\n

; Find Hotstring documentation here: http:\/\/www.autohotkey.com\/docs\/Hotstrings.htm<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Autohotkey is mind bogglingly useful! Autohotkey is a free, open source Windows program that lets you do simple and complicated scripting with keyboard commands. I’ve been using it since about 2001. I use it a zillion times a day. I couldn’t imagine not having it. Some things you can do with it: – Have a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-geekery","category-product-recommendations"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7781"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7781\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lee.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}