Now Your AI Can Search My Tools For You News-2026-08-06

AutoHotkey Newsletter

Howdy,

Your AI Can Search the-Automator For You

Here’s something that used to drive me nuts.

Someone would email me “Joe, do you have anything that grabs data off a web page?” and I’d have to go dig through my own store to find it.

My own store! 😊 After 438 tools, scripts, and courses, even I can’t remember everything that’s in there.

So I fixed it. And then I went one step further: I made it so your AI can search my catalog too.

Grab a free key, paste one line into Claude or Cursor, and from then on you just ask. No more guessing what I named something. Describe the problem you’re stuck on and your AI finds the right tool:

It searches by meaning, not keywords. That’s the part that makes it actually useful.

If you like the idea of your AI reaching into your tools, you’ll want my AutoHotkey v2 MCP Server too.
It gives your AI real eyes and a debugger.

And once you’re set up, build your own Claude Code commands so the stuff you do all day is one keystroke away.

New to all of this? This video walks you through Skills & MCP in minutes.

The cool thing is your AI already knows what you’re working on. It shouldn’t have to send you off to browse a store. It should just answer. ⚡

Grab Your Free Key

Takes about 30 seconds. Free, no credit card, nothing to install. Works with Claude Code, Claude Desktop, and Cursor.

One thing I’ve learned building automations for 20+ years: the tool you can’t find is the same as the tool you don’t own. Hopefully this helps a bit. 🤖

Now on with the show…

Learn how to Master VSCode Make the switch to v2 Intro to AutoHotkey Intermediate AutoHotkey Intermediate ObjectsGUIs are Easy w/AutoHotkey Access all our Courses; Quit when you want

strings

Now, with Embeddings, we have a new level of search!


Using Embeddings to Match on Meaning

The intro mentions that the AI is matching on “meaning” using Embeddings.

If you’re new to embeddings you should check out this short video that gives you a quick example.

It’s quite literally the future here now!

Want another angle on it? Forget RegEx AI Semantic Search Changes Everything covers the same idea from a different direction.

🔥 This Search Algorithm Understands What You ACTUALLY Mean❗
🔥 This Search Algorithm Understands What You ACTUALLY Mean❗


Do you miss Windows XP File Search❓

The built-in Windows File search is crazy powerful but it is also crazy complex❗

That’s why I built Windows XP File Search.

It’s super simple to use and is super fast (it’s a C++ exe wrapped with an AHK GUI.)

Check out how easy it is to use by watching this video.

This $8 File Search Tool DESTROYS the $100 Competition 💀XP File Search
This $8 File Search Tool DESTROYS the $100 Competition 💀XP File Search

And, if that interests you, check out the recently released AHK File Explorer.  While you’re at it, this Explorer trick is worth two minutes of your time.


Learning when Enough is Enough

In today’s age, where AI can add virtually any functionality you want, Scope Creep is becoming a severe problem.  In this Hero Extract we discuss how to learn to stop adding all the extra bells and whistles.

Identifying the MVP (Minimal Viable Product) is nearly a super-power these days!

Stop Overbuilding! The MVP Mindset Most Developers Ignore 🎯 | Hero Extract
Stop Overbuilding! The MVP Mindset Most Developers Ignore 🎯 | Hero Extract


Improving People’s Lives: Story #109

Yesterday I had a call with Songlin (a friend who’s retired and his son is about to enter High School.)

His son is quite good at math and Songlin is planning out his son’s journey to college.

He was mentioning math tutors run between $100 to $200 an hour and the college advisory companies are charging around $300 an hour to help make sure his son gets into a top college.

We discussed how by talking with AI, he could probably replace both for a tiny fraction of the cost❗

And, if he want’s to feel confident of his plan, he could find a retired expert to review his plan


📚 What we’re reading


🤖 AI News that you Need to Know

Agentic Engineering vs Software Engineering: Beyond Vibe Coding

Agentic Engineering vs Software Engineering: Beyond Vibe Coding


What Are Large Database Models? AI for SQL Data
What Are Large Database Models? AI for SQL Data


⚡️Productivity tips:

Ctrl+Shift+P – Command Palette (access Claude Code commands)


🤣 A spot of Humor:

No Celebrity Has ZERO Filter Like Clint Eastwood…. and It’s HILARIOUS!

No Celebrity Has ZERO Filter Like Clint Eastwood.... and It’s HILARIOUS!


What we 🅰utomated this week with AutoHotkey #142

I ditched FFmpeg entirely and rebuilt my screen capture tool in Rust with Claude’s help, and the result is a 1.5 MB binary that gives me sharper output than what I had before.

I also updated my XP-style search tool with OR filters and excludes, and I’m building a custom ASR model for a client that should drop their transcription bill from about $200 a month to around $5.

In this week’s video I walk you through all of it and why Rust plus AI has become my go-to combo for building tools fast.

What we Automated this week #142
What we Automated this week #142


Clients say…

My mind is blown — Joey Pauga


AHK Hero 🦸

Consider joining the 🦸Hero club! Members receive 25% off courses, consultations, tutoring, done for you project work, etc.  Currently we have over 599 hours of recordings teaching AutoHotkey that is exclusive to Hero members

You can watch 1 hour a day for a year and not repeat content! That’s a lot of Learning!

During this Friday’s call we’re planning to discuss:

  • Help Hero Members with their Questions & Code
  • A2A (Agent to Agent) instead of SEO
  • AHK Tools
  • Rust Tools (and why we should care)
    • OneTake
    • AudioRipper
    • Virtual Camera
    • SoundCleaner
    • MediaProbe

They also have access to exclusive & pre-released content and 3 hours a week where we help people with their automation issues (the Saturday calls are geared towards people new to Automation with AI)


🗣️ 💭 Quotable quotes

  • Don’t wait. The time will never be just right — Napoleon Hill
  • Instead of trying to get more done, I’m working hard on having less to do — Joe Glines
  • Your strength is measured by what you’ve overcome, not what you’ve avoided — Joe Glines

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  Dedicated to Multiplying your Income

Joe, Isaias, Irfan and staff


P.S. If you’re wanting to get some help figuring out how you can use AI at work, feel free to reach out.

AI isn’t the “end all / be all” but it definitely has its place and can save you a ton of time and money❗

👀My Vegas Adventure | AHK News 2026-07-18

AutoHotkey Newsletter

Howdy,

I flew home to Dallas Tuesday but thought I’d share with you the “adventure” I went on last Friday (after the Hero calls).

I met up with Mary Carol (the woman that put together the “AI Event” for Sabrina Ramonov).

We were supposed to meet up for lunch and discuss AI but things didn’t go quite as planned.

She called me from the road to let me know she had a flat. 

We agreed I’d meet her at a tire shop instead of the restaurant.

Sadly things took a turn for the worse when it turned out, the tire was not the problem.

her rim was cracked

and they don’t do rim repair.

At this point it was mid-afternoon on Friday and places were “shutting down” for the weekend.

Luckily one place did call her back and said if we can get them the rim they could have it ready by Monday.

I agreed to follow her to the shop and then would give her a ride home.

Luckily we got to the shop early enough so the crew could weld it and she’d be out of there that day❗

She told me I could go but I was worried she might end up stranded so I waited.

While we waited she apologized about taking up my afternoon.

I let her know that it was fine because that is what I do

I help people solve their problems

Whether I help them during Hero calls, during Consultations, or just solving random problems.

That is what drives me!   What drives you❓

Now on with the show…

Learn how to Master VSCode Make the switch to v2 Intro to AutoHotkey Intermediate AutoHotkey Intermediate ObjectsGUIs are Easy w/AutoHotkey Access all our Courses; Quit when you want

v1code


Are you a Micro (AI) Manager❓

We had a very interesting discussion during a Hero call regarding how much time you should be spending looking at your code.

Isaias started off going “deep” on the bad approach AI chose but I countered with the “who cares” response.  You can be the judge by watching it here.

Stop Micromanaging AI Code 🎯 Let the Model Think | Hero Extract

Stop Micromanaging AI Code 🎯 Let the Model Think | Hero Extract


Asking Gurus

The Hero group is amazing for having live experts to talk to.  I liked the idea so much that I created a Claude Skill entitled AskGurus which lets Claude bounce its ideas off other AI models.

I discuss the approach in this extract from the Hero call.  I firmly believe being able to get more than one opinion (whether it is AI or human) is the simplest way to get better solutions in life!

The “Guru” Skill That Makes AI Models Compete 🏆 For You | Hero Extract
The


Building a “mini” editor

Kenneth, a Hero member, liked the idea of our Quick Raw Edit tool but wanted the ability to be more precise in the “cuts”.

After discussing with AI that, in order to edit frame-by-frame we would have to add ffprobe.exe (another 150 meg download) tool, I proposed we let him edit down the 100th of a second. 

He agreed that would be fine so we added it to the tool.  I was showing off the changes during a Hero call when we came up with a couple other ideas that I went ahead and implemented

(Letting users cut out the middle instead of rip the selection and adding the Wave form so we can see the audio).   Check out the discussion here.

We’re Accidentally Building a Video Editor 🎬 And It’s Getting Out of Hand | Hero Extract

We're Accidentally Building a Video Editor 🎬 And It's Getting Out of Hand | Hero Extract


A quick look at Cursor

Ryan Wells is no stranger to the newsletter and our YouTube channel. 

I used to use Cursor but I went with Claude code (via VS code) instead of sticking with Cursor. 

Ryan and I typically bounce ideas around developing AI tools off each other nearly every day (are you sensing the trend❓) however we rarely “show” each other how we are developing our code.

I asked Ryan to lead us on a mini-session on using Cursor to develop tools. 

He blew all of us away and left us wanting more!   You can check out the great intro to Cursor in this video

I’m curious, what AI tools are you using %name% to develop code❓

How to Use Cursor Like a Pro 🚀 Projects, Models & Skills Explained | Hero Extract
How to Use Cursor Like a Pro 🚀 Projects, Models & Skills Explained | Hero Extract


Improving People’s Lives: Story #102

While at my father’s house in Las Vegas I installed a smart thermostat for him.  He’s still getting used to the idea that he can change the temperature by an app on his phone but I think he’ll get used to it.

What is the last smart device you’ve added to your home❓


📚 What we’re reading


🤖 AI News that you Need to Know


⚡️Productivity tips:  

Learn how you can make your QR codes smaller


🤣 A spot of Humor:

New Rule: Grad GPT | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)
New Rule: Grad GPT | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)


What we 🅰utomated this week with AutoHotkey #136

This week was packed. I gave AI a 10-minute plan before bed and woke up to a fully working concept-search tool it built overnight, one that reads PDFs, Word, Excel, audio, even video and finds things by meaning instead of exact keywords.

I also show off a live call assistant that matches my spoken words to website products in real time, a video progress-bar burner I threw together in 30 minutes, a faster AI icon creator, and a bunch more.

In this week’s video I walk you through all of them and how AI is letting me build complex tools in hours (instead of weeks).


Clients say…

Joe! All I can say is WOW! — Stephanie Holland


AHK Hero 🦸

Consider joining the 🦸Hero club! Members receive 25% off courses, consultations, tutoring, done for you project work, etc.    Currently we have over 578 hours of recordings teaching AutoHotkey that is exclusive to Hero members

You can watch 1 hour a day for a year and not repeat content! That’s a lot of Learning!

During this Friday’s call we’re planning to discuss:

  • Help Hero Members with their Questions & Code
  • Using AI to create a Website (Plusses & Minuses)
  • Hidden Toast messages, License, API keys, etc.
  • Adding a progress bar to videos
  • Updates to NoticableText
  • Updates to tAHKskbar
  • WordpAHKd
  • AHK Shutdown Fix❓
  • Potential New ways to Automate with AHK

They also have access to exclusive & pre-released content and 3 hours a week where we help people with their automation issues (the Saturday calls are geared towards people new to Automation with AI)


🗣️ 💭 Quotable quotes

  • Wealth is the product of man’s capacity to think — Ayn Rand
  • You can acquire more of anything in life, except time — Simon Sinek
  • Soon companies will have 2 employees: 1 man 1 dog. The man is there to feed the dog. The dog is there to keep the man from messing with the AutoHotkey script — Joe Glines

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  Dedicated to Multiplying your Income

Joe, Isaias, Irfan and staff


P.S. The intro story is the “short version” of our afternoon.  In the end Mary Carol got her car back in working condition and invited me to an online AI meetup which was fun.

I’m beginning to plan an inperson Dallas meetup.  If you’d like to attend reply to this email and let me know❗