IDEA: Hide program on mouseover. Bring to front when mouse moved away.

[Tye]

I searched briefly but didn't see anything like this requested.

I would like to see a small program that tracks my mouse cursor and if it detects the cursor over a program then that program is moved to the background. When the mouse cursor moves away from that area, the program comes to the foreground again.

The use is mostly for video players (SlingPlayer for SlingBox, KMPLayer, Media Player Classic). I want to be able to watch video in the foreground but be able to quickly access what's underneath the video player without moving or minimizing the video window.

Thank you for considering my idea!

[Ralf Maximus]

Interesting idea.

How would you change/shutdown/pause the video without mouse input?

Maybe hold the SHIFT key down to keep the window from disappearing? 

[Tye]

I just wanted to throw the basic idea out there and see if anyone thought it was worthwhile.

I see a few options (and have my personal favorite ideas):
1. As you mentioned, a "temporary hotkey". Definitely workable, but if I need to get "shift key" the window under the video then I still have to move the video window. Editing in MS Word comes to mind here. Personally, I still hope for an option that can be worked "mouse only" since my main concern is working where the mouse cursor is.

2. A toggle option activated by hotkey or system tray. This is most sensible method for the masses. The hotkey or system tray icon toggles between an all or nothing mode. Either the utility always hides the program on mouseover or never does.

3. My personal favorite, but it might be asking too much for a donation coded program is a small box--maybe 15x5 pixels--that hovers above the upper right corner of the video player. If the box is "on" and the mouse goes anywhere over the video window then the video window disappears. If the box is "off" then the program stays in focus as normal. To toggle on and off only requires touching the box with the mouse cursor.
I don't think there's a flaw in the logic there (please do correct me if I missed an important point). This would provide a really quick mouse only way to get to the player. It would also be totally compatible with idea #2. We could still use a hotkey.

So, thanks again for considering. Any more thoughts?

[Tye]

I should also add that one of the reasons I'm so hung up on mouse only stuff is because I have all of the most important media keys compatible with StrokeIt. Mouse gestures are *great*.

[belkira]

This is a bit ugly, but then I am still way new to programming. This was written in AutoHotKey.

Basically when launched it will ask for the name of the window you want to be able to hide.
It will then watch for your mouse to go over the window you typed in. Press shift while in that window and it will hide.

I chose to do it that way so you could control the window if need be without it disappearing right away.
The window will stay hidden until you either move your mouse to the upper left corner of your screen or
press both the left and right mouse buttons together.

If nothing else maybe it will provide a starting point for someone who knows what they are doing 

Both the ahk script and the compiled (exe) are included.

[skrommel]

  Have you tried WinWarden?

Skrommel