AutoHotkey Community

brunob · Guest

what is the difference between these 2 languages :
www.autohotkey.com and www.autoitscript.com ? More, it looks like Autohotkey devellopers : ©2003-2005 Chris Mallett, portions ©AutoIt Team
and AutoIt devellopers
©1999-2005 Jonathan Bennett & AutoIt Team are part of AutoIt Team.

the features look the same :
AutoHotkey is a free, open-source utility for Windows. With it, you can:

Automate almost anything by sending keystrokes and mouse clicks. You can write macros by hand or use the macro recorder.
Create hotkeys for keyboard, joystick, and mouse. Virtually any key, button, or combination can become a hotkey.
Expand abbreviations as you type them. For example, typing "btw" can automatically produce "by the way".
Create custom data entry forms, user interfaces, and menu bars. See GUI for details.
Remap keys and buttons on your keyboard, joystick, and mouse.
Run existing AutoIt v2 scripts and enhance them with new capabilities.
Convert any script into an EXE file that can be run on computers that don't have AutoHotkey installed.

versus AutoIt :

Execute Windows and DOS executables
Simulate key strokes (supports most keyboards layouts)
Simulate mouse movements and clicks
Move, resize and manipulate windows
Interact directly with "controls" on a window (set/get text, move, disable, etc.)
Work with the clipboard to cut/paste text items
Work with the registry

wouldn't it be easier to create 1 and same language ?

BoBo · Guest

jonny · Joined: 13 Nov 2004 Posts: 3005 Location: Minnesota

The reason a merger will never be possible is that the goals and methods used to reach them are different. Aside from that, though, Jon would almost certainly petition his community first (even if he was able to make concessions for the hook and other small things), and the AutoIt community is on us like Fascists on Jews. In other words, "Not gonna happen."

Shyamala · Guest

Titan · Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 5007 Location: imaginationland

BoBo · Guest

@ Jonny wrote (not on his birthday, which seems to be the 8th of June)

OBOB · Guest

There must be another BoBo inside BoBo's head making him type all these hilarious comments. Twisted Evil

BoBo · Guest

@ OBOB

OBOB · Guest

tpatel5 · Joined: 27 Oct 2004 Posts: 65 Location: GA

aarondellis · Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 56

Is AHK the better language?
If you answer yes I would like some specifics as to why not just your opinion as to why. I know that is asking alot but I would really like to know. Here's why: I have been using AutoIT for about 9 months now and it has satisfied everything I have needed. My problem is I posted a question (tried to make sure I was in the correct forum and all the other rules) and basically got treated like a child for asking the question. Maybe the question was dumb, I didn't think so. At any rate I don't really want to do anthing else with AutoIT and wondered if AHK was worth learning.

Chris · Site Admin Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 10450

I think both languages are similar in terms of syntax capabilities. Which one to use is largely a matter of personal preference, and also which one you learned first. Since you've already learned AutoIt, learning AutoHotkey would probably be fairly easy due to the similarities. However, there would still be a learning curve, so it might be best to stick with AutoIt unless you want to devote time to retraining.

aarondellis · Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 56

Thanks for the quick reply. I don't see the need to use AutoIT if I can't get adult support from the forum. Even if my original question was dumb dont treat me like a 3 year old that needs a lecture for getting in the cookie jar. The learning curve will be my pleasure. I'm sure that i might ask some stupid question here, but from the parts of the forum I have seen there seems to be a more mature, less arrogant group using AHK.

You say syntax is virtually the same but is the functionality the same? I am not looking for small details with my question. I guess the better question would be if you do it in AutoIT can you do it in AHK?

Thanks!

toralf · Joined: 31 Jan 2005 Posts: 3842 Location: Bremen, Germany

That is a very general question. And I doubt that it can be fully answered. First it would need someone who knows both deeply. I do not know AutoIT. But I have seen that AutoIt has a TreeView. This is only planed for AHK. There might be other things here and there that the other language misses. So it very much depending on what you did with AutoIt to answer your question. And even then it might be difficult to answer.

After a long speech: Yes, generally you can do it in AHK.
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toralf

Invalid User · Joined: 14 Feb 2005 Posts: 442 Location: Texas, Usa

AHK VS AU3...

I say AHK because of the support provided. If you get stuck and cannot be provided good help, your time is wasted and your still stuck. I learned Autoit first and found that as someone new to scripting I was made fun of more often than helped at thier forum. Here at ahk, the help is faster, more helpful, more friendly, and over all just more effective. I bet if we took a poll from each forum concerning if its users were satisfied with the help they got, ahk would take the lead. Just roam around here for a while and you will see all the positive feed back for chris.

the only thing I wish ahk had was the treeview, but I have managed several work arounds. The syntax for ahk is simpler and requires less key strokes(in most cases) to achive the same results. And being the lazy people we are, who could not enjoy that?

And oh, Chris - Thanks again for such a great, easy to use utility.
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