OverView
Downloading and installing AutoHotkey
AutoHotkey Homepage. https://autohotkey.com
How to create a script
Give the script a new name. Note: It must end with a .ahk extension. Ex. MyScript.ahk
Hotkeys & Hotstrings
What is a Hotkey?
It is a key or key combination that the person at the keyboard presses to trigger some actions.
1^j:: 2 Send, My First Script 3Return
What is a Hotstring?
Hotstrings are mainly used to expand abbreviations as you type them (auto-replace), they can also be used to launch any scripted action.
1::ftw::Free the whales 2 3:*:btw:: 4 MsgBox You typed "btw". 5Return 6 7esc:: 8 MsgBox Escape!!!! 9Return
Keys and their mysterious symbols
Symbol
Description
#
Win (Windows logo key)
!
Alt
^
Control
+
Shift
&
An ampersand may be used between any two keys or mouse buttons to combine them into a custom hotkey.
Window specific hotkeys/hotstrings
1 1 ; Notepad 2 2 #IfWinActive untitled - Notepad 3 3 !q:: 4 4 MsgBox, You pressed Alt and Q in Notepad. 5 5 Return 6 6 #IfWinActive 7 7 8 8 ; Any window that isn't Untitled - Notepad 9 9 !q:: 1010 MsgBox, You pressed Alt and Q in any window. 1111 Return
Examples
1::btw::By the way ; Replaces "btw" with "By the way" as soon as you press an EndChar. 2:*:btw::By the way ; Replaces "btw" with "By the way" without needing an EndChar 3 4^n:: ; Ctrl & n Hotkey 5 run, notepad.exe ; Run the program notepad.exe when you press Ctrl & n 6Return ; This ends the hotkey. The code below this will not get triggered. 7 8^b:: ; Ctrl & b Hotkey 9 send, {ctrl down}c{ctrl up} ; Copies the selected text. ^c could be used as well, but this method is more secure. 10 SendInput, [b]{ctrl down}v{ctrl up}[/b] ; Wraps the selected text in bbcode (forum) Bold tags. 11Return ; This ends the hotkey. The code below this point will not get triggered.