The Hotkeys Discussion Forum is a forum where users of Hotkeys (including the author) can post their experiences with the program, suggestions etc.
Also, any questions regarding the use of the program can be posted here and I'll try to answer them within one working day.
I like the program!
by Lynn Edwards
I'm sorry, I just wanted to say thank you for the program, I use it everyday. I have no problems with version 1.4. I just downloaded version 1.5, and I am very interested to see the "improvements". Again, all I can say is thank you!
i'm having a problem... i'll set up a hotkey combination (or use an existing one) and it will only work once. successive uses of the same hotky combination in the same application will apparently send some but not all of the keys.
for example, if i use the minimize hotkey (the one that comes 'prepackaged') it works fine the first time. if i restore the app that was minimized and try it again, it doesn't work.
i'm using win98 with IE 5.0. i had the same problem with 4.0.
I have just downloaded Hotkeys 1.4 and installed it on my Win98 machine (w/IE 5.0). I have experienced the same problem: the program installs fine, and accepts key combinations that appear at first to work. However, upon repetition, only the built-in shortcuts continue to work (e.g., Win+x type shortcuts).
I hope that this will be resolved in the future, as the program looks like it could be very useful. But, I can't use it as it currently is.
>#1 - I don't understand how to see what is happening in the discussion
group.
That's why I created the Discussion Forum. It should give a better insight in the available messages.
>#2 - What to me is a problem is organizing hotkeys into some useful order such as;
>
>Text macros
>Launch keys
>...Programs
>...Internet
>Special commands
It's in version 1.5. This version allows you to sort the Hotkeys definition list by clicking on a column title or by simply dragging and dropping definitions to new locations in the list.
A beta version of Hotkeys 1.5 (documentation not updated yet and source-code not included) can be found here.
This version may not be completely bug-free although it's been tested on several machines and seems to work pretty well.
Regards
Arjen Broeze
QOTD:Earth is 98% full...please delete anyone you can.
The previous post contains a broken link.
<P>
You can find version 1.5 beta at:
<P>
<A HREF="http://members.xoom.com/PostcardWare/files/Hotkeys15b.zip">http://members.xoom.com/PostcardWare/files/Hotkeys15b.zip</A>
<P>
Best regards
<BR>
Arjen
You could manually set the hotkey ID's (the 4 character field). Then (with version 1.5) you can click the ID column header to cause the list to be sorted by the ID's. Just make sure you don't duplicate any (or HotKeys will change it without you noticing) and if you use "Execute Multiple Commands", be sure to change the ID's there as well.
For example, make all your text commands have ID's such as txt0, txt1, txt2; programs could be prg0, prg1, prg2; internet could be net0, net1, net2; etc. Good luck!
The intention for this discussion forum is to get people discussing about how they use Hotkeys.
Occasionaly I'll also post a tip about how Hotkeys
improves my productivity. After all Hotkeys evolved from a tiny app I wrote for myself into something that's being used on a daily basis by
several hundreds of people (although the postcards fall a little behind in
numbers ;-) ).
So, I'll start off with a tip that I think is pretty useful:
Since Hotkeys 1.4 it is possible to have multiple Hotkey definition files.
At first, this may seem a feature with limited uses, but in combination with the 'Multiple Hotkey Definitions' feature it becomes pretty powerful.
For example, you can create a new definition file for related events (like opening different control panel applets) and switch back to the main
Hotkey definition file after executing the command.
An example:
Let's say I want to group all Control Panel applets in a separate definition file. The first step is to create a new hotkey definition. So,
press the 'New' button and make the new defintion switch to another hotkey definition file (for example "C:\PROGRAM FILES\HOTKEYS\CONTROL.HKD") and assign it the hotkey Win+C (you may have to delete the original Control Panel hotkey definition first; alternatively you can also modify it to do the thing described above).
When you press Win+C, Hotkeys will inform you that the file does not exist and will ask you if you want to create it. Since this is what you wanted, click 'Yes' (maybe the question can be removed entirely in a future
version of Hotkeys - let me know what you think).
Hotkeys now creates a new definition file (CONTROL.HKD) and adds an entry to it ("Load Default Hotkey definition file" - which would probably be better named as "Load Previous Hotkey definition file" - I'll change that in version 1.5) which looks something like this:
Description
ID
Command line
Hotkey
Default Definition File
DHKD
HOTKEYS.HKD
Win+L
Now add the following Hotkey definitions (don't bother setting hotkeys for them and clear the active checkbox for these definitions):
Description
ID
Command line
Hotkey
Control Panel
CONT
Control
Keyboard Properties
KEYB
Control main.cpl @1
Printer Properties
PRIN
Control main.cpl @2
Now create two additional Hotkey defintions and set these to be "Execute Multiple Hotkey definitions" (make sure these hotkeys are active):
Description
ID
Command IDs
Hotkey
Open Control Panel
OPEN
CONT;DHKD
Win+C
Open Keyboard Properties
OPE1
KEYB;DHKD
Win+K
Open Printer Properties
OPE2
KEYB;DHKD
Win+P
Now, press the Apply button and press Win+L to go back to the default hotkey definition file.
Now, pressing Win+C,C (without releasing the Win key) will launch Control Panel but, since it's part of a multiple command, will also switch back
directly to the original hotkey defintion file (likewise, Win+C,K opens Keyboard Properties and Win+C,P opens Printer properties).
I use this technique a lot, for example for attaching different signatures to e-mails depending on the person I'm sending the e-mail to. Although I now have to press two keys to get the same thing done, I find my main hotkey definition file a lot smaller and more readable. An added advantage is that you now have access to a lot more Hotkey combinations.
That's it for now. Let me know wether or not you think this is helpful. Also, if you have similar tips, any suggestions for improvements or would
like explanation on other Hotkeys issues, don't hesitate to post them here. Maybe others can learn from your experiences as well..
>Since Hotkeys 1.4 it is possible to have multiple Hotkey definition files.
At first, this may seem a feature with limited uses, but in combination
with the 'Multiple Hotkey Definitions' feature it becomes pretty powerful.
I've done this. It took me some time to figure out and setting it up was a
pain. I use it to fill out internet forms. Instead of typing out Joe TAB
Hagedorn or Dallas I just switch definition files and type in J or D.
>When you press Win+C, Hotkeys will inform you that the file does not exist
and will ask you if you want to create it. (maybe the question can be
removed entirely in a future version of Hotkeys - let me know what you
think)
No leave it. It makes sense this way. The user is in control of what's
created on their drive.
>That's it for now. Let me know wether or not you think this is helpful.
Also, if you have similar tips, any suggestions for improvements or would
like explanation on other Hotkeys issues, don't hesitate to post them here.
I started using Hotkeys when I was looking for something to replace the
inefficient Windows start menu to launch apps. I was originally looking for
a tool bar. I figured I'd use hotkeys in the mean time. Now, that I have
Windows 98 it has a quick launch bar that was exactly what I was looking
for only now I'm hooked on hotkeys and don't even use it. I've also
replaced my quick windows shutdown, and virtual clipboard type programs
with Hotkeys.
The features I'd most like to see would be features that control windows
like minimize all or hide all. It would be nice to have a hotkey that would
bring a particular program to the front like for every time I wanted
netscape I could use a hotkey to bring it to the front. I have had a few
programs MouseImp that autoshrinks tool bars. It would be nice to hide tool
bars and switch this off and on with a hotkey.
Another feature I'd like is to be able to launch more than one app at a
time. For example launch both my Netscape and my Dial-Up Networking
connection with one hotkey.
____________________
Later,
Joe Hagedorn
jhage@hotpop.com
> Another feature I'd like is to be able to launch more than one app at a
> time. For example launch both my Netscape and my Dial-Up Networking
> connection with one hotkey.
That's what the "Execute Multiple Commands" action type is for.