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

September 27th, 2023 AutoHotkey Newsletter

AutoHotkey Newsletter

Howdy,

If you don’t currently floss your teeth regularly you should try to floss just one tooth.   Once you floss the one you are infinitely more likely continue to floss the others.

This is a great tip I learned when reading Atomic Habits.

Of course this approach can easily be adapted to virtually any habit you are trying to adapt.

For instance, if you’re wanting to Learn HotStrings in AutoHotkey, you should just learn the basics of creating a HotString.  Not plan to learn every option available for it.  It’s one of the reasons all of our AutoHotkey courses are broken down into small “bite size” videos that allow you to learn “One thing” when you have time.

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

😲You’ll never believe this❗

I was watching an old Microsoft video with Bill Gates.  During his presentation he did something that blew my mind!  Check it out in this video.  Keep in mind, this was a long, long time ago!

I never expected to see this in a Microsoft Video by Bill Gates
I never expected to see this in a Microsoft Video by Bill Gates

Now that you checked out that video, you might want to watch this one to see how you can recreate the magic with AutoHotkey

Intro to AHK v2 HotStrings Extract
Intro to AHK v2 HotStrings Extract


Adding a ToolTip to a GUI

A couple of weeks ago Irfan, Isaias and I were in a team meeting and Isaias mentioned how “easy” it is to add a mouse-over to a GUI.  We all know that GUIs are Easy in AutoHotkey but I’m really glad I hit record because this as a great little lesson I captured in this video.

Adding a tooltip-MouseOver to a control in a GUI :tatm
Adding a tooltip-MouseOver to a control in a GUI :tatm


Fixing Your Phone / Phone Link

Isaias and I both upgraded to Windows 11 and we both were disappointed when we realized our Phone Link tool wouldn’t run properly.   You see Phone Link (formerly named Your Phone) is a built-in Windows app that allows you to easily connect your Android phone to your PC.  (Apparently, in Windows 11 there is an update which let’s you connect an iPhone).

Anyway, I didn’t realize just how much I relied on the app until it was gone 😢

I googled a lot and found a lot of “fixes” that didn’t work.  Then, one of them finally did!   I showed the approach to Isaias and, sure enough, it fixes his as well.  So, if you’re having issues with Phone Link, be sure check out this video.

🙌From Frustration to Success: Watch How we Fixed Microsoft Phone Link❗
🙌From Frustration to Success: Watch How we Fixed Microsoft Phone Link❗


📚 What we’re reading


🤖 AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage


⚡️Productivity tips: Parkinson’s Law

The amount of work expands to fill the time available for its completion.  Force yourself to have deadlines to projects and, magically, it will get done!


🤣 A spot of Humor:  Hilarity ensues when a comedian uses charts!  Make sure you make it till the end!

Don McMillan – Greatest Charts (Volume 1)
Don McMillan - Greatest Charts (Volume 1)


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 calls are geared towards people new to AutoHotkey.)


🗣️ 💭 Quotable quotes

  • Put systems in place that will allow ordinary people to do extraordinary things Joe Glines
  • 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
  • As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another Proverbs 27:17
  • If you want something done, ask the busiest person you know to do it and stand back!

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. Learning AutoHotkey is a great way to “buy time”.  Our AHK courses help you learn AutoHotkey however that’s only one piece of it.  Talking to others, seeing what they’re automating, is equally important.  It’s one of the reasons our Hero members LOVE the AHK Hero group and I know you will to when you join.

Are you more incompetent than you realize❓ / September 20th AutoHotkey newsletter

AutoHotkey Newsletter

Imagine you have a friend named Joe who likes to write AutoHotkey scripts. He thinks he is very good at it, but his scripts all imitate a human and do not utilize an API approach. Joe also thinks AutoHotkey is “buggy” because his scripts often don’t work (especially when he shares them with other people.)

Joe thinks that other people who write AutoHotkey scripts are not very good and take overly-complicated approaches to make more money.

He thinks he is the best script-writer in the world.

This is known as the Dunning-Kruger effect.  The Dunning-Kruger effect is when people think they know more than they really do.  They are not very good at something, but they don’t realize it. They also don’t accurately evaluate how good other people are.

They believe they are better than average, or even experts (Yikes!), when they are not. This can make them act overconfident and make mistakes and often blame the instrument instead of themselves.

The Dunning-Kruger effect happens because some people don’t have enough knowledge or skill to judge themselves or others correctly.

Often People don’t know what they don’t know

The more you learn about something, the more you realize how much you still need to learn. You become more humble and realistic about your abilities.

To avoid the Dunning-Kruger effect, you should always try to learn more about the things you are interested in or need to do. You should also ask for feedback from others who are more experienced or knowledgeable than you. This is one of the best benefits of the AHK hero group.  We have 3 hours of Zoom calls each week where we help provide guidance to Hero members.   Not to mention the private Telegram group where people can ask for help during the week.   Give it some thought.  If you’re not sure, check out these objections that many people think.  You’re probably a better-fit for the group than you think!

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

HotStrings & Hotkeys that paste: Images, Text, and Hyperlinks / Rich text

For several years now sending keystrokes with AutoHotkey has been problematic.   It got so frustrating I asked Irfan to adapt many of my HotStrings to paste the text (instead of sending keystrokes).

This is a much more reliable way to get the text where you want it.   Nothing too special here…   But I also realized it is super easy to trigger them with either a Hotkey or a HotString.   Still, nothing too “wow” leveled (other than having automations that worked reliably).

Then I realized why don’t we kick it up a notch by making it easy to paste Rich text / Text with Hyperlinks and/or pictures.  Wow Now we’re on to something!

The function parameters are very easy to follow.  We share how to use them in this video.

Easily sending text, HTML or pIctures with Clipster
Easily sending text, HTML or pIctures with Clipster


We’re also considering wrapping the whole thing in a GUI to allow non-AutoHotkey users a way to have this functionality.  😊

Easily Adjusting your DPI

We just released two scripts that do (basically) the same thing.   They both make it super-simple to assign a hotkey to change your DPI.  One of them allows you to assign the monitor the hotkey will be applied to while the other just looks at the monitor your mouse is over.  You can see them in use in this video.

Two AHK scripts to easily change your Monitor’s DPI Scaling
Two AHK scripts to easily change your Monitor's DPI Scaling


How to Create & Use Custom functions

Last week I mentioned this video extracted from Intro to AHK v2 that explains how you can use the built-in AHK functions.    This week I’m following up by sharing this video which helps you see how you can write your own functions.  Functions are a crazy-powerful way to level you up!

Defining custom functions in AutoHotkey v2
Defining custom functions in AutoHotkey v2

Don’t forget, all of our courses come with an amazing 200% money back guarantee!


Pinning Files / Scripts in Windows 11

I have to say I’m not loving Windows 11❗ Granted, I wouldn’t even be using it if I hadn’t found this app that allows me to put the Taskbar on the side.  In this video I walk through a work-around on how to pin non-executables to the Taskbar.

How to Pin a non-executable file to Taskbar in Windows 11
How to Pin a non-executable file to Taskbar in Windows 11


How to create a File Installer with InnoSetup

A while back Jean Lalonde, author of Quick Access Popup, gave us a great tutorial on how to use InnoSetup.  In this video Jean walks us through many of the settings and how it can be configured to give your script a “level-up”.

💻 Take file installation to the next level – Use Inno Setup like a pro!
💻 Take file installation to the next level - Use Inno Setup like a pro!

Incidentally I spoke with Jean last week and he’s been hard at work on his other “clipboard” tool.  You can see an overview of it’s functionality in this video.

💥 Supercharge your productivity with this Amazing Clipboard Tool!😲
💥 Supercharge your productivity with this Amazing Clipboard Tool!😲


New YouTuber: Easily set windows locations

I was watching YouTube the other day and stumbled upon this video from Inthekhud.  He did a pretty good job.  He walks through using WinGet to detect where a window is located and then how to set it’s location.  I hope he continues to make AutoHotkey videos.  The more the better!

STOP manually adjusting windows | Use AUTOHOTKEY!
STOP manually adjusting windows | Use AUTOHOTKEY!


**********************

📚 What we’re reading


🤖 AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage

HUGE Bard Update: The Future of Google is Now AI

HUGE Bard Update: The Future of Google is Now AI



⚡️Productivity tips: Setting Goals

Setting Daily, Weekly, Monthly and annual goals are a great way to make sure you achieve what you want.   Having said that, goals only take you so far, in the Atomic Habits book, he explains how habits are what truly drive action!


🤣 A spot of Humor This would freak me out!

Our Most Chaotic Prank Of ALL TIME | Just For Laughs Gags
Our Most Chaotic Prank Of ALL TIME | Just For Laughs Gags


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 calls are geared towards people new to AutoHotkey.)


🗣️ 💭 Quotable quotes

  • How you deal with failure determines whether or not you ever get to deal with the success Dan Kennedy
  • A major reason for procrastination and lack of motivation is vagueness, confusion, and fuzzy minded thinking about what you are trying to do and in what order and for what reason. Brian Tracy
  • You must stop expecting perfection — either from yourself, or your employees, or your customers and clients. It will never happen. John Carlton
  • History is just new people making old mistakes 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. Are you one of those people that don’t know what you don’t know?  One of the best ways to safeguard against this is to regularly meet amongst others that know more than you.  The AHK Hero group is a great place to learn from others and ensure you’re accurately assessing your skills.  Do yourself a favor and sign up.   The only thing you’ll regret is that you waited so long!

AutoHotkey Newsletter August 14th, 2023

AutoHotkey Newsletter

Howdy ,

Like most people that use AutoHotkey, my first uses of it were very simple things like HotStrings and Hotkeys.   I spent several years using AutoHotkey to just utilizing those until I decided to change job roles and moved into Information Technology.

The new job I was hired for  I was tasked to find a way to automate an incredibly mundane task (the job would turn over after ~1 year because it was ridiculously mundane, repetitive, and taxing.)

I began learning things like: Web Scraping, Web service APIs, Regular Expressions, simple GUI creation, Object Oriented Programming (OOP) and much more.  In this video I discuss some of the many cool uses of AutoHotkey.

Why you should learn AutoHotkey! Some most common uses of AutoHotkey

Why you should learn AutoHotkey! Some most common uses of AutoHotkey


It reminded me of this quick clip I saw in a Columbo episode.  Most people, when they first start with AutoHotkey, they are “Imitating a human“.  Probably because it just “makes sense” to us.

Are you using AutoHotkey wrong?
Are you using AutoHotkey wrong?

Most people don’t realized there are API (Application Program Interfaces) that allow them to “programmatically” control programs.  Imitating a human is (often) simple to code however it is not robust and fails a lot and doesn’t transfer to other systems.  You can get a deeper understanding of Human vs. API approach in this video.

APIs compared to Human Interfaces: How do you use AutoHotkey?
APIs compared to Human Interfaces: How do you use AutoHotkey?

In our AHK hero group we’re frequently helping people take their scripts that imitate human behaviors and adapt them to using an API approach.

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

Forcing an Expression in AHK v2

During this Automator team meeting Isaias was teaching Irfan and I how we can force an expression in v2.  It’s not “pretty” code, but it’ll ‘getter done’.  LOL

tatm:Forcing an Expression in AHK v2 to get around illegal chacter in JSON
tatm:Forcing an Expression in AHK v2 to get around illegal chacter in JSON


Using built-in AutoHotkey Functions

Unlike other languages, AutoHotkey has a LOT of built in functionality.  This video is an extract from Intro to AHK in v2.   Remember AutoHotkey functions are an AMAZING way to level-up your automation skills!

Using built-in Commands and Built in AHK v2
Using built-in Commands and Built in AHK v2


Me “Helping” AHK hero members 🤣

As many of you know, I’m not a programmer.  In fact, I love the fact that I’ve never gone down that path yet I’ve used AutoHotkey to do AMAZING things!

I’m smart enough to know hire very talented people like Isaias and Irfan to help solve the more complicated AHK Hero member’s problems.  This video a short excerpt from Galaxy Quest but it’s pretty close to how I feel on the Hero calls go.  If you’re not an AHK hero member, I highly recommend you consider joining.  Every week we have 3 hours of calls helping people with their tasks.  And we have a private Telegram group where people can get their problems solved during the week.  And you get 25% off our courses & client work!

Helping AHK Hero members
Helping AHK Hero members


📚 What we’re reading


🤖 AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage


⚡️Productivity tips:  Revisit current processes

Humans are horrible at re-thinking a problem.  Once we solve something we rarely re-think how it is being done.

Remember to review processes and look for ways to improve efficiency. Refining your workflows are great ways to save time and be more efficient!


🤣 A spot of Humor:  I forgot I created this page of AutoHotkey Jokes.    I’ve included a few below but be sure to check out the above page for more.

Q: What do you say to an AutoHotkey v1 user who wants to learn object-oriented programming?

A: Good luck with that!

Q: Why did the v1 user refuse to switch to v2?

A: Because they didn’t want to leave their comfort zone… which happened to be a time capsule.

Q: What do you call an AHK v1 script that uses GUIs?

A: A mess.

If you’re not using AHK v2 yet we have a great course to help you make the transition painless!


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 calls are geared towards people new to AutoHotkey.)


🗣️ 💭 Quotable quotes

  • Whatever Your Mind Can Conceive and Believe, It Can Achieve. Napoleon Hill
  • Work harder on yourself than you do on your job Jim Rohn
  • When experiencing errors with tools, typically you should blame the operator, not the tool. Joe Glines
  • Today is always the most productive day of your week. Mark Hunter
  • A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore 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 majority of AutoHotkey users start-off imitating a human but realize it is a lousy approach. Learning programmatic ways to automate software with AutoHotkey will save you time and build much more reliable, sharable, scripts.  We highly recommend you click here and purchase one of our courses and begin the path to victory!

Remember all of our courses come with a 200% money back guarantee so you have nothing to lose!

AutoHotkey Newsletter September 7th

AutoHotkey Newsletter

Imagine you’re making your cup of morning coffee ☕. If you’re like my wife you like it with 2 sugars and 3 creams. However here is how you go about making it:

  • You pour 2 ounces of coffee in your coffee cup
  • You add 1 sugar
  • You add 1 cream
  • You pour 2 more ounces of coffee
  • You add the 2nd sugar
  • You add 2nd cream
  • You pour 2 more ounces of coffee
  • You add 3rd cream
  • You pour 2 more ounces of coffee

Great, now you have 8 ounces of coffee however it took you quite a bit of effort to get your coffee…

This sounds ridiculous however it’s how most people tackle tasks they do every day

They don’t spot the pattern and end up doing things individually and not batching them together.

Work on batching your tasks together (where it makes sense) and you’ll save a lot of time!

It’s also important to note that, while computers are far better at humans switching between tasks, your AutoHotkeyscripts can also be optimized by grouping together like-items. This is just one of the things we teach during our AutoHotkey Hero calls.

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

Pinning non-Executables to the Taskbar in Windows 11

A while back both Isaias and I made the switch to Windows 11. While it isn’t horrible (like Win 8) they did make a lot of changes (in the wrong direction as far as we’re concerned). One example is the lack of being able to pin an AutoHotkey script (or any non-executable) to the Taskbar. In this video I show a simple “work around”. If you’re like me and want the Taskbar on the side you can check out the ExplorerPatch tool I show during the video.

How to Pin a non-executable file to Taskbar in Windows 11
How to Pin a non-executable file to Taskbar in Windows 11


Creating custom functions in AutoHotkey (Extract from Intro to AHK)

If you’re new to AutoHotkey one of the fastest and best ways you can “level-up” is to be using the many built-in functions. I mentioned this last week and linked to this video which shows how to start using them.

The very next way to leap-forward it to start creating your own custom functions. I’ve extracted another video from the Intro to AutoHotkey course showing you how to create your own functions. As I like to say Functions are like go-subs on crack! Give it a look and you’ll understand why!

Using built-in Commands and Built in AHK v2
Using built-in Commands and Built in AHK v2

Don’t forget the Intro to AutoHotkey course is over 4 hours long and has a ton more value! And don’t worry, all our courses come with a 200% money back guarantee!


AI Creeping into our Tech everywhere…

This morning I was playing on my Android phone and accidentally discovered some AI on an image I was pressing.
I documented it in this video but, in another year, our world is going to be transformed!

AI on images in Android Phone
AI on images in Android Phone


Examples of what I’ve used AutoHotkey to Automate

We were on a client call and he suggested I record more videos like this one where I share what I’ve automated lately with AutoHotkey. I told him I have an entire playlist of these however, since much of what we work on now is confidential client work, I can’t record videos on them. I did realize that there are lots of side-projects I have Isaias and Irfan do for me. So I’ll try and start making some more videos documenting some of the cool internal tools that we create.

AutoHotkey automation review (003) | What I automated with AutoHotkey
AutoHotkey automation review (003) | What I automated with AutoHotkey


AutoHotkey & StreamDeck

We started using Elgato Stream Decks a while back and I have to say, I am liking them way more than I anticipated! Having said that, I basically use mine as a Hotkey for triggering scripts / programs because I do all the automating in my AutoHotkey script. Anyway, I happened to see this video from Walden’s Automation where he documents how to toggle your AHK script

Stream Deck AutoHotkey Launcher – Toggle Scripts with your stream deck
Stream Deck AutoHotkey Launcher - Toggle Scripts with your stream deck


Great Episode by two Legendary Marketing Gurus

As you might know I’m a huge Dan Kennedy fan. I’ve read nearly every book he’s written and he’s an absolute marketing genius! I was really excited to find his Magnetic Marketing podcast. Over the weekend I was listening to this episode where he interviews Jay Abraham

📚 What we’re reading


🤖 AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage

9 AI Tools You Will ACTUALLY Use
9 AI Tools You Will ACTUALLY Use


⚡️Productivity tips: Plan your day (the night before)!

Write down the three most important tasks the night before and let your subconscious work on them!


🤣 A spot of Humor: The Marine Biologist: One of the funniest things I’ve seen on TV!

Seinfeld l MiniEpisode l The Marine Biologist
Seinfeld l MiniEpisode l The Marine Biologist


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 calls are geared towards people new to AutoHotkey.)


🗣️ 💭 Quotable quotes

  • Decisions without actions are worthless Dan Kennedy
  • Give me 6 hours to chop down a tree and I’ll spend the first 4 sharpening the axe Abraham Lincoln
  • What I lack in Skills & Abilities I make up for with Optimism & Determination
  • What people think of you is irrelevant. But how you leave this world matters. Even if it’s all futile in the end, play your part as well as you can. Real courage is fear, in action. Play your hand. 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 here. We never share your email with anyone. Ever!


The-Automator

Joe, Isaias, Irfan, and staff

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

P.S. Batching things are a great way to be more productive. I find having a schedule really helps me stay organized and ensure I work smarter, not harder.
It’s one of there reasons I encourage our Clients to use their calendar to block time to work through our AHK Courses.