C
Chris Mallett
As the author, I respectfully submit AutoHotkey as a Pricelessware nominee.
In addition to being "easy on resources, and of small-size", it's also free
and open source. I realize it might take months or years before it's even
considered for acceptance, so bear with me while I explain why I think it's
good.
The main feature, besides scripting and hotkeys, is its nearly complete
backward compatibility with AutoIt2 scripts (I believe AutoIt2 is already on
the Pricelessware list). In addition to this, it offers enhanced syntax and
many new commands and features above and beyond those of AutoIt v2, some of
which are derived from the AutoIt v3 open source project.
Now, you may ask what distinguishes AutoHotkey from AutoIt v3. The first
thing is that it's simpler to learn and remember, since it's a simple
scripting syntax whereas AutoIt3 is much more like a programming language
(which is good thing, for some people). The second thing is its hotkey
features, some of which I believe are unique among freeware and payware
alike. Here they are:
Some of the easiest keys to reach on the keyboard are also the least
frequently used. Make these keys do something useful! For example, if you
rarely use the right ALT key, make it launch the thing you do most often:
RAlt::
MsgBox, This key is mine now.
return
You can even do the above without losing right-ALT's native function by
assigning Right-ALT to be a "prefix" for at least one other hotkey. In the
below example, Right-ALT has become a prefix, which automatically allows it
to modify *all* other keys as it normally would. But if you press and
release Right-Alt without having used it to modify another key, its hotkey
action (above) will take effect immediately:
RAlt & j::AltTab ; (this makes it a substitute for Alt-Tab)
Why be limited to using only CTRL, ALT, SHIFT, and WIN as modifiers when you
can combine any two keys or mouse buttons to form a custom hotkey? For
example: Hold down Numpad0 and press Numpad1 to launch a hotkey (syntax:
Numpad0 & Numpad1:
; hold down CapsLock and press another key, or click a
mouse button (syntax: CapsLock & RButton:. In this case, the state of the
CapsLock key is not changed when it is used to launch the hotkey.
Make your hotkeys context-sensitive: Have your easiest-to-reach hotkeys
perform an action appropriate to the type of window you're working with. For
example:
RControl::
IfWinActive, Untitled - Notepad
{
WinMenuSelectItem, , , File, Save
}
else IfWinActive, Calculator
{
Send, ^c!{tab}
}
return
Create mouse hotkeys, including the mouse wheel button (MButton) and the
turning of the wheel up and down (WheelUp and WheelDown). You can also
combine a keyboard key with a mouse button. For example, control-left-button
would be expressed as ^LButton:: In addition, the wheel button can be made
to substitute entirely for Alt-tab (a great solution for sore left-hand
fingers).
Make a keyboard key *become* a mouse button, or have an action repeated
continuously while you're holding down a key or mouse button (see example in
GetKeyState at http://www.autohotkey.com/docs/commands/GetKeyState ).
Gamers, rejoice!:
Reduce wear & tear on your fingers by using virtually any key as a hotkey,
including single letters, arrow keys, Numpad keys, and even the modifier
keys themselves (CTRL/ALT/WIN/SHIFT).
Create "pass-through" hotkeys. For example, the left mouse button can
trigger a hotkey action even while the click itself is being sent into the
game normally (syntax: ~LButton:.
Use commands such as PixelSearch and PixelGetColor to automate game actions.
Have the option of using the keyboard hook to implement hotkeys, which might
be more responsive than other hotkey methods while the CPU is under load in
a game. The hook might also be able to override any restrictions a game may
have about which keys can be "mapped" to game actions.
Note: Most of the advanced features described above only work on Windows
NT/2000/XP and beyond. The more basic hotkey features also work on
Win95/98/ME.
----
Okay that's the promotional element. There's a summary of the other main
features and benefits at http://www.autohotkey.com
If you have any tips about how to increase the chances of AutoHotkey for
getting accepted as Pricelessware, or how else to promote it, I'd appreciate
them. All I want is for the maximum number users to find out about it, and
(if it's of interest to them) to benefit. Thanks for your time.
Chris Mallett
http://www.autohotkey.com
In addition to being "easy on resources, and of small-size", it's also free
and open source. I realize it might take months or years before it's even
considered for acceptance, so bear with me while I explain why I think it's
good.
The main feature, besides scripting and hotkeys, is its nearly complete
backward compatibility with AutoIt2 scripts (I believe AutoIt2 is already on
the Pricelessware list). In addition to this, it offers enhanced syntax and
many new commands and features above and beyond those of AutoIt v2, some of
which are derived from the AutoIt v3 open source project.
Now, you may ask what distinguishes AutoHotkey from AutoIt v3. The first
thing is that it's simpler to learn and remember, since it's a simple
scripting syntax whereas AutoIt3 is much more like a programming language
(which is good thing, for some people). The second thing is its hotkey
features, some of which I believe are unique among freeware and payware
alike. Here they are:
Some of the easiest keys to reach on the keyboard are also the least
frequently used. Make these keys do something useful! For example, if you
rarely use the right ALT key, make it launch the thing you do most often:
RAlt::
MsgBox, This key is mine now.
return
You can even do the above without losing right-ALT's native function by
assigning Right-ALT to be a "prefix" for at least one other hotkey. In the
below example, Right-ALT has become a prefix, which automatically allows it
to modify *all* other keys as it normally would. But if you press and
release Right-Alt without having used it to modify another key, its hotkey
action (above) will take effect immediately:
RAlt & j::AltTab ; (this makes it a substitute for Alt-Tab)
Why be limited to using only CTRL, ALT, SHIFT, and WIN as modifiers when you
can combine any two keys or mouse buttons to form a custom hotkey? For
example: Hold down Numpad0 and press Numpad1 to launch a hotkey (syntax:
Numpad0 & Numpad1:
; hold down CapsLock and press another key, or click amouse button (syntax: CapsLock & RButton:
. In this case, the state of theCapsLock key is not changed when it is used to launch the hotkey.
Make your hotkeys context-sensitive: Have your easiest-to-reach hotkeys
perform an action appropriate to the type of window you're working with. For
example:
RControl::
IfWinActive, Untitled - Notepad
{
WinMenuSelectItem, , , File, Save
}
else IfWinActive, Calculator
{
Send, ^c!{tab}
}
return
Create mouse hotkeys, including the mouse wheel button (MButton) and the
turning of the wheel up and down (WheelUp and WheelDown). You can also
combine a keyboard key with a mouse button. For example, control-left-button
would be expressed as ^LButton:: In addition, the wheel button can be made
to substitute entirely for Alt-tab (a great solution for sore left-hand
fingers).
Make a keyboard key *become* a mouse button, or have an action repeated
continuously while you're holding down a key or mouse button (see example in
GetKeyState at http://www.autohotkey.com/docs/commands/GetKeyState ).
Gamers, rejoice!:
Reduce wear & tear on your fingers by using virtually any key as a hotkey,
including single letters, arrow keys, Numpad keys, and even the modifier
keys themselves (CTRL/ALT/WIN/SHIFT).
Create "pass-through" hotkeys. For example, the left mouse button can
trigger a hotkey action even while the click itself is being sent into the
game normally (syntax: ~LButton:
.Use commands such as PixelSearch and PixelGetColor to automate game actions.
Have the option of using the keyboard hook to implement hotkeys, which might
be more responsive than other hotkey methods while the CPU is under load in
a game. The hook might also be able to override any restrictions a game may
have about which keys can be "mapped" to game actions.
Note: Most of the advanced features described above only work on Windows
NT/2000/XP and beyond. The more basic hotkey features also work on
Win95/98/ME.
----
Okay that's the promotional element. There's a summary of the other main
features and benefits at http://www.autohotkey.com
If you have any tips about how to increase the chances of AutoHotkey for
getting accepted as Pricelessware, or how else to promote it, I'd appreciate
them. All I want is for the maximum number users to find out about it, and
(if it's of interest to them) to benefit. Thanks for your time.
Chris Mallett
http://www.autohotkey.com