April 2023 AutoHotkey Newsletter
April 2023 AutoHotkey NewsletterApril 27th, 2023 AutoHotkey Newsletter
Howdy %Name%,
While AI is the current “hot topic”, I’m still more amazed with the human brain. Well at least some people’s brains… (ha ha) Have you ever been working on something and had the solution just “jump” in your head (seemingly from nowhere)❓ I know it feels like magic but it’s your subconscious mind solving the problem for you. Using your subconscious is easy but, because humans (especially AHK users) are natural problem solvers it can be very hard to stop putting conscious effort on a problem and just letting your subconscious churn on it.
It seems counter intuitive, however, when you’ve hit a roadblock and are not making progress it is often best to stop (consciously) working on it and focus on something else. The more “different” the topic is, the easier it is for your subconscious to work on it.
Some people just like to go on walks or read a book. Personally, I’m a huge fan of sleep! When I am drifting off, I like to ask my self “how will I solve X problem”. More than half the time I wake up with a new approach to the problem.
%Name%, how do you use your subconscious?
Now on with the show…
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📢Use our new AHK Syntax writer to automate older Windows programs❗
If you’re trying to automate older windows programs, you definitely need to check out our latest tool. It can make it super-easy to automate older programs that have the Win32 menus. Pay close attention in this video as we explain, you’re not sending clicks / mouse movements. This program will detect the “hidden ID” and then provide syntax for you to, programmatically, trigger it. This is a game changer for older Windows programs!
🤫 Unveiling the Secret to Automate Old Unruly Windows Programs!
Crazy problem triggering a HotString
During the Saturday Hero call last week (geared for people new to AutoHotkey) Bill P. had a very weird issue of HotStrings not working. We made this video discussing the issue and what ESET was doing. It’s probably something we should all be aware of as more security measures are bound to be coming (and prevalent in more programs)
Troubles using Text Expanders ESET Security software
AutoHotkey Task Manager
I’ve showed this AHK Task manager during several calls but hadn’t shared it. We borrowed it from Fenchai but made some tweaks to our own liking. You can see us walk through it in this video. I like it because it is easy for me to find specific AutoHotkey scripts (not just see 8 “AutoHotkey.exe”)
🅰mazing AutoHotkey Task Manager
AutoHotkey GUIs in v2
If you’re sticking with V1, our GUIs are easy course is a great starting place. If you’re switching to V2, GUIs have drastically changed. We’re almost done with our first module of Intro to GUIs in v2 meanwhile you can check out this video from TABNation where he gives an intro to basic GUIs in v2. In v2, GUIs are now objects which, if you understand them, add a lot of clarity to a very complex topic.
Get Started with AutoHotkey V2 GUIs: Your Step-by-Step Guide Part 1
Where Does the time go? ⏰
Ryan Wells, an AHK Hero member, shared a v1 script on our private Telegram group where he was tracking the active programs so he could see where he spent his time (and how often he was switching between programs). We took his script and ported it to v2 but added some more analysis to it. You can check out the process in this video. If you’re familiar with v1 but want to learn v2, our Painlessly switch from v1➡v2 course is for you!
Where does your time go? Track your time with this simple v1 or v2 AHK script
📚 What we’re reading
- 😲 Microsoft Edge now leaks the URL of every page you visit straight to Microsoft Bing…
- AT&T Sells Your Data By Default (Here’s How to Opt-Out)
- All the Most Useful “Hey Google” Voice Commands
- Why Is My Android Phone So Slow? 10 Ways to Speed It Up
- Google Chrome’s Memory Saver Is Getting More Options
- This New Mini PC Is Under $350 and Has 16 GB RAM
🤖 AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage
- Davinci Resolve adds Auto Subtitle creation 😊
- Clean up bad audio files for free (I used this on a seminar & the results were amazing!)
- Use AI to generate memes for you
- TED Talk: The Inside Story of ChatGPT’s Astonishing Potential
The Inside Story of ChatGPT’s Astonishing Potential | Greg Brockman | TED
⚡️Productivity tips Quick switch:=Win+Number
DYK: You can use the Windows key + number shortcut to switch to the app in that position on the taskbar
🤣 A spot of Humor: Super funny oops!
AHK Hero 🦸♂️
AHK Hero 🦸♂️Want more time than the free hour? Have content that you can’t have on YouTube? Consider joining the 🦸♀️AHK Hero club! Members receive big discounts to courses, consultations, tutoring, done for you project work, etc.
They also have access to exclusive & pre-released content and 3 “office hours” sessions each week which isn’t on YouTube.
🗣️ 💭 Quotable quotes
- Successful people rarely start out as most likely to succeed
- I never I either win, or learn. — Nelson Mandela
- People who have time on their hands will inevitably waste the time of people who have work to do. — Thomas Sowell
- Wake up. Challenge your belief systems. It’s better to realize you’ve been wrong for years, than to stubbornly hold onto a delusion that holds you back. — John Carlton
⏩SHARE WITH A FRIEND⏩
⏩SHARE WITH A FRIEND⏩Do you know someone that would benefit from learning useful automation tips like the gems in today’s issue? Take a second and forward this newsletter and bask in the glow of their undying gratitude. Was this email forwarded to you?
Sign up for this Newsletter here. We never share your email with anyone. Ever!
Joe, Isaias, Irfan, and staff
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P.S. We are no-longer having the Free Friday hour on YouTube however we do have 3 hours a week where we help AHK Hero members that are not open to the public. If you’re wanting to learn from others and open your eyes to the true power of AutoHotkey, I highly recommend you consider joining.
April 20th, 2023 AutoHotkey Newsletter
Howdy %Name%,
You are a product of your environment. So choose the environment that helps you develop toward your objective. Are the things around you helping you toward success-or are they holding you back?
Have you found a “community” that helps you when you’re stuck working with AutoHotkey? AutoHotkey is known for having some amazing communities however some of them can be tough on people new to AutoHotkey. I refuse to post to Reddit anymore (some people always flag my posts as spam) and I find the AHK Discord way too complicated.
If you are learning AutoHotkey consider the AHK Hero club. We are live helping each other 3 hours a week on zoom and have a private Telegram group where people can ask questions and help others. Normally the price is $14.99 per month however the flash sale drops it to 8.99 a month. Hurry and join because we only have 3 more spots then the sale will be over. AHK Hero members also get 25% off everything we offer!
Now on with the show…
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Easily tweak how you peak inside your files
TJ, a member of the AHK Hero group, works with AutoHotkey and UI Path for a living. I mentioned I had an interesting idea but didn’t have the bandwidth and asked him to work on it for me. He delivered an amazing tool that allows you to tweak the Preview Handlers. This tool is great because now I can see what is in the file w/o opening it! We review the tool, and how to use it, in this video. Great work TJ! If you’re needing a hand with something, you can reach TJ here.
Free Windows tool for Configuring Explorer Preview Handlers 😎
Automating Email Metrics in Excel with AutoHotkey
When I worked at Texas Instruments my colleague spent over 40 hours out of the month building the data set and then reporting on email metrics (we sent out over a million emails a month). I took over reporting, and did even more than he did, using Excel and COM with AutoHotkey. I had it down to where I’d hit the button and, in a couple of minutes, we’d have our report broken out by different business units, regions, languages, etc. Amazing what AutoHotkey can do with a bit of love! Here is a video of the program working. You can learn more about Excel and AHK here.
🤯😍 Incredible Excel Automation: Email Reporting Made Easy!
Easily bring back that missing window!
We’ve all “been there”. You can see the program in the taskbar but the GUI is NOWHERE to be found! In this video we show how easy it is to bring that window into view using just a few lines of AutoHotkey code.
You won’t believe how easy it is to bring a missing window to your mouse! 😲
Have a Spellcheck anywhere you type!
We get very used to having a spellcheck in programs, however did you know you can use AutoHotkey to have a spellcheck running across anywhere you can type? In this video we show the v1 spellcheck and then show how it can be converted to v2. If you’re new to v2, our v1 to v2 course helps you get past the big hurdles. All our offerings come with a 200% money back guarantee!
Say goodbye to typos! 👋 with this Spell check in AutoHotkey v1 or v2
AutoHotkey Chrome Extension coming soon!
I was on a call with Thom from TABNation and he mentioned that an update to the AHK Chrome extension should be released this Sunday, April 23rd. We had a preview of the tool a while back which you can see here. If you want to know more about it, you can email Thom here.
Easily access AHK Resources with TABNation’s AHK Chrome Extension 😲
Are you stressed?
Just remmeber April is “stress awareness month” (and tax month coincidence???)
If you’re like me and hold your stress in your neck/shoulders, you might try this massage tool device. I bought one several years ago and it really helped iron out the knots! Shiatsu Back and Neck Massager with Heat🔥
📚 What we’re reading
- How Long Do CDs and DVDs Last?
- How to Remote View and Control an Android Phone
- 🦟When is mosquito season❓
- Why ChatGPT Is Not a Replacement for Siri and Google Assistant (Yet)
🤖 AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage
- 8 ChatGPT AI Alternatives (Free and Paid)
- Easily Create online courses with CourseAi.co
- Snack Prompt
- Instantly chat with any book or file
How I use ChatGPT as a Data Scientist?
⚡️Productivity tips – Quickly closing any program
Did you know you can hit Alt+F4 to close any program? I use this a lot (especially when the window is acting weird)
🤣 A spot of Humor: Follow me for more tips!
AHK Hero?
Want more time than the free hour? Have content that you can’t have on YouTube? Consider joining the 🦸♀️AHK Hero club! Members receive big discounts to courses, consultations, tutoring, done for you project work, etc.
They also have access to exclusive & pre-released content and a 2nd “office hours” session which isn’t on YouTube.
🗣️ 💭 Quotable quotes
- Whatever Your Mind Can Conceive and Believe, It Can Achieve. — Napoleon Hill
- Decisions without actions are worthless
- Put systems in place that will allow ordinary people to do extraordinary things — Joe Glines
- Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded — Yogi Berra
⏩SHARE WITH A FRIEND⏩
Do you know someone that would benefit from learning useful automation tips like the gems in today’s issue? Take a second and forward this newsletter and bask in the glow of their undying gratitude. Was this email forwarded to you?
Sign up for this Newsletter here. We never share your email with anyone. Ever!
Joe, Isaias, Irfan, and staff
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P.S. The AHK Hero club is a fun and helpful environment for skills of ALL Levels. You’re missing out on 3 hours of the ability to ask us AutoHotkey questions (not to mention the private Telegram group) and bouncing ideas of peers. The 40% off flash sale only has 4 more openings then it will go back to $14.99 a month. Don’t be kicking yourself for missing out on this amazing deal!
April 13th, 2023 AutoHotkey Newsletter
I was talking to a buddy of mine the other day about how the general conversation of AI is, currently, probably wrong. Many people are asking the question:
Will Chat GPT / AI take my job?
In reality, they probably should be asking themselves
Will a human using Chat GPT / AI take my job?
For most of us that is much more likely the case. How are you ensuring you don’t get outsourced? Learning AutoHotkey is just one way you can stay more productive than “the next guy”
Now on with the show…
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Easily bring a missing window to your mouse 🐭
We’ve all been there. We can see a program on your taskbar however we can’t see it on any of our monitors. In this video we show just how easy it is to bring that missing window back to the location of your mouse. We first show the code in v1 but also show it in v2.
You won’t believe how easy it is to bring a missing window to your mouse! 😲
Spellcheck for AutoHotkey V2
An AHK Hero member was trying to convert the AHK spellcheck to v2. There was one subtle thing that made it a little tricky. In this video we walk through how we converted it. You can grab the script here.
Say goodbye to typos! 👋 with this Spell check in AutoHotkey v1 or v2
Learning v2? Don’t make this mistake like we did!
AHK v2 is really taking off! While it has a steeper learning curve, it will definitely make more complex things easier. Isaias is working on an updated Intro to GUIs course in v2. Meanwhile you might check out this video to avoid this pitfall! We learned so much from making it we added it to our V1 ➡v2 course!
⚠️Don’t Fall into this AutoHotkey v2 Trap when Setting Hotkeys😳
📚 What we’re reading
- How to Spot Signs of Burnout Culture Before You Accept a Job
- YouTube Premium Has New Video Quality Options, More Features
- Here’s Why Stop Signs Are Red
- Tech specialists are earning six-figure salaries to ‘do nothing’
🤖 AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage
- Is mankind doomed?
- How to Use ChatGPT Like Google Assistant on Android
- Microsoft Excel Now Has a ChatGPT Function
- Stop spending time on spreadsheet busywork
😲Easily Revolutionize Your Courses & Coaching with AI 🤖
5 Jaw-Dropping Ways ChatGPT Can Transform Your Lead Magnet Creation Process
Voice Recognition Will Change Your Life in 2023 (in these 5 ways, for better or worse)
⚡️Productivity tips Minimize all & Restore all quickly
Need to see your desktop quickly? Windows+M will minimize all running programs. To restore all windows to the way they were use Windows+Shift+M❗
🤣 A spot of Humor – I hate to admit it but I’ve been there…
AHK Hero?
Want more time than the free hour? Have content that you can’t have on YouTube? Consider joining the 🦸♀️AHK Hero club! Members receive big discounts to courses, consultations, tutoring, done for you project work, etc.
They also have access to exclusive & pre-released content and a 2nd “office hours” session which isn’t on YouTube.
🗣️ 💭 Quotable quotes
- Whatever Your Mind Can Conceive and Believe, It Can Achieve. — Napoleon Hill (and this was pre-AutoHotkey!)
- If you are not ready today, you will be even less so tomorrow — Ovid
- Never let success get to your head, never let failure get to your heart
- Life isn’t a calm pond — it’s an unpredictable ocean… you gotta learn to enjoy the ride, no matter what. — John Carlton
Live AutoHotkey Support Tomorrow
Don’t forget on Friday’s you can get free AutoHotkey support on my YouTube channel. Or you can sign up for reminders and join the zoom room.
⏩SHARE WITH A FRIEND⏩
Do you know someone that would benefit from learning useful automation tips like the gems in today’s issue? Take a second and forward this newsletter and bask in the glow of their undying gratitude. Was this email forwarded to you?
Sign up for this Newsletter here. We never share your email with anyone. Ever!
Joe, Isaias, Irfan, and staff
| | | | | | | |
P.S. AutoHotkey V2 is amazing but can be annoying. Check out our Painlessly switch from v1 to v2 course to make it less difficult to transition to v2.
April 6th, 2023 AutoHotkey Newsletter
Most of us have some amount of stress in their lives. One of the big causes of stress is having too much to do and too little time to do it. This is why I don’t have a lot of stress because I put in time years ago learning how to use AutoHotkey to work Smarter, not Harder!
No, AutoHotkey isn’t some kind of “magic pill”. It takes time to learn and apply however it can save you hundreds of hours doing mundane tasks. AutoHotkey is a great way to get the computer to do what computers do best and let you focus on more important things.
Our AHK Courses provide a clear path and are in bite-size segments (most being 3-5 minutes long).
Why not take advantage of our Flash sale for Intro to AutoHotkey in v2? This gives you an additional 20% off the sale price) (Don’t forget our courses have a 200% money back guarantee)
Retail price: $59.99 Sale price $49.99 Flash sale: $39.99 Wow!
If you’re not new to AutoHotkey, perhaps our v1v2 course is a better way for you to avoid stress?
Regardless, how you learn AutoHotkey, you should schedule time on your calendar twice a week to learn more about automating your mundane tasks!
Now on with the show…
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15 minute Intro to v2
In this video Isaias walks us through how to use AutoHotkey v2. We cover installing SciTE HotStrings, Hotkeys, and sending mouse clicks. If you’re new to AutoHotkey it’s a great video to get you started! Just remember AutoHotkey is addictive! I mean who doesn’t want to save time?
Intro to AutoHotkey Version 2 | Learn to automate programs with AHK v2
Beta test AHK Studio in v2
We’ve got a beta out there letting people use AHK Studio in v2. It’s not perfect, but it does let you edit both v1 and v2 code in AHK Studio. Here’s a short video showing its current status. You can grab the beta version here
Beta Testing AutoHotkey Studio for ahk v2
Sending a lot of text with AutoHotkey
HotStrings are great however, when you’re sending a lot of text, they can be problematic (because AutoHotkey is literally sending the keystrokes). In this video I show how you can easily get around this by shoving your content into he clipboard and pasting it.
How to send a lot of textFAST with AutoHotkey: Blast through text
Faking multi-threaded scripts in AutoHotkey
AutoHotkey is amazing however, because it is single-threaded, you can feel “stuck” when you’re trying to do multiple things at one time. In this video I show how easy it is to use a SetTimer to give the “illusion” of multithreading.
How to use a SetTimer in AutoHotkey to mimic Multi-Threading
Using the Windows Management Instrumentation
In our webinar on 18 ways to automate programs with AutoHotkey we mention WMI. During an AHK Hero call last weekend we dove a bit deeper into WMI because Irfan, the author of Rufaydium, had used it to detect if Chrome was running in Debug mode. For a refresher on WMI you can check out this video. Meanwhile AHK hero members know how to detect Debug mode but you’ll have to wait until we document it in a video…
Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and AutoHotkey
What we’re reading
- Android’s File Sharing Now Also Works With Windows
- How to Screen Mirror Android to TV
- 10 Quick Steps to Increase PC Performance
- 2 in 1 Wireless Computer Keyboard and Trackball Mouse Combo Design
AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage
- How to Install and use Open-AI’s Whisper
- Google Bard AI Is Getting a Much-Needed Upgrade
- ChatGPT Is at Capacity Right Now Error: 5 Fixes and Workarounds
- Some great prompt examples using Chat GPT
Productivity tips – Using GodMode
GodMode is a special folder that gives you quick access to all of Windows’ settings in one place. It originated with Windows Vista in 2007 and has been available in every version of Windows since then, including Windows 10 and Windows 11. To activate GodMode, you need to create a new folder anywhere you like and name it “GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}”. Once you open the folder, you’ll see all of Windows’ settings in one place.
A spot of Humor – Top 10 things never said by Hooters girls
Top 10 Things Never Said by a Hooters Girl
AHK Hero?
Want more time than the free hour? Have content that you can’t have on YouTube? Consider joining the AHK Hero club! Members receive big discounts to courses, consultations, tutoring, done for you project work, etc.
They also have access to exclusive & pre-released content and a 2nd “office hours” session which isn’t on YouTube.
Quick Access Popup news
I was watching this video on QAP this morning and 100% agree with Jean Lalonde that Icons are very helpful speeding up your recognition of a GUI. It’s one of the few criteria I had for our Prompt Assistant tool (which should be released soon). Adding icons takes a little more time up-front but will save you a TON of time in the long run!
Beautiful and efficient menus with Windows Quick Access Popup
Quotable quotes
- Never be handicapped by your education — Dan Kennedy
- Tough times never last, but tough people do — Robert Schuller
- Amazing things get done when you don’t care who gets the credit — Joe Glines
- Turn off the TV and go read. — John Carlton
Live AutoHotkey Support Tomorrow
Don’t forget on Friday’s you can get free AutoHotkey support on my YouTube channel. Or you can sign up for reminders and join the zoom room.
SHARE WITH A FRIEND
Do you know someone that would benefit from learning useful automation tips like the gems in today’s issue? Take a second and forward this newsletter and bask in the glow of their undying gratitude. Was this email forwarded to you?
Sign up for this Newsletter here. We never share your email with anyone. Ever
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Joe, Isaias,Irfan and staff
P.S. The Intro to AHK in v2Flash sale is saving you money, time, and reducing stress. Get it now and continue to automate your stress away!
