• Intro to AutoHotkey Intermediate AutoHotkey Intermediate Objects GUIs are Easy w/AutoHotkey Painlessly switch from V1 to V2

Sorry, we’re no-longer having the Free Friday calls on YouTube

If you’ve made it to this page I have some sad news.  We are no longer having our regular “Free Friday”  YouTube calls.

We just have too much to do and believe we can help more people by creating YouTube videos (not live streaming).

If you’re still looking for help, our AHK Hero club is a great option.    We live stream on Zoom for 3 hours every week and you also get access to our private community where you can ask questions during the week.  If you click here you can get 40% off to the AHK Hero club but do it soon as I will be only be letting a few more people in at this low price!

Have an amazing day!

May, 2023 AutoHotkey newsletter

May 2023 AutoHotkeyNewsletter

May 24th, 2023 AutoHotkey Newsletter

Howdy %Name%,

An innovation is nothing more than the recombination of old elements that you already knew. Your capacity to bring old elements into new combinations depends largely on your ability to see relationships. To some, each fact is a separate bit of information, while to others it’s a link in the chain of knowledge.

It’s one of the main reasons why I like learning AutoHotkey.  It lets me easily tweak tools that are close to being great with minimal time (and I look like a super-genius to my colleagues and wife).

If you’re just starting out, our Intro to AutoHotkey course is now on sale.  Or, if you really want to wow them consider learning how to add a simple GUI to your script (which is also on sale).

Now on with the show…

Intro to AutoHotkey HotStrings with AutoHotkey Intermediate AutoHotkey Intermediate Objects GUIs are Easy w/AutoHotkey Make the switch to v2

Thank you for Donating!

About 10 days ago we made a minor change to all of our “free downloads”.   We now make it very easy for you to make a $3 donation during the process.   Many of you have contributed and it’s much appreciated❗   Creating the scripts and videos takes a lot of time (much more than you’d believe) and we make very little back from YouTube.   So, if you can afford a few bucks, we greatly appreciate the contribution! 

Just wanted you to know it is greatly appreciated!👍


Bring back that missing window❗

How often have you been working with a program only to realize it is nowhere to be found because the display doesn’t exist.   We created a simple script to easily bring the missing window back to your mouse and demonstrate it here.

You won’t believe how easy it is to bring a missing window to your mouse! 😲
You won’t believe how easy it is to bring a missing window to your mouse! 😲


No, ❎ML isn’t dead!

We’ve been creating a lot of GUIs lately and I’m reminded of this video where Maestrith walked me through how Tree views and XML go hand-in-hand!  If you’re wanting to learn GUIs, we now have our GUIs are easy course in both V1 and V2.   In V2, they are objects which make them much easier to understand!

🤯 Incredible AutoHotkey Hack: Master Tree Views & XML!
🤯 Incredible AutoHotkey Hack: Master Tree Views & XML!


Hey kettle, you’re black!

When you talk to a lot of people they often say that AutoHotkey is buggy however, in our combined 28 years of experience with AutoHotkey it is much more often your code, not AutoHotkey.  We discuss this, and much more, in this video.

🚫 Don’t believe the AutoHotkey haters! 🚫 💪 Prove them wrong! 💪
🚫 Don't believe the AutoHotkey haters! 🚫 💪 Prove them wrong! 💪


How hard will it be❓❓❓  (that’s what she said 🤣)

People are switching to v2 in droves (one indicator is our great success of the v1 to v2 course).  While the majority of our new work is in v2, we are leaving most of our previous work in v1.  But, if you’re considering converting your v1 script to v2 you might like this tool that will give you an idea how difficult it will be to convert it.

⚡️ Want to Convert Your Script to v2? This Tool Reveals the Difficulty Level! 💥
⚡️ Want to Convert Your Script to v2? This Tool Reveals the Difficulty Level! 💥


Deep-Dive into Scintilla controls  (Advanced Topic)

If you’ve wanted to develop a GUI using the Scintilla control, you might like this video.   Jean was considering using the new Scintilla controls and Isaias gave us a walk through of what would need to be done.

Discussing Scintilla control, Lexors and Compiling
Discussing Scintilla control, Lexors and Compiling


📚 What we’re reading


🤖 AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage


⚡️Productivity tips  Win+Print Screen to save screen shot to a file

Use the Windows key + Print Screen to take a screenshot of your entire screen, and saves it in the Pictures\Screenshot folder.


🤣 A spot of Humor : This time we’re laughing at the Surfers

Product Testing Institute – Surfers
Product Testing Institute - Surfers


AHKHeroAnimation AHK Hero 🦸‍♂️

Consider joining the 🦸‍♀️AHK Hero club! Members receive 25% off courses, consultations, tutoring, done for you project work, etc.  They also have access to exclusive & pre-released content and a 3 hours a week where we help people with their AHK issues (the Saturday call is geared towards people new to AutoHotkey.)


🗣️ 💭 Quotable quotes

  • Don’t wait. The time will never be just right. Napoleon Hill
  • Being born in poverty isn’t a sin; staying in poverty might be Dan Kennedy
  • Knowledge is power; Automation knowledge is a “super-power”💪 Joe Glines
  • Just do it. The meek may inherit the earth, but only after the bold are through with it John Carlton

AHK Newsletter⏩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 hereWe never share your email with anyone.  Ever!


The-Automator

Joe, Isaias, Irfan, and staff


P.S. I just wanted to thank you again if you’ve made a donation.  People seem to forget that, on top of taking my own time I’m also paying for Isaias and Irfan to write the scripts and be on the videos.   Also, if you’ve purchased a course from us, we’re extremely grateful.  It takes a lot of time to put together a course and, because AutoHotkey is so niche, we don’t see huge volume in sales.


May 18th, 2023 AutoHotkey Newsletter

Universal laws always follow a pattern. Everything that moves or grows has a cycle and trend.

It’s nature’s law that every organism grows to maturity, levels off, and dies!  Unless there is rebirth through new life, new blood, new ideas, or new activity.

By gaining knowledge you can create new cycles and new trends are possible.   Learning AutoHotkey is  a great way to stay young and continue expanding your mind 🧠.

Now on with the show…

Intro to AutoHotkey HotStrings with AutoHotkey Intermediate AutoHotkey Intermediate Objects GUIs are Easy w/AutoHotkey Make the switch to v2

GUIs Are Easy v2

In this video Isaias and I discuss 4 reasons why you might want to add a GUI to your script.

GUIs Are Easier v2
GUIs Are Easier v2

Remember the GUIs are Easy Flash sale ends in 2 days.  If you’re thinking of buying it you should buy now otherwise you’re spending more than you need to!  You can get nearly 40% the retail price by clicking here


Deep discussion on GDI and v2

Isaias was doing some GDI work in v2 but having a very peculiar issue.  We asked a few experts but hadn’t found the solution.  We finally got HellBent to join us on a call and they had a very deep conversation which might be too deep for most of us but wanted to mention it here in case you’re wanting to level-up your programming.

Hellbent and Isaias Solving cursor and bitmap issues in GDI for AutoHotkey v2
Hellbent and Isaias Solving cursor and bitmap issues in GDI for AutoHotkey v2


Msgbox Tutorial in v2

TabNation just released this tutorial on creating Msgboxes in v2.   If you haven’t switched to v2 yet, you might want to get on it!  Our v1➡v2 course helps transition you painlessly…

AutoHotkey – Level Up Your MsgBox Skills in V2!” – Intro 1
AutoHotkey - Level Up Your MsgBox Skills in V2!


Avoid this annoying warning

This came up for me the other day.  I was so glad we’d already documented how to address the issue.

💥 Get Rid of Annoying MS Office Warning with This Simple Trick😲
💥 Get Rid of Annoying MS Office Warning with This Simple Trick😲


Peek inside your Windows Installation

The WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) is an amazing way to extract information out of your Windows system.

Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and AutoHotkey

Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and AutoHotkey


Dynamic HotStrings

Have you ever wanted to have HotStrings react differently?   Here we discuss 4 different ways for creating Dynamic HotStrings

Unleash the power of AutoHotkey with these FOUR creative solutions to one common problem
Unleash the power of AutoHotkey with these FOUR creative solutions to one common problem


Changing what happens when you click

Have you ever wanted to change the default behavior when you click?  It’s easier than you might think!  Check out this video where we demonstrate a simple approach to change the default behavior depending on the program you are in.

🖱 Revolutionize your clicking game with this MUST-HAVE AutoHotkey hack!
🖱 Revolutionize your clicking game with this MUST-HAVE AutoHotkey hack!


📚 What we’re reading

How to quickly ruin your career.
How to quickly ruin your career.


🤖 AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage

The Disappearing Computer: An Exclusive Preview | TED Talk
The Disappearing Computer: An Exclusive Preview of Humane’s Screenless Tech | Imran Chaudhri | TED


⚡️Productivity tips Win + Shift + Left/ Right

Did you know you can “throw” a program Move program to corresponding monitor


🤣 A spot of Humor :  Horrible but too funny not to share!

makesscents


AHKHeroAnimation AHK Hero 🦸‍♂️

Consider joining the 🦸‍♀️AHK Hero club! Members receive 25% off courses, consultations, tutoring, done for you project work, etc.  They also have access to exclusive & pre-released content and a 3 hours a week where we help people with their AHK issues (the Saturday call is geared towards people new to AutoHotkey.)


🗣️ 💭 Quotable quotes

  • Whatever Your Mind Can Conceive and Believe, It Can Achieve. Napoleon Hill
  • Decisions without actions are worthless
  • Right now is a good time to stop the bullshit. Get real. Take a painful review of yourself, and be honest. Face your faults, and begin the fix. John Carlton
  • The “best” is always the enemy of the good Sigmund Freud

AHK Newsletter⏩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 hereWe never share your email with anyone.  Ever!


The-Automator

Joe, Isaias, Irfan, and staff


P.S. There are only 2 more days left to take advantage of the big sale on the GUIs are Easy v2 course.  It’s 4.5 hours long and GUIs are  a great way to get more users to use your script.   You can get the flash sale deal by clicking here.


May 12th, 2023 AutoHotkey Newsletter

The reason you don’t always do the right thing when you should is that you haven’t established the right habits.

When you do the wrong thing, knowing it is wrong, you do so because you haven’t developed the habit of controlling or neutralizing strong inner urges that tempt you, or because you established bad habits and don’t know how to eliminate them effectively.

It’s important to recognize the truth:

You always do what you want to do

Once you fully realize that, you have a chance at doing the right thing more often than not.

So work on creating habits that will ensure you make the right choices

Now on with the show…

Intro to AutoHotkey HotStrings with AutoHotkey Intermediate AutoHotkey Intermediate Objects GUIs are Easy w/AutoHotkey Make the switch to v2

GUIs are Easier in v2

Have you ever wanted to add a simple GUI to your AHK V2 script?  GUIS have many benefits.  A few of which are:

  1. Improved Usability: A GUI can make your script more user-friendly and accessible to non-technical users. Instead of requiring users to enter commands or edit code, they can interact with a graphical interface that presents information and options in an intuitive way.
  2. Reduced Errors: When making changes in code manually, there is a greater risk of making mistakes that can lead to errors in the script. A GUI can help reduce the likelihood of these errors by guiding users through a series of steps and validating input before it is processed.
  3. Increased Efficiency: A GUI can make it faster and easier to make changes to your script. Instead of manually editing the code and testing it, users can use the GUI to quickly make changes and see the results in real-time.
  4. Control Change: By creating a GUI you can have better control over what users can, and should, change and also restrict the way your script is used.

We just released an updated version of our GUIs are easy course showing how easy GUIs are in  AutoHotkey v2.  In v2, GUIS are now objects and are much-more intuitive and easier to use.   The course currently has 62 videos each between 3-9 minutes for a total of ~4.5 hours. We also provide 39 examples scripts that are used in the course.

The course lists for $139 however we’re kicking it off with an introductory price of $99 However, if you use this link before May 20th you’ll get an additional 15% off. And don’t forget, our courses come with a 200% money-back guarantee so you have nothing to risk!

Quick peek into v2 GUIs

In this video Isaias gives us a look at how GUIs work in AutoHotkey v2.   As we mentioned above, GUIs in v2 are very different than they were in v1 (but in a good way).   If you’re used to objects they will make a TON of sense!  Object Oriented programming just makes❗   If you’re new to Objects you should take a look at our Objects and Classes course.

😲Amazing AutoHotkey v2 GUIs Mini tutorial that tells you what you NEED to know
😲Amazing AutoHotkey v2 GUIs Mini tutorial that tells you what you NEED to know


Easily Merge XML files

A subscriber reached out after watching this video where we demonstrate how we automated merging text files with similar headers (only keeping one header row).

Easily append text files with similar structure (only keep 1 header)
Easily append text files with similar structure (only keep 1 header)

He asked if he could pay us to create a script that would do something similar but for XML files.  We took on the project but he was gracious enough to let us share the script he paid for with “the world”.  Merging XML files is a bit more complicated than data files with similar headers.  We used a COM object to shove-together the XML nodes and then saved the results for him.  You can take a look at it in action here.

💥 Merge XML files in seconds with this FREE tool! ⏰
💥 Merge XML files in seconds with this FREE tool! ⏰

If you’re interested in working with XML files you might check out Maestrith’s XML class.


How difficult will it be to convert my script to v2❓

Are you wondering how hard it is going to be to convert a script to AHK v2?  We created an AHK v1 script that allows you to get a “score” on how difficult it might be.  You can see how it works in this video.  The tool allows you to change the difficulty scores for the various tasks by editing an ini file.

Wanting to convert your script to v2 Here is a v1 To v2 Difficulty script
Wanting to convert your script to v2 Here is a v1 To v2 Difficulty script


Help track where your time goes

In this video we demonstrate how we took Ryan Well’s (an AHK Hero member) script and converted it to AHK v2.  We also added the “analysis” part to the script so we didn’t need to do any work outside of the script.  I think this is a great way to keep track of where you’ve spent your time.  One could easily adapt the program to log what you’re doing so you can find things you “misplace”.

Where does your time go? Track your time with this simple v1 or v2 AHK script
Where does your time go? Track your time with this simple v1 or v2 AHK script


📚 What we’re reading


🤖 AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage


⚡️Productivity tips  Win+ Plus sign

Use the Magnifier tool to zoom in: Press the Windows key + Plus sign to open the Magnifier tool, which zooms in on your screen. You can also customize the zoom level and other settings.


🤣 A spot of Humor Oldie but a classic.  Do you speak🐕‍🦺❓

Product Testing Institute – Models
Product Testing Institute - Models


AHKHeroAnimation AHK Hero 🦸‍♂️

Consider joining the 🦸‍♀️AHK Hero club! Members receive 25% off courses, consultations, tutoring, done for you project work, etc.  They also have access to exclusive & pre-released content and a 3 hours a week where we help people with their AHK issues (the Saturday call is geared towards people new to AutoHotkey.)


🗣️ 💭 Quotable quotes

  • If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done Bruce Lee
  • Fact: You have just as much time as: Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Thomas Jefferson & Einstein. It’s all about prioritizing & staying focused Joe Glines
  • Good leaders don’t make excuses. Instead, they figure out a way to get things done Jocko Willink
  • Live below your means. And avoid all debt — if you can’t pay cash-in-full, don’t buy it. Let your thrill be in your accomplishments, not the toys you can suddenly afford on credit. John Carlton

AHK Newsletter⏩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 hereWe never share your email with anyone.  Ever!


The-Automator

Joe, Isaias, Irfan, and staff


P.S. GUIs in v2 are amazing!  In v2 all the GUIs are objects which streamlines the code and makes them much easier to understand and use.   Save yourself some serious 💲 by purchasing the GUIs are Easy course before the flash sale ends!  Click here to get the discount or learn more about the course here.

May 5th, 2023 AutoHotkey newsletter

AutoHotkey Newsletter Howdy %Name%, Happy Star Wars day❗ (May the 4th) You may not have thought much about it however Star Wars has some great examples where they use technology to their advantage. Throughout the Star Wars movies, we see characters using various types of technology to increase their efficiency and productivity.  One example of this is how droids are used for tasks such as translation, navigation, and repair work. By leveraging technology, characters are able to achieve their goals more quickly and effectively. So, when you’re Learning AutoHotkey, you’re practicing core principles displayed in Star Wars.🌌 In celebration of Star Wars day I’m creating a coupon that can be used on any of our AHK Courses❗ In the Star Wars universe, Order 21 was a contingency plan that allowed the Jedi to take control of the Republic in the event of a catastrophic emergency (the plan was never activated). Use StarWarsOrder21 during checkout and receive 21% off on any course we offer. This coupon code is only valid through Saturday, May Sith (I mean 6th) Now on with the show…

Intro to AutoHotkey HotStrings with AutoHotkey Intermediate AutoHotkey Intermediate Objects GUIs are Easy w/AutoHotkey Make the switch to v2

Use this AutoHotkey TaskManager

We stumbled upon Fenchai’s AHK Task manager a while back.  We used it as a base and made some additional tweaks.  I love having a tool that makes it really easy for me to see the actual script (and jump to the folder).  We review our version in this video.

🅰mazing AutoHotkey Task Manager 🅰mazing AutoHotkey Task Manager


“Fixing” SciTE4AutoHotkey for V2

If you’re like most of us you’re migrating to AHK v2 (since v1 is deprecated).  Sadly many people using the new version of SciTE4AutoHotkey (version 3.1) are having problems configuring it.  So we built a little program to help simplify the process as well as make some minor “improvements” to the SciTEUser.properties file.  You can take a look at how to use the program in this video.

🤯 SciTE4AutoHotkey broken with AHK v2? Here’s the fix❗ 🤯 SciTE4AutoHotkey broken with AHK v2? Here's the fix❗


Automating older programs just got WAY Easier!

We released a tool last week that helped write AutoHotkey syntax for automating older Windows programs.  It’s been a huge-hit!  If you are trying to automate older programs you don’t want to miss this one!   We walk through the tool, and how to use it, in this video

🤫 Unveiling the Secret to Automate Old Unruly Windows Programs! 🤫 Unveiling the Secret to Automate Old Unruly Windows Programs!


How Difficult will it be to convert your V1➡v2 script

If you’re thinking about converting a v1 script to v2 we now have a cool tool to help you determine how difficult it will be.  In this video we demonstrate the tool.   We weighted activities on our view however there is now an ini file where you can easily change the weights to your preferences.

Wanting to convert your script to v2 Here is a v1 To v2 Difficulty script Wanting to convert your script to v2 Here is a v1 To v2 Difficulty script


Intro to AutoHotkey v2

If you’re wanting to learn AutoHotkey, and start with v2, we created a short Intro to V2 hereIf you’re wanting to dive deeper, take a look out our Intro to AutoHotkey course in v2.  Don’t forget to use the Order21 discount code to save 21%.   If you click here, the discount will be applied.

Intro to AutoHotkey Version 2 | Learn to automate programs with AHK v2 Intro to AutoHotkey Version 2 | Learn to automate programs with AHK v2


Free Window Snipping Tool with OCR

If you’re running Windows 10+ this Window Snipping tool is a true gem!  I use it so many times a day it is ridiculous.   I demo it in this video.  It’s, by far, our #1 downloaded script.  BTW- We’re working on a tweak to adjust for the DPI of your monitors…

Update to Windows snipping tool with accurate built-in OCR Update to Windows snipping tool with accurate built-in OCR


📚 What we’re reading

The Nightly Habit That Keeps Marcus Lemonis Productive | Inc. Magazine The Nightly Habit That Keeps Marcus Lemonis Productive | Inc. Magazine


🤖 AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage

The Amazing AI Super Tutor for Students and Teachers | Sal Khan | TED The Amazing AI Super Tutor for Students and Teachers | Sal Khan | TED


⚡️Productivity tips 🧮 Use the calculator app for conversions

The calculator app in Win10+ has a conversion mode that can convert units of measurement, currency, and more. Open the calculator app and click on the “…” button to access the conversion mode.


🤣 A spot of Humor: This is priceless!

soScrewed


QAPbr Quick Access Popup news

📢 Jean Lalonde, the author of Quick Access Popup, released version 1 of his clipboard manipulation tool AND IT’S AWESOME❗    Click here to download QCE.  Keep your eyes out for an in-depth video with us soon…

Quick Clipboard Editor – Introduction Quick Clipboard Editor - Introduction


AHKHeroAnimation AHK Hero 🦸‍♂️

Consider joining the 🦸‍♀️AHK Hero club! Members receive 25% off courses, consultations, tutoring, done for you project work, etc.  They also have access to exclusive & pre-released content and a 3 hours a week where we help people with their AHK issues (the Saturday call is geared towards people new to AutoHotkey.)


🗣️ 💭 Quotable quotes

  • Work harder on yourself than you do on your job Jim Rohn
  • I will always hire a lazy person to do a hard job, because they will always find an easy way to do it Bill Gates
  • Ideas fade away if you don’t write them down
  • It’s not how much you screw up that counts. Nope. It’s how you fix your messes that matters. John Carlton

AHK Newsletter⏩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 hereWe never share your email with anyone.  Ever!


The-Automator Joe, Isaias, Irfan, and staff


P.S. Have you looked at AHK V2 yet?  It has some amazing improvements, however there definitely are some things that will trip you up!  That’s why we created our course to make the transition painless.  If you’re looking at V2 you will love it!  And remember all of our courses are “risk free” because they come with a “double your money back” guarantee!  If you use this link, you’ll be applying the Order21 discount to the v1➡v2 course. But act now as the discount will go the way of the Jedi on Saturday.

April, 2023 AutoHotkey Newsletter

AutoHotkey NewsletterApril 2023 AutoHotkey Newsletter

April 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…

Intro to AutoHotkey HotStrings with AutoHotkey Intermediate AutoHotkey Intermediate Objects GUIs are Easy w/AutoHotkey Make the switch to v2

📢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!
🤫 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
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
🅰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
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
Where does your time go? Track your time with this simple v1 or v2 AHK script


📚 What we’re reading


🤖 AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage

The Inside Story of ChatGPT’s Astonishing Potential | Greg Brockman | TED
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!

football


AHKHeroAnimation 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

AHK Newsletter⏩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 hereWe never share your email with anyone.  Ever!


The-Automator

Joe, Isaias, Irfan, and staff


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…

Intro to AutoHotkey HotStrings with AutoHotkey Intermediate AutoHotkey Intermediate Objects GUIs are Easy w/AutoHotkey Make the switch to v2

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 😎
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!
🤯😍 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! 😲
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
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 😲
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


🤖 AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage

How I use ChatGPT as a Data Scientist?
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!

bakingSoda


AHKHeroAnimation 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

AHK Newsletter ⏩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 hereWe never share your email with anyone.  Ever!


The-Automator

Joe, Isaias, Irfan, and staff


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…

Intro to AutoHotkey HotStrings with AutoHotkey Intermediate AutoHotkey Intermediate Objects GUIs are Easy w/AutoHotkey Make the switch to v2

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! 😲
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
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😳
⚠️Don't Fall into this AutoHotkey v2 Trap when Setting Hotkeys😳


📚 What we’re reading


🤖 AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage

😲Easily Revolutionize Your Courses & Coaching with AI 🤖
😲Easily Revolutionize Your Courses & Coaching with AI 🤖

5 Jaw-Dropping Ways ChatGPT Can Transform Your Lead Magnet Creation Process
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)
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…

what


AHKHeroAnimationAHK 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 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.


AHK Newsletter ⏩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 hereWe never share your email with anyone.  Ever!


The-Automator

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…

Intro to AutoHotkey HotStrings with AutoHotkey Intermediate AutoHotkey Intermediate Objects GUIs are Easy w/AutoHotkey Make the switch to v2

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
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
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
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
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
Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and AutoHotkey


What we’re reading


AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage


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
Top 10 Things Never Said by a Hooters Girl


AHKHeroAnimation 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.


QAPbr 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
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 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.


AHK Newsletter 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


Level-up your skills with tutoring Join the AHK Heroes! Get the work done for you by AHK Pros Consult with an AHK Guru Free AutoHotkey Help AutoHotkey books on Amazon Free AutoHotkey Help

The-Automator

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!

Introduction to Autohotkey v2 Course

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Intro to AutoHotkey2 100 rbg

Normal Price: 59.99
Sale price: 49.99
Want 25% off?

100 rbg
All of my courses are sold with a 30 day money back guarantee!
If you are unhappy with the course for any reason within the first 30 days, you can get a full refund, no questions asked!


What you’ll learn

  • All the basics of Installing and using AutoHotkey v2 to automate your Windows PC
  • What Desktop Automation / Robotics Process Automation is and where AutoHotkey fits in it
  • How to Automate tasks on your Windows computers
  • How to hack your computer and make better use of time management
  • How to work smarter, not harder and get more done in less time with this free desktop support tool
  • How and why AutoHotkey v2 is the best alternative to: Powershell, AutoIt, iMacros and JavaScript
  • Which Editor / IDE to start with Autothokey v2

You can get the course by clicking here. Remember, you can get a 25% discount by becoming an AHK Hero.