| GeoD_MTW |
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Joined: 10-12-2009 08:07:49
Posts: 15
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Hey Rick,
In general, MTW does a pretty good job of handling 'modified' hotkeys, ie: Ctrl+, Alt+, Shift+Ctrl+, etc, etc. The 'modifying' key is Ctrl, Alt, Space or WinKey - it 'modifies' the A-Z, 0-9 and the rest of the keys.
With that said, there are some caveats. If a keystroke or modified keystroke is coded into the OS, (operating system), the OS will usually take precedence. The first keystrokes that come to mind are F1 and Ctrl+Alt+Del. Alt+F4, (closes an app), and Ctrl+F4, (closes the current file in an app) can cause some problems.
This can be especially annoying if you are trying to create a hotkey assignment system that is consistent. It takes some creativity if you want to use Alt+ F1 thru F9 for nine macros that progressively increase the quantity of some aspect of the macro, for example, a macro that performs X number of CRs, (carriage returns), before it outputs a line of text. Alt+F1 would output one CR, and Alt+F9 would perform nine CRs. What do you do when you get to four CRs?
If you add another modifier, say Ctrl+ then you eliminate Ctrl+Alt+F1-9 as a series for another progressive set of macros. I don't have a solution, there are just some modified keystrokes that won't work - the way to avoid having these 'no go' keystrokes cause problems is by pre-planning a system of organization for your hotkeys. Then stick to it.
Part of the system I use:
Alt+WinKey+ -- MTW specific macros
Ctrl+Alt+ -- pasting or outputing text
Ctrl+Shift+ -- macros that effect the text BEFORE the cursor, I use the term 'prefix' to refer to this text.
Shift+Alt+ -- macros that effect the text AFTER the cursor, I use 'suffix' for this text
The heart and soul of my hotkey organization system is reserving F8, F9, & F10 and the modified versions of F8-10 as being application specific. In other words, if I use F8-F10 as a hotkey it is not used for a macro that is global in nature, in that it OS specific rather than application specific.
I have created numerous application specific macro groups that I 'switch' on & off when I am using the related application. For example, when I am working in my icon graphics application, I enable the Icon Workshop, (ICW), group of macros. The enable-disable macros I use to enable & disable these groups disables the rest of the 'Switchable' groups, then enables the ICW Switchable group. That way I can use F8-F10 hotkeys in ICW, and can also have macros in the Firefox Switchable group that use F8-F10 without conflict.
The system works pretty well.
When it comes to the WinKey as a modifier, you must keep in my mind that Windows has a limited number of functions assigned to WinKey+. Since these are OS specific, MTW will not override them. Since M$ makes no accomidation for disabling these without disabling WinKey completely, you have to work around them.
Here are the OS specific functions for WinKey+. This list is current for XP, Vista and 7 may have more. A search on the M$ website should turn up any additions.
Even if the OS uses WinKey+B, or WinKey+U, it doesn't preclude using Ctrl+WinKey+B, or Ctrl+WinKey+U for a MTW macro hotkey. Be careful, as I have found some situations where Shift+Ctrl+ can be seen by the OS/MTW as Ctrl+. I haven't seen so much of it that I can quote exactly seen this may happen or with which keys it may happen, but I have stumbled upon a few times.
WinKey+A - available
WinKey+B - OS
WinKey+C - available
WinKey+D - OS
WinKey+E - OS
WinKey+F - OS
WinKey+G - available
WinKey+H - available
WinKey+I - available
WinKey+J - available
WinKey+K - available
WinKey+L - OS
WinKey+M - OS
WinKey+N - available
WinKey+O - available
WinKey+P - available
WinKey+Q - available
WinKey+R - OS
WinKey+S - available
WinKey+T - available
WinKey+U - OS
WinKey+V - available
WinKey+W - available
WinKey+X - available
WinKey+Y - available
WinKey+Z - available
WinKey+F1 - OS
WinKey+F2 - available
WinKey+F3 - available
WinKey+F4 - available
WinKey+F5 - available
WinKey+F6 - available
WinKey+F7 - available
WinKey+F8 - available
WinKey+F9 - available
WinKey+F10 - available
WinKey+F11 - available
WinKey+F12 - available
WinKey+Pause - OS
C+WinKey+F - OS
S+WinKey+M - OS
On the subject of hotkeys and their modifiers, etc. I have worked out the hotkey to number coding that is found in MTW export files. If you've looked at an export file before, (they are plain text), you'll find there is an enter labeled 'at1hk'. If the macro exported by MTW has a hotkey assigned to it, you will find assigned to 'at1hk' a two to five digit numeral that represents the hotkey. This numeric coding is used by programmers and macro programs, but coding system doesn't seem to have a name, and I couldn't find a complete list anywhere on the Internet.
A year or so ago, I needed this list to complete some macros that would enable me to easily assemble a list of hotkeys used in MTW without having to manually enter a hotkey in a list every time I assign a hotkey to a macro. Anyway, I needed the list and couldn't find it, so I spent many hours assembling the list. If you need it, let me know, I'll send you a copy.
Later,
GeoD
Addendum..
Something else I have found when using WinKey as a hotkey modifier is that you need to get in the habit of NOT pressing the WinKey BEFORE that other modifiers or the primary hotkey. If not, then the Start Menu will be a constant annoyance.
A little bit of practice with your keystrokes and you'll be able to avoid the bother of the Start menu popping up. |
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Last Edited On: 21-02-2010 22:35:09 By GeoD_MTW for the Reason added an addendum for some forgotten info |
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