AutoHotkey Community

[Jerry]

Chris,

I noticed times when hotstrings should not have executed when I believe they should have.
And other times when they execute when I believe they should not have.
After tracking the problem for a bit, I think the problem is with the way autohotkey determines the start of the hotstring.

I have an application that uses keys RControl, Application, and the function keys. These keys can fool (sometimes)
autohotkey into thinking that the hotstring keys I have entered are in the middle of a word and therefore not executed.
(I do not want to use the ?: option of a hotstring)
For your information, this application has the RControl key functioning like the enter key.

Also I can start to press in the hotstring and then change the position of my cursor with the mouse and continue
to key in the hotstring sequence resulting in the execution of the hotstring. (I feel that it should not have executed under this situation). Also if I change window focus and then return and complete the hotstring while focus is in another window the hotstring executes. I feel that the hotstring should not have activated under this circumstance.
I think of hotstrings to be application specific not system wide.


While thinking of ways to suggest fixes of the perceived problem, I came up with these 4 suggestions. Maybe this should be in the wish list?

1) Command #hotsrting have a new parameter 'StartChars'

eg) #Hotstring StartChars NewChars

2) Expand NewChars to include keys like Lcontrol, appskey, LButton, VKffSC..., Enter, {left 2}, etc
I also included mouse commands and the keys that trigger the combination now, namely, enter.
I suggest this so that the script could have the ultimate control of what keys mark the stop or start of a hotstring.

3) Four script variables , that the script can change.
variables could be =>
A_HotStringCharacter
A_HotStringVKSC <-- is the VKSC's of the
characters in A_HotStringCharacter
A_Not_HotStringCharacter <-- there would have to be a
limit on number of
characters to save. (You might
add a new directive
to be able to play with the limit)
A_Not_HotStringVKSC eg. the VKSC of e is 45 012.
Needs a limit too


4) 3 new hotstrings activation keys
CharacterFound
NotFound
CharacterNotFound

eg. :s:{characterFound}:: ;the 's' stands for special characters
ie. the activation sequence is not raw
eg. script to help clarify the new hotstrings
#perminent
return
:b0:the r::
; standard #1 hotstring
send, ain mainly falls
return
:b0:mer::ry christmas ; standard #2 hotstring

:*b0s:{characterFound}::
; this would get activated after typing in 't', 'th', 'the', 'the '
; or 'm', 'me'
; it would not get triggered on 'the r' or the 'mer'
; a_notHotStringCharacter would be blank
msgbox, So far you have typed %a_hotstringCharacter%
:*b0s:{NotFound}::
; eg. typed in 'tha'
; in this case the a_hotstringCharacter would be 'th'
; and a_not_HotstringCharacter would be 'a'
msgbox, you typed in %a_hotstringCharacter% and then lost focus at %a_not_HotstringCharacter%
:*b0s:{CharacterNotFound}::
; this would be a negative hotstring
; eg. type in any character that did not start the hotstring sequence.
; could be mouse, activity too but not the EndCharacters or the ST
Tooltip, characters not triggering anything are %a_not_HotstringCharacter%
; the command msgbox for this hotstring would not be a good idea!
Return

A bigger script example (to see the possibilities or help the understanding of the ideas) follows.

The idea is to be able to
1) timeout a hotstring
2) clear and reload hotstrings if the window loses focus
3) hotkeys / scripts would be to pause, save, restore hotstrings on
command

window = This Application
SetTimer, watchWindow, 20
SetTimer, TimeOut, 20
;Now if I press the 't' and have not yet pressed the period, my script could
;issue the commands
...
hot_var = %A_HotStringCharacter%
A_HotStringCharacter =
WinActivate, another window
; send keys - wait for reply etc ...
WinWaitActive, %window%
If hot_var <>
{
A_HotStringCharacter = %hot_var%
}
...
ExitApp
; -- hotstring --
:*b0:t.::{left 2}TIS0434.

:*b0s:{NotFound}:
start_time = 0
Return

:*b0s:{CharacterNotFound}:
start_time = 0
Return

:*b0s:{CharacterFound}:
if start_time = 0
{
start_time = %A_TickCount%
}
else
{
elapsed_time = %A_TickCount%
elapsed_time -= %start_time%
if elapsed_time > 20
{
A_HotStringCharacter = ;
start_time = 0
}
}
Return

; -- hotkeys --
~appskey::
A_HotStringCharacter =
send, something
mousemove, x , y
Return

; -- subroutines --
WatchWindow:
; Could watch if the window loses focus due to a window popup or the user switches
; windows in the middle of a string
IfWinNotActive, %window%
{
Suspend, on
hot_var = %A_HotStringCharacter%
A_HotStringCharacter =
}
Return

Timeout:
elapsed_time = %A_TickCount%
elapsed_time -= %start_time%
If Start_time > 0
{
If elapsed_time > 20
{
;time out now
A_HotStringCharacter =
}
}
Return


Jerry

[Chris]

[Jerry]

I am running version 1.0.22

[Chris]

[Jerry]

I just noticed this problem:
Hope it helps you figure things out.

[Jerry]

First ignore my last post of 1:29pm I had not seen your reply when I
wrote it.