Author Topic: Advice on keyboard shortcuts. (Read 12435 times)

pilgrim · « **on:** April 21, 2010, 05:12 AM »

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, apologies if not.

On my PC I have a program called Keyboard Tweaker which allows me to easily set any number of Hotkeys and uses very few resources.
Unfortunately it only works on full size keyboards and what I am looking for is a program that will do the same on a Netbook.
I am aware of the ability to set Hotkeys in XP but for practical reasons they need to be restricted to 2 keys, Windows uses 3.
I have looked at AutoHotkey which I learned about on these forums and I think I could probably work out how to use it but I can find no indication as to resource usage.
The majority of the Hotkeys I use are for opening programs.
I would appreciate comments from anyone who uses AHK or could suggest any other program that would meet my needs.

skwire · « **Reply #1 on:** April 21, 2010, 06:29 AM »

In a nutshell, it will be the best five megs your computer ever uses.

pilgrim · « **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2010, 08:09 AM »

Thanks for the reply skwire it's quite a bit up on the 176kb Keyboard Tweaker uses but so far I've not found anything else.

yksyks · « **Reply #3 on:** April 21, 2010, 08:27 AM »

If you're looking for something quite powerful, light on resources, but without any eye candy, then HotkeyP is the solution.

pilgrim · « **Reply #4 on:** April 21, 2010, 08:58 AM »

yksyks I have downloaded a copy of HotkeyP but after reading the Help file I am wondering if it is only intended for full size keyboards, especially as it mentions Multimedia keys.
When I first started looking into this I contacted the developer of Keyboard Tweaker and he told me that if a keyboard program is mapped for a full size keyboard it will not work on a Laptop/Netbook as the mapping is different?

yksyks · « **Reply #5 on:** April 21, 2010, 09:20 AM »

I'm using HotkeyP successfully on desktop PC (WinXP), Dell notebook (Vista) and Acer Aspire One notebook (WinXP). No problems at all with any key combinations including multimedia keys, that's why I recommended it.

Just give it a try and let us know what might cause a problem with your keyboard. You can't spoil anything.

pilgrim · « **Reply #6 on:** April 21, 2010, 09:37 AM »

yksyks Thanks for the extra info, I'll give it a try and let you know how I get on but it might not be till the weekend. Thanks again.

AbteriX · « **Reply #7 on:** April 21, 2010, 02:29 PM »

Don't know if this app do what you want, but you may want to try it:
HotKeyz
http://www.skynergy.com/hotkeyz.html

rjbull · « **Reply #8 on:** April 21, 2010, 03:17 PM »

Another good, small, free one is HoeKey. It supports multimedia keys in WinXP, but you aren't forced to use them.

HotKeyz was rated highly on Zaine Ridling's best software list, when it existed.

pilgrim · « **Reply #9 on:** April 22, 2010, 07:35 AM »

AbteriX HotKeyz looks like it will do just about everything in terms of hotkeys but is way too elaborate for what I want.

rjbull HoeKey has been added to HotkeyP for programs to try and between the two of them I should get what I want.
Also, from the HoeKey site I found a link to a full list of mappings which will come in very useful.

Thank you both for your replies.

From the information I have got from the links in the replies on here I am wondering if, in spite of what the developer told me, Keyboard Tweaker would actually do the job. All the shorcuts I have set up on my PC use basic keys, Ctrl or Alt and a letter, I just want to duplicate these on the Netbook.
When he talked about the mappings being different I knew no better but I have not found any mapping list specifically for a Netbook/Laptop and all the lists I have found show the same information for the keys listed. So the only difference that I can see is that a full size keyboard simply has more keys.
Keyboard Tweaker is incredibly easy to use as all the settings are made through a single GUI window and when you click apply they are added to a .ini file so there is no writing needed directly to the configuration file. Before I try the other 2 programs I think I might give it a go.
I always have a full backup of both computers and they both have Time Freeze installed, so in the unlikely event of a disaster I always have a way out.

Curt · « **Reply #10 on:** April 22, 2010, 09:36 AM »

... they both have Time Freeze installed, so in the unlikely event of a disaster I always have a way out.
-pilgrim-online (April 22, 2010, 07:35 AM)

Have you (or anyone else reading this) tried Time Shuttle ?
I have been wondering if it is as good as they say, but I don't feel comfortable trying it without first knowing some more. Preferably from some DC members ;-)

rjbull · « **Reply #11 on:** April 22, 2010, 03:59 PM »

Keyboard Tweaker is incredibly easy to use as all the settings are made through a single GUI window and when you click apply they are added to a .ini file so there is no writing needed directly to the configuration file.
-pilgrim-online (April 22, 2010, 07:35 AM)

HoeKey gives you a popup window that lists the hotkeys, but you have to edit its INI file with a text editor to change or add anything (as you do with AHK). Not difficult, but more effort and more possibilities for errors.

Do you have a link for Keyboard Tweaker, please?

Another one that some people like (not tried by me) is Clavier. This does appear to have a GUI means of adding keys. However, I'm not sure if it's quite as powerful as HoeKey in other ways. E.g., HoeKey can kill the current process, and has features to hide and unhide windows on a stack. I don't see those on a very quick glance at the Clavier doc. The latest version does come in Unicode as well as non-Unicode and 64 as well as 32-bit versions.

pilgrim · « **Reply #12 on:** April 23, 2010, 05:52 AM »

Curt Never heard of it till I saw your post but their software seems to be pretty good. I personally use ERUNT and Acronis TI. Just had a look at your link and it seems a pretty useful program but the set-up I have gives you more options, ERUNT is free and the latest version of ATI is the same price as Time Shuttle, in fact you should be able to pick up ATI even cheaper especially v11 which is what I use, also depending on what make of hard drive you have you can get an older copy of ATI free and upgrade quite cheaply.

rjbull The link is as follows: http://www.stud.usv.ro/~alexbu/target.php?target=keyboard

I had a bit of time spare yesterday and tried the 3 programs I said I would without any success.

Keyboard Tweaker: This did not seem to match up any of the keys with what was shown in the GUI. Different mapping?

HotkeyP: I set Ctrl + E to run mailto: but when I tried it the Ctrl key had not registered so it ran on the E key but I could no longer use it to type with.

HoeKey: In the default settings it shows Win + N for Notepad, so I tried adding Win + W for Wordpad but it never worked.

When I have more time I will have another go but having had a look around I was reminded that there are already 2 pieces of OEM software that control hotkeys and I am wondering if having KeyScrambler installed might be affecting things.

I just realised that I never mentioned it before but the Netbook is a Samsung NC10.

yksyks · « **Reply #13 on:** April 23, 2010, 02:04 PM »

The KeyScrambler is most probably the culprit. There's no reason for not registering the Ctrl-E in HotkeyP, for example. I've just verified it, you can enter it either directly (by pressing Ctrl and E keys together), or typing E only and clicking the Ctrl checkbox then. If neither of these methods works I'm afraid you're lost with all programs of this type.

pilgrim · « **Reply #14 on:** April 24, 2010, 11:32 AM »

yksyks I think your last comment might be right. I have tried again several times and even with KeyScrambler disabled it made no difference although I do not actually think that KeyScrambler is the problem because I also have it on my PC and it does not interfere with any of the hotkeys that I have made on there.
As I said in my last post there are 2 pieces of OEM software that have control of certain hotkeys and when I had a quick look on The Samsung Netbook Forums it appears that there have been some issues with them in the past. As soon as I get the time I will have another look on there and if I cannot find any answers I might start a thread of my own to see if anyone on there has any ideas.
At least the replies on here turned up several programs that I never knew of, if I can find out what is blocking them there is still a possibility of getting one of them to work so from my point of view this thread has been worthwhile and thanks to those of you who have replied.
If I do sort it out I'll let you know, in the meantime if anyone can think of anything else I would be pleased to hear it.

rjbull · « **Reply #15 on:** April 24, 2010, 03:48 PM »

rjbull The link is as follows: http://www.stud.usv.ro/~alexbu/target.php?target=keyboard
-pilgrim-online (April 23, 2010, 05:52 AM)

Thanks!

HoeKey: In the default settings it shows Win + N for Notepad, so I tried adding Win + W for Wordpad but it never worked.

Works here (Vista Home Premium, user account, UAC On). Relevant detail in configuration file is:

[Select]

; Win-W runs WordPad (lines beginning with semi-colon are comments)
~W=Run|"c:\Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe"

The thing to note is probably that you have to preface the program with "Run|"

daddydave · « **Reply #16 on:** April 24, 2010, 10:31 PM »

If you're looking for something quite powerful, light on resources, but without any eye candy, then HotkeyP is the solution.
-yksyks (April 21, 2010, 08:27 AM)

I've been looking for something that could remap multimedia keys, glad you mentioned it.

pilgrim · « **Reply #17 on:** April 25, 2010, 09:03 AM »

rjbull

The thing to note is probably that you have to preface the program with "Run|"

I entered the details exactly the same as they were for Notepad just changing the letter to W and the path to Wordpad.
I should mention that I tried editing the default setting in HoeKey for Notepad from Win + N to Ctrl + N, that never worked.
It has to be something specific to this make and model of computer or the OEM software.
I even tried the default XP method by right clicking on a Start Menu shortcut opening properties and setting a Hotkey that way, that never worked either.

Tuxman · « **Reply #18 on:** April 25, 2010, 09:27 AM »

ac'tivAid has a built-in, system-wide hotkey manager, too.

rjbull · « **Reply #19 on:** April 25, 2010, 10:04 AM »

I should mention that I tried editing the default setting in HoeKey for Notepad from Win + N to Ctrl + N, that never worked.
It has to be something specific to this make and model of computer or the OEM software.
I even tried the default XP method by right clicking on a Start Menu shortcut opening properties and setting a Hotkey that way, that never worked either.
-pilgrim-online (April 25, 2010, 09:03 AM)

I'm not sure how good and how universal Windows shortcuts are. I tried using Windows Properties to set Shift-Control-P for activating PopSel in Vista, and that didn't work, which is a large part of the reason I'm running HoeKey. I don't think that particular key is reserved for anything else.

For quick editing, this works for me:

[Select]

_^@N=Run|"c:\NoInst\TED Notepad\TedNPad.exe"

That is, Control-Shift-Alt-N pops up TED Notepad. This is the exact path to the target file on my computer, and includes double quotes as the path contains spaces.

You said you tried Control-N. That's commonly-used in Windows applications key, e.g. for starting a new file. Maybe you had a hotkey conflict.

pilgrim · « **Reply #20 on:** April 25, 2010, 10:21 AM »

ac'tivAid has a built-in, system-wide hotkey manager, too.
-Tuxman (April 25, 2010, 09:27 AM)

Tuxman Just had a look at that and I am lost. However it uses AHK which I could use on it's own, if it worked, but so far none of the programs that I have tried do.
I have had a look on The Samsung Netbook Forums and cannot find anything of use so I will start a thread on there. I might even send an email to Samsung as while they might not be able to advise me on third party software they should be able to tell me what OEM software is affecting the issue.

rjbull I just caught your reply as I was writing this.

That is, Control-Shift-Alt-N pops up TED Notepad.

Even if that worked as I said in my original post I am limited to only using 2 keys at once. I appreciate your continued interest though and I am amazed at how many reads this thread has had. At least you and a couple of others have picked up things of interest.
If you try Keyboard Tweaker let me know what you think of it.

Shutting down now until tomorrow.

rjbull · « **Reply #21 on:** April 25, 2010, 10:39 AM »

rjbull I just caught your reply as I was writing this.

That is, Control-Shift-Alt-N pops up TED Notepad.

Even if that worked as I said in my original post I am limited to only using 2 keys at once.
-pilgrim-online (April 25, 2010, 10:21 AM)

Yes, well, it's all too easy to lose track of the OP

Here's another thought: I have to say, I have not tried it myself, but it might be a way round your only-two-keys limitation, presuming some other netbook problem doesn't rear an ugly head. Are you aware of TapTap Hotkey Extender?

TapTap Hotkey Extender is a tiny super-efficient tray-based utility (under <100k) for keyboard fanatics.

It monitors for certain unusual hotkey combinations not supported by most programs (like doubletap right shift key). When such hotkey combinations are detected, TapTap will simulate a normal hotkey that the user has configured.

In this way, you can configure any of your programs to respond to these extended hotkey events as if they supported it natively.

Example:
You might have a program which normally triggers on Alt+Ctrl+F5, but you want to configure it to trigger with a double tap of the right control key. You can use TapTap to detect Right Control Doubletap events, and send a Ctrl+Alt+F5 when it does. In this way, you can control your programs the way you want to, and they never know the difference.

TapTap Hotkey Extender is written in lean and mean C++ and highly optimized for insignificant cpu/memory access. It makes no changes to any system files and is completely safe. Comes with an installer but you can unpack the download manually and run it without installing.

Donation-ware from DC founder mouser!

I appreciate your continued interest though and I am amazed at how many reads this thread has had. At least you and a couple of others have picked up things of interest.

Thank you - but as you may have already realised, DC is the place for software fanatics. As in, "My name is {INSERT DC MONIKER HERE} and I am a software addict."