DAT
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
Posts: 49
Location: UK
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 Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 6:04 pm Post subject: Interface for easy operation of TopDesk Expose-clone |
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I was impressed by Exposé on a Mac recently and this led me to try TopDesk (http://www.otakusoftware.com/topdesk/) which I found via Holomind's 'Real Expose Clone' thread (at http://www.autohotkey.com/forum/topic13001.html).
It works in XP and Vista and puts up large thumbnails for either all active windows or just the non-minimised ones. You can then select the one you want very quickly. To make it even slicker I made this little interface and put it into my autohotkey.ahk script.
| Code: | ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
; 07-11-2009. By DAT.
; Works with a pre-installed copy of TopDesk.
;
; Issues hotkeys for TopDesk using alternative hotkeys
; for improved ergonomics.
; Remember to set up TopDesk for the same hotkeys as
; defined in the SendEvent commands.
; Tile only visible windows (non-minimised ones)
LWin & `::
SendEvent , +{F9}
Activate("``" , "LWin")
Return
LWin & LButton::
SendEvent , +{F9}
Activate("LButton" , "LWin")
Return
; Tile all windows including minimised ones (mnemonic: 'Alt' for 'All')
Lalt & `::
SendEvent ,{F9}
Activate("``", "LAlt")
Return
Lalt & LButton::
SendEvent , {F9}
Activate("LButton" , "LAlt")
Return
; The two KeyWait lines are to stop spurious keystrokes going
; to the selected window with very fast typing.
Activate(KeyName, Modifier)
{
KeyWait , %KeyName%
KeyWait , %Modifier% , L
WinWait, ahk_class TopDesk
SendEvent , {Click}
Return
}
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; |
How to Use It:
Hold down the modifier key (LeftWin for non-minimised windows or LeftAlt for all windows) and blip the activator button or key (LButton or `-key). The thumbnail view appears. Move the mouse over the chosen thumbnail and release the modifier key. Often you already know where the thumbnail will be from a previous activation, so you can position the mouse before pressing the keys. This makes it extremely quick and effective.
I'm using TopDesk with 'Spatial' layout and since instant response is what makes this useful, I set TopDesk/Options to the fastest settings. (No animation, and 'update window images once after tiling').
I've grafted the same user interface onto Laszlo's 05-10-2006 version of Real Expose Clone (same link as above) and the response time is virtually instantaneous, but unfortunately it doesn't show minimised windows. I tried the Sept 2009 modifications (same thread) to add functionality for minimised windows but didn't find the results as good as with TopDesk. Still trying though... |
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