Author Topic: IDEA: Mouse Wheel Scroll Can Cycle Through Applications on Taskbar (Read 26803 times)

Smobu · « **on:** May 24, 2008, 01:43 AM »

IDEA: Mouse Wheel Scroll Can Cycle Through Applications on Taskbar

1. Hover anywhere on the taskbar and start scrolling up or down on the mouse wheel.

2. Scroll up to cycle through applications to the left.

3. Scroll down to cycle through applications to the right.

Perry Mowbray · « **Reply #1 on:** May 24, 2008, 05:46 AM »

I use TaskSwithchXP to do that, sort of...

1. Click on Tray Icon (not hover over taskbar)
2. Scroll up/down to selected application (don't have to move the mouse)
3. Scroll Wheel click to select (don't have to move the mouse)

Gives me a live display of the windows:

Screenshot - 24_05_2008 , 8_48_34 PM.png

IDEA: Mouse Wheel Scroll Can Cycle Through Applications on Taskbar

Actually, previously I was using the TAB+Alt key combination, but in replying to this I've discovered that a click on the Tray Icon is actually much quicker if I've got the mouse in my hand (so thanks for your post!!)

lanux128 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 24, 2008, 09:48 AM »

you can take the Windows built-in Alt+Esc shortcut and bind it to mouse-wheel with Autohotkey. try using Alt+Esc or Alt+Shift+Esc to see if that's the behaviour you want. here's the rather basic AHK code for that, doesn't have taskbar detection, though. i can make a more complete script once i get back to my desk.

[Select]

#SingleInstance,Force
#NoEnv
SendMode,Input

WheelUp::
Send !{Esc}
Return
WheelDown::
Send !{Shift}{Esc}
Return

Perry Mowbray · « **Reply #3 on:** May 25, 2008, 08:38 PM »

you can take the Windows built-in Alt+Esc shortcut and bind it to mouse-wheel with Autohotkey. try using Alt+Esc or Alt+Shift+Esc to see if that's the behaviour you want. here's the rather basic AHK code for that, doesn't have taskbar detection, though. i can make a more complete script once i get back to my desk.
-lanux128 (May 24, 2008, 09:48 AM)

I use Alt-TAB all the time but had forgotten about Alt-Esc: Thanks

lanux128 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 25, 2008, 11:44 PM »

I use Alt-TAB all the time but had forgotten about Alt-Esc: Thanks
-Perry Mowbray (May 25, 2008, 08:38 PM)

you're welcome. btw, Skrommel had already created a somewhat similar script that needs no user intervention. check out the link below..

• DONE: timed alt+tab through active windows

AndyM · « **Reply #5 on:** May 26, 2008, 08:38 AM »

How about using Lanux128's script, but add a few lines to check the mouse cursor position. If the cursor is over the taskbar, send the Alt-Esc or Alt-Shift-Esc. (You'll probably get this when Lanux128 is back at his desk

)

lanux128 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 26, 2008, 10:58 AM »

actually i'm not sure whether to continue with this because the original requester has not replied yet if he wants to replicate the 'Alt+Esc' behaviour.

Smobu · « **Reply #7 on:** May 26, 2008, 06:48 PM »

The alt-esc method is ok, but I was wondering if it is possible for the hover detection to be implemented.

lanux128 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 26, 2008, 10:55 PM »

okay, there's an opening for ~~guinea~~ beta testers, please download and give this a try.

sri · « **Reply #9 on:** May 26, 2008, 11:25 PM »

lanux: I can see the taskbar items getting focus but the windows themselves are not coming to the foreground. Also some taskbar items are being skipped.

lanux128 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 26, 2008, 11:45 PM »

do you have any mouse-enhancer tools running in the background? if not check this setting in the control panel..

sri · « **Reply #11 on:** May 26, 2008, 11:52 PM »

I had volumouse running. Closed it but still the same.

I do already have the mouse wheel settings as per your screenshot.

lanux128 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 26, 2008, 11:59 PM »

now, this is strange. what else could be the reason - are you using the .ahk or .exe version? try both versions to see if there is any change.. if the problem persists maybe we could chat over irc for more troubleshooting.

sri · « **Reply #13 on:** May 27, 2008, 12:32 AM »

The script works as it should. I didn't know that Alt+Esc only cycles maximized windows and it ignores minimized windows.

Lanux is going to work on modifying this so it works on all windows whether or not they are maximized or minimized.

10:54 lanux128 maybe mouse-wheel on the taskbar can do an alt+tab, what do you think?
10:56 srikat I want the script to bring up immediate next/previous window regardless of window state (minimized or maximized)
10:56 srikat when the mouse wheel is scrolled anywhere on the taskbar
10:57 srikat next/previous relative to the current active window
10:58 lanux128 maybe i can modify the existing script to make a custom script for you..
10:58 srikat I belive that's what the original thread poster wanted as well

Smobu · « **Reply #14 on:** May 27, 2008, 01:14 AM »

Thanks for creating the script. I not all too concern about making the minimized windows being able to pop out, but it would be a nice feature to have.

lanux128 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 27, 2008, 01:32 AM »

Thanks for creating the script. I not all too concern about making the minimized windows being able to pop out, but it would be a nice feature to have.
-Smobu (May 27, 2008, 01:14 AM)

you're welcome.. as sri mentions in the earlier post, i'll be making a slightly different script but not based on Alt+Tab either as the internal order of the windows is not as seen on the taskbar.

• What is the Alt+Tab order?

lanux128 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 27, 2008, 11:11 PM »

while trawling through the AHK forums, i came upon this script which is very impressive, to say the least. all it needs is a tiny modification to work with the MouseWheel. so i PM'ed the author for his permission to post it here and also invited him over. while waiting for his reply, i thought i'd just update here..

• Script to Scroll Sequentially Across Taskbar.

sri · « **Reply #17 on:** May 28, 2008, 12:41 AM »

lanux: Presently that script uses ctrl+9 to switch to next window and ctrl+8 to switch to previous window.

I've replaced ^9 with ~WheelUp and ^8 with ~WheelDown.

How do I restrict the script to work only when the mouse is over the taskbar?

lanux128 · « **Reply #18 on:** May 28, 2008, 12:58 AM »

How do I restrict the script to work only when the mouse is over the taskbar?
-sri (May 28, 2008, 12:41 AM)

you can make it work conditionally by adding these lines below in each of the WheelUp/Down command.

[Select]

{
MouseGetPos, , , id, control
WinGetClass, class, ahk_id %id%
If class = Shell_TrayWnd
.
.
.
}

i'm also attaching the modified script, subject to the original author's permission.

sri · « **Reply #19 on:** May 28, 2008, 01:02 AM »

works pretty good. Thanks lanux and the original author.

urlwolf · « **Reply #20 on:** May 28, 2008, 03:05 AM »

Great idea.
I tried the ahk code, but it didn't work for me.
My mouse drivers are kind of funky... but the wheel does work on all other programs.
I placed the mouse on the task bar, and moved the wheel. Nothing happened.

Is there any way to debug what may be causing the problem?

Thanks

lanux128 · « **Reply #21 on:** May 28, 2008, 04:57 AM »

Is there any way to debug what may be causing the problem?
-urlwolf (May 28, 2008, 03:05 AM)

i have only tested in WinXP (SP3) but for debug purpose, you can add the line in bold and see if when the mouse is over the taskbar, the tooltip shows the 'ahk_class' as "Shell_TrayWnd". that should give a clue as to whether the taskbar is detected properly.

...
If class = Shell_TrayWnd
{
ToolTip, ahk_class %class%
i = 0
...

sri · « **Reply #22 on:** May 28, 2008, 12:09 PM »

I wrote a small blog post about this at http://www.howtotuts...scrolling-the-mouse/

lanux128 · « **Reply #23 on:** May 30, 2008, 11:40 PM »

I wrote a small blog post about this at http://www.howtotuts...scrolling-the-mouse/
-sri (May 28, 2008, 12:09 PM)

good work on Sri on the blog and the name-change.

also adding a note in the original thread at the AHK forums would be nice.

Smobu · « **Reply #24 on:** May 31, 2008, 08:31 PM »

The new script also doesn't seem to work for me. It is non-responsive when I try to to scroll on the taskbar. I'm using Vista.