Main Area and Open Discussion > General Software Discussion
Finally, a robust keyboard shortcut app!
brotherS:
Speaking of having a hard time remembering a slew of hot keys, that is one reason I very much like and use the program ActiveWords. (Yeah, I use several programs simultaneously - Instant Text, ActiveWords, AHK!)
[...]
I'd love to do a review of ActiveWords some time soon!
In the meantime, here's a link
-Harrie (May 23, 2006, 09:01 PM)
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ActiveWords ($49.95 USD :o) looks like a combination of parts of DC's FARR and AutoHotkey to me. It seems to aim at more novice PC users, right?
rjbull:
brotherS,
I can only recommend to spend some time with AHK, it's truely amazing what you can do with it! I too started at a complete AHK newbie.
Regarding Win98: get rid of it as soon as you can, you will enjoy life more. Been there, done that...
-brotherS (May 23, 2006, 01:04 PM)
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Yes, I've been dabbling a bit lately and it looks very useful. AHK strikes me as not so much an application as an application development kit, though. That means that the incorrigbly computer-shy might be more rapidly productive with something like SuperKeys for hotstrings and/or one of the targeted hotkey applications, perhaps Hotkeyz that was zridling's previous best choice before AHK, simply because they're complete applications and behave as such. Having said that, you don't have to do very much with AHK to get basic productivity out of it.
As for Win98... I'm not going to toss my home laptop into the skip as long as it still works adequately, although I think I wish I'd pushed the boat out a bit more at the time....
brotherS:
With autohotkey you don’t have to remember any key combinations.
You can launch anything simply by typing a word of your choice
-Babis (May 23, 2006, 01:01 PM)
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But this is just the same problem - you have to remember lots of shorthand triggers. OK, they're arguably easier than arcane key combinations, but while it's easy to remember the ones you use all the time, it's harder to remember the rarer ones. That's why I'd still like a point-and-shoot GUI for both hotkeys and hotstrings.
-rjbull (May 24, 2006, 05:06 AM)
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Try watching less TV to unclutter your mind ;)
I can only recommend to spend some time with AHK, it's truely amazing what you can do with it! I too started at a complete AHK newbie.
-brotherS (May 23, 2006, 01:04 PM)
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Yes, I've been dabbling a bit lately and it looks very useful. AHK strikes me as not so much an application as an application development kit, though. That means that the incorrigbly computer-shy might be more rapidly productive with something like SuperKeys for hotstrings and/or one of the targeted hotkey applications, perhaps Hotkeyz that was zridling's previous best choice before AHK, simply because they're complete applications and behave as such. Having said that, you don't have to do very much with AHK to get basic productivity out of it.
-rjbull (May 24, 2006, 05:27 AM)
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You are right, AutoHotkey surely isn't your average "mom and pop" tool that everyone is able to use 3 months after buying their first PC. That being said, I think it's perfect for the (even only slightly) advanced user. Like you said, it doesn't take much time to get into the basic stuff, and in my opinion, its online help is pretty damn good to get more and more done if you keep being curious.
rjbull:
Harrie,
Speaking of having a hard time remembering a slew of hot keys, that is one reason I very much like and use the program ActiveWords. (Yeah, I use several programs simultaneously - Instant Text, ActiveWords, AHK!)
[...]
I'd love to do a review of ActiveWords some time soon!
In the meantime, here's a link
-Harrie (May 23, 2006, 09:01 PM)
--- End quote ---
ActiveWords ($49.95 USD :o) looks like a combination of parts of DC's FARR and AutoHotkey to me. It seems to aim at more novice PC users, right?
-brotherS (May 24, 2006, 05:27 AM)
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Here I somewhat agree with brotherS. From the blurb on the ActiveWords site, it doesn't seem to do anything much more or different from AHK or any other competent general-purpose macro program like Macro Express. I'll be interested to see your review of it :) The license is cleverly generous, in allowing an individual to use ActiveWords on any computer available to them (if I read it right) for a (moderately expensive) one-off fee. Looks a great way to generate goodwill.
Your system works for you, but still requires a prodigious memory for shortcuts. That's why I keep banging on about a point-and-shoot interface for the rarer ones...
Please take a look at the predictive text for ms word thread because I've quoted some of your other posts and links.
rjbull:
I'd still like a point-and-shoot GUI for both hotkeys and hotstrings.
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Try watching less TV to unclutter your mind ;)
-brotherS (May 24, 2006, 05:35 AM)
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TV? I've almost no use for TV. I READ BOOKS :D
AutoHotkey [...] perfect for the (even only slightly) advanced user.
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Yes, I'd agree, on the whole. It's mostly the Win98 etc. legacy that's keeping me interested in alternatives. Macro Express, for example, is superifically more friendly, with incomparably more eye candy and a more glossy packaging, but its macro editor is still bewildering, largely because of the sheer volume of "stuff" available. AHK may not be so glitzy but it's fast becoming the first recommendation for everyday macro tasks.
But oh, if they'd develop a point-and-shoot GUI shell for hotkey/hotstring files... ;)
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