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Autohotkey - Interact with applications and streamline repetitive tasks

2 min read

Installation

NameSourcesCategoriesDescription
AutoHotkeyWebsite , 
winget install -e AutoHotkey.AutoHotkey —scope machine
DevelopmentA scripting language to create hotkeys, interact with applications, manipulate windows, automate repetitive…

Windows Automation scripting language

General code structure

^j::                    ; :: indicates a hotkey
Send, My First Script   ;
return                  ;

Hotkeys

  • end with ::
  • pauses current thread and starts a new one
#, <#, ># /*Send*/ LWin, RWin
        ^ /*Send*/ Ctrl, LCtrl, RCtrl
        + /*Send*/ Shift, LShift, RShift
        ! /*Send*/ Alt, LAlt, RAlt
LButton ; primary mouse button
RButton ; secondary mouse button
MButton ; middle / wheel mouse button
Space, Tab, Enter, Escape, Pause, CtrlBreak
ScrollLock, CapsLock, NumLock, Insert, PrintScreen
Numpad0, NumpadAdd, NumpadEnter

Legacy syntax

RawText = My name is %username%!
TrayTip, %ExampleTitle%, Hello %username%, , 0x10

Expression syntax

Text := "My name is".username."!"
TrayTip, % generateTitle(482), % "Hello ".username, , % (0x4 + 0x4) * 2

Override existing instance when launched again

#SingleInstance, force

Set a windows taskbar icon

  • e.g: Display a keyboard
Menu, Tray, Icon, % A_WinDir "\system32\imageres.dll", 174

Get program stdout, stderr

Shell := ComObjCreate("WScript.Shell") ; Create a new shell environment
Script := Shell.Exec(information) ; Launch the script, proceed immidiately
WinWait,% "ahk_exe youtube-dl.exe" ; Hide the script as soon as visible
WinHide,% "ahk_exe youtube-dl.exe"
 
; Get all output
StdOut := Script.StdOut.ReadAll()
StdErr := Script.StdErr.ReadAll()
ErrLvl := (Script.Status == 2)	
 
if (ErrLvl || StdErr) { ; Script failed
    MsgBox,% "The Script execution failed"
}

Sources:

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Tags:
Programming Languages - Communicate instructions between humans and computers

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