Autoscriptwriter

AutoHotkey is a famous, free Open Source mouse and keyboard macro utility. It allows you to automate all kinds of Windows tasks. As an IT administrator, you will probably have to perform quite a few tasks repeatedly. Using shortcuts for complex GUI-based operations can significantly improve your productivity. Author Recent Posts Michael PietroforteMichael Pietroforte is the founder and editor. Dear all, I have started using Auto It and know its a wonderful tool. But does anybody know whether there is some tool which does write simple scripts from the GUI operation. (Similar to Macro Recorder in VBA) If there are any tools that can record the operations and write the scripts would like.

Autoscriptwriter 2

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In the above, the loop is performed the specified number of times unless RunCount contains 0, in which case the loop is skipped entirely.
A loop may also terminate itself when one or more conditions change. The following example clicks the left mouse button repeatedly while the user is holding down the F1 key:

In the example above, when the user releases the F1 key, the loop detects this and stops itself via the break command. Break causes execution to jump to the line after the loop's closing brace.

An alternate way to achieve the same effect is with a 'while' loop:

AutoHotkey is a 1.95 MB download. The free and Open Source software uses a custom scripting language that enables you to modify the way you launch any Windows program. As the name suggests. Pulover’s Macro Creator is a Free Automation Tool and Script Generator. It is based on AutoHotkey language and provides users with multiple automation functions, as well as a built-in recorder. This is a full package of AHK, with all included programs like the compiler, window spy, and AutoScriptWriter. There are three launchers included in the package. Things to do: Read my.

The examples shown above are general-purpose loops. For more specialized needs, consider one of the following loops:

File-reading/writing loop: Retrieves the lines in a text file, one at a time. This can be used to transform a file into a different format on a line-by-line basis. It can also be used to search for lines matching your criteria.

Files and folders loop: Retrieves the specified files or folders, one at a time. This allows an operation to be performed upon each file or folder that meets your criteria.

Parsing loop: Retrieves substrings from a string, one at a time. This allows a string such as 'Red,Green,Blue' to be easily broken down into its three component fields.

Registry loop: Retrieves the contents of the specified registry subkey, one item at a time.


If all you want is a quick overview of AutoHotkey, check out this Web page => 'Introduction to AutoHotkey.'

Installing AutoHotkey and Writing Your First Script


AutoHotkey is a scripting language which can make almost everything easier on Windows computers. It can be a simple one-line script in a text file which enters your e-mail address after only typing a couple of characters (i.e. 'm@' when typed becomes 'myemailaddress@mymailserver.com'). There are some power apps which can make your computer life much easier. For example:
Autocorrect over 5,000 commonly misspelled words in any Windows program or on the Web.
Set a reminder for a later meeting.
Use QuickLinks to replace the missing Windows 8 Start Menu (or just to make life easier in any version of Windows).
Or, check out the many of examples throuigh the links at 'Free AutoHotkey Scripts and Apps.'
Download the FREE AutoHotkey e-book AutoHotkey Tricks You Ought to Do with Windows

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! Available in EPUB, Amazon MOBI, and PDF formats. Get all three!
Installing AutoHotkey
I noticed that the CNET download of AutoHotkey attempts to add another unwanted utility to your computer (and is probably out-of-date), so I recommend that you do a direct download from this AutoHotkey Web site (which is considered the most up-to-date version). I did this without getting any annoying extra toolbars or utilities.
When installing AutoHotkey, virtually everything is automatic, as shown in Figure 1. When using Express Installation, the installer adds everything that you will need to get started.

Figure 1.In most cases, you will want to use the Express Installation.

Once you've installed the latest version of AutoHotkey, you're ready to get started.
Version 2.0 Note:AutoHotkey 2.0-a is a release of AutoHotkey in the alpha stage of development. The goal is to clean up many of the redundant and confusing aspects of the current version. However, there may be a considerable loss of backward compatibility when using 2.0. (Many scripts found on the AutoHotkey sites will not run properly.) For now, it is recommended that new users stick with the current 1.1 release.
Writing an AutoHotkey Script
As with most script writing (programming) the basic file for writing code is a text file. Any text editor will do, although I recommend using Notepad++ which is one of my favorites referenced inJack's Favorite Free Windows Programs. However, for the purposes here, Notepad which is the AutoHotkey default editor and included with Windows will do just fine.
To create your first script file, right-click on any open area of the Desktop. Select New => AutoHotkey Script from the menu (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. Create a new AutoHotkey script by right-clicking on the Windows Desktop.

A new file will be created with the name 'New AutoHotkey Script.ahk' (see Figure 3). At this time you should change the name to something that will denote the purpose of the new script. In this case using 'test.ahk' will work fine.

Figure 3. A new AutoHotkey file (AHK) is created on the Windows Desktop.

AutoHotkey scripts use the .ahk extension. If the .ahk does not appear at the end of the file name, the script will not automatically invoke the main program for activation. This is how the computer system recognizes AutoHotkey scripts.
To write your first script, right-click on your new file and select Edit Script from the menu (see Figure 4). The script will open in your default text editor (in most cases Windows Notepad).

Figure 4. Right-click on the file icon and select Edit Script from the menu to open the script in the default text editor.

The new script file will contain standard preliminary code, as shown in Figure 5. You can edit this information (Author), but for our purposes it's not necessary to make any changes. (Lines which start with a semicolon ';' are comments and do not affect the running of the script.) The lines at the bottom are AutoHotkey commands, but I have not yet investigated them. Based on the comments next to each command, it seems that they are good things to keep, so I left them as they are.

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Figure 5. The new AutoHotkey script contains boiler plate text added by the main program when the new file was created.

The next step is to add the code which will create the hotkeys. In Figure 6, four different sets of code have been added to the script. Each section outlined in red activates a unique hotkey feature. They can be added to the script and tested individually or added all at once. (You can cut-and-paste the individual lines of code from the explanations below. It is important that the code (syntax) be exactly as it is shown or the hotkey will not operate properly.)

Figure 6. Four sets of code have been added to the script to perform the following functions: 1. Open a Google search in the default Web browser; 2. Launch Windows Notepad and return a message when it is closed; 3. Launch the Windows Calculator; 4. Convert 'imho' to 'in my humble opinion' anywhere it is typed.

Hotkey 1: Open a Google search with the default Web browser.
The number symbol (#) represents the Windows key (). The word 'space' is the space bar. The hotkey is represented by the symbols which appear before the double colon (::). In this case #space means hold down the Windows key () and hit the space bar. The Google search screen will be opened in the default Web browser.
AutoscriptwriterHotkey 2: Open Windows Notepad; return a message when Notepad is closed.
Again, the number symbol (#) represents the Windows key (). The 'n' is the letter n on the keyboard. In this case #n means hold down the Windows key () and hit the letter 'n' on the keyboard.
This is an example of combining a number of commands into one script to be run sequentially. This is done by putting the hotkeys and the double colons on a separate first line (#n::). The following lines are executed in order when the hotkey combination is invoked. First Windows Notepad will open (RunWait), but the remainder of the script will wait until Notepad is closed. When Notepad is closed the message displayed is 'The user has finished (Notepad has been closed).' The command 'return' indicates the end of that routine and is required for every group of commands formatted in this manner.
Hotkey 3: Open the Windows Calculator.
The up-arrow symbol (^) represents the Control key (CTRL). The exclamation point (!) represents the Alt key (ALT). The 'c' is the letter c on the keyboard. The hotkey is represented by the symbols which appear before the double colon (::). In this case ^!c means hold down the Control key, plus the Alt key and hit the letter 'c' on the keyboard. The Windows Calculator will open.
Hotkey 4: Change 'imho' to 'in my humble opinion' whenever typed.
The code for this type of simple real-time substitution ('in my humble opinion' is added when 'imho' is typed in any editing program or field) always starts with the double colon (::). The first group of letters are the hotkeys and the second group of letters following the second double colon (::) is the text which replaces the first group. It is activated when the first group is typed, followed by a terminating character such as a space, period (.), comma (,), quote marks, etc.
After you have added the new code to the AutoHotkey script, save the file.
Activating a AutoHotkey Script
When you have saved your new AutoHotkey script, you can activate it by right-clicking on the Desktop icon and selecting Run Script from the top of the menu (see Figure 7). The hotkey features will be loaded into memory and the functions will activate whenever you use the hotkey combinations.

Figure 7. Right-click on the AutoHotkey icon to activate it by selecting Run Script from the menu.

Note: Exercise some care when deciding which hotkey combinations you'll use in your script. In some cases they may override other common Windows hotkeys. In other situations, built-in program hotkeys may take priority over your assigned AutoHotkey hotkeys. For example, if you assign +E (#e) to an AutoHotkey script, the combination will no longer open Windows Explorer. On the other hand, if you try to use Control+H in an AutoHotkey script, it will not work in Google Chrome which will continue to open a History page.
After an AutoHotkey script is activated, a green icon containing the letter 'H' will appear in the Notification area located at right-hand side of the Taskbar. If you hover over the icon with your cursor the file name of the script will appear (see Figure 8). Each time you activate a new script an additional icon will appear in the Notification area. You can run multiple scripts at the same time.

Figure 8. The icon in the Notification area will identify the running AutoHotkey script.

If you would like to deactivate (or reload a newly saved version of) an AutoHotkey script, right-click on the icon in the Notification area and make the appropriate selection (see Figure 9).

Figure 9. Right-click on the AutoHotkey icon in the Notification area to deactivate (Exit) the script.

This article should contain enough information to help you jump-start your AutoHotkey solutions—even if merely to change 'imho' to 'in my humble opinion.' It should also offer enough insight into the scripting language for users to see how it could benefit them (and save key strokes) in their day-to-day computing. I would encourage everyone to give it a try. It's free and can make your computer work (whether word processing, writing e-mail, Facebook posting, or coding other programs) significantly easier.
For more information and examples get the FREE introduction and overview book AutoHotkey Tricks You Ought to Do with WindowsAutoscriptwriter e-book in EPUB for iPad or Android tablets, MOBI for Amazon Kindle, or PDF for printing on notebook size paper from ComputorEdge E-Books.
This new edition with more chapters and an index to the AutoHotkey commands found in the book is available in e-book format from Amazon (and other formats—EPUB and PDF— at the ComputorEdgeBooks Web site linked below). Jack's A Beginner's Guide to AutoHotkey, Absolutely the Best Free Windows Utility Software Ever!: Create Power Tools for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8(preferred, EPUB format for iPad, Android, and computers; MOBI for Amazon Kindle; and PDF for printing) offers a gentle approach to learning AutoHotkey. (Also available from Amazon for the Kindle and Kindle software on other devices.)
Building Power Tools for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8, AutoHotkey is the most powerful, flexible, free Windows utility software available. Anyone can instantly add more of the functions that they want in all of their Windows programs, whether installed on their computer or while working on the Web. AutoHotkey has a universality not found in any other Windows utility—free or paid.Autoscriptwriter
Based upon the series of articles in ComputorEdge, Jack takes you through his learning experience as he explores writing simple AutoHotkey scripts for adding repetitive text in any program or on the Web, running programs with special hotkeys or gadgets, manipulating the size and screen location of windows, making any window always-on-top, copying and moving files, and much more. Each chapter builds on the previous chapters.
For an EPUB (iPad, NOOK, etc.) version of A Beginner's Guide to AutoHotkey click here!
For a PDF version for printing on letter size paper for inclusion in a standard notebook of A Beginner's Guide to AutoHotkey click here!
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Jack's second AutoHotkey book,Digging Deeper Into AutoHotkey(preferred, EPUB format for iPad, Android, and computers; MOBI for Amazon Kindle; and PDF for printing) is comprised of updated, reorganized and indexed columns from AutoscriptwriterComputorEdge is now available. Since the columns were not all written in a linear fashion, the book has been reorganized and broken up into parts by topic. The book is not for the complete beginner since it builds on the information inA Beginner's Guide to AutoHotkey. However, if a person is reasonably computer literate, they could go directly to this book for ideas and techniques without the first book. (Also available from Amazon for the Kindle and Kindle software on other devices.)
For an EPUB (iPad, NOOK, etc.) version of Digging Deeper into AutoHotkey click here!
For a PDF version for printing on letter size paper for inclusion in a standard notebook of Digging Deeper into AutoHotkey click here!
Jack's third AutoHotkey bookAutoHotkey Applications(preferred, EPUB format for iPad, Android, and computers; MOBI for Amazon Kindle; and PDF for printing) is an intermediate level book of ideas and applications based primarily on the AutoHotkey GUI command. The book emphasizes practical applications. The book is not for the complete beginner since it builds on the information in the other two books. However, if a person is reasonably computer literate, they could go directly to this book for ideas and techniques without the other books. There is an extensive index to the ideas and techniques covered in the back of the book. (Also available from Amazon for the Kindle and Kindle software on other devices.)
For an EPUB (iPad, NOOK, etc.) version of AutoHotkey Applications click here!
For a PDF version for printing on letter size paper for inclusion in a standard notebook of AutoHotkey Applications click here!
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This Beginner's Guide to Using Regular Expressions in AutoHotkey is not a beginning level AutoHotkey book, but an introduction to using Regular Expressions in AutoHotkey (or most other programming languages). To get the most from this book you should already have a basic understanding of AutoHotkey (or another programming language). Regular Expressions (RegEx) are a powerful way to search and alter documents without the limitations of most of the standard matching functions. At first, the use of RegEx can be confusing and mysterious. This book clears up the confusion with easy analogies for understanding how RegEx works and examples of practical AutoHotkey applications. 'Regular Expressions in AutoHotkey' will take you to the next level in AutoHotkey scripting while adding more flexibility and power to your Windows apps. (This book is also available at Amazon.com)
For additional AutoHotkey books in all formats, visit ComputorEdge E-Books.