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Tag: coding

AHK Newsletter 2025-03-20 Henry Ford Had a Row of Buttons – I Have a Streamdeck & AI (And It’s Better)

AutoHotkey Newsletter

Howdy %Name%,

During World War I Henry Ford sued a Chicago newspaper for libeling him when they called him an “ignorant pacifist”

At trial Henry Fords testimony was brilliant!

“If I should really want to answer the foolish question you have just asked, or any of the other questions you have been asking me, let me remind you that I have a row of electric push-buttons on my desk, and by pushing the right button, I can summon to my aid men who can answer any question I desire to ask concerning the business to which I am devoting most of my efforts.

Now, will you kindly tell me, why I should clutter up my mind with general knowledge, for the purpose of being able to answer questions, when I have men around me who can supply any knowledge I require?”

With my StreamDeck I have a list of buttons on the bottom row to press that connect me with “experts” in their area.

I remember when I was on a call with Maestrith (author of AHK Studio) and in 1 hour he could create code that would have taken me a week.

More so the code was more reliable, easier to understand, and maintainable.  He almost-always used an API approach instead of imititating a human.

It’s why I decided to stop learning to code, and just hire experts to do it for me.

Elgato Stream Deck with 32 keys showing icons for Zoom, Lights, Recording, Mute, AutoHotkey, Sugatoha and contact photos

It’s also one of the main reasons people join our AHK hero group.

Not only does the group let you ask questions to AHK Gurus for 3 hours a week, you can also reach out anytime in our Private Telegram group.

If you look at the 2nd row on my StreamDeck , you’ll see corresponding buttons I use frequently around the AHK Hero club.

If you’re wanting access to experts, there is no better option than joining the AHK Hero club!

Click hear and learn more about it!

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

Creating Menus in AutoHotkey v2 is a Breeze️

During an AHK Hero call Isaias led us on a mini-tutorial of how easy it is to create Menus in AutoHotkey v2.  You can an extraction of the Hero call here.

If you’d like to learn more about working with GUIs you can check out our GUIs are Easier in AHK v2 course.

Learning Menus in AutoHotkey v2 [Excerpt from AHK Hero call]
Learning Menus in AutoHotkey v2 [Excerpt from AHK Hero call]

Creating Gorgeous HTML GUIS with WebViewToo and AutoHotkey

Speaking of Hero calls, last week GeekDude joined us and shared his examples using the WebviewToo library.

I extracted this video where Isaias worked through the examples.

Learn how to create Beautiful HTML GUIS with this amazing AHK V2 library WebViewToo
Learn how to create Beautiful HTML GUIS with this amazing AHK V2 library WebViewToo

If you care to donate to GeekDude, you can do so here.

Subscriber Response to 5 most used AHK scripts

A while back I created this video talking about my “5 most used AHK scripts”.

Michael Hafen, a subscriber, created this video in response to mine.

He had some very interesting use cases which I highly recommend you check out!  I also asked him to be a guest at the AHK Hero group to walk through some of his scripts and answer questions.

My most used/helpful Autohotkey V2 Scripts
My most used/helpful Autohotkey Version 2 Scripts

My first YouTube video

I was looking through old videos and noticed my first video created 13 years ago.

A bit scary how similar my computer looks now compared to then (I was on XP then).

BTW With Windows 11 I use ExplorerPatch to put my taskbar on the right.

XP Start Menu – Toolbars
XP Start Menu - Toolbars

Fixing PhoneLink

If you’re an Android user you definitely should check out PhoneLink.

It allows you to interact with your phone from your PC.

Unfortunately it has been problematic for many users so Isaias and I created this video to show how we fixed our instance.

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

Improving People’s Lives: Story #41

Our client is constantly setting-up Zoom meetings with her clients.

I told her about the Zoom scheduler which integrates with her zoom calendar for $4.99 a month.

This way she can tell people to check her calendar and book a time.

I know there are free tools but he Zoom calendar integrates well with Zoom and also offers some great features

What we’re reading

AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage

⚡️Productivity tips:  Paste Special in Office

Ctrl + Alt + V: Open the Paste Special dialog box in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, allowing you to choose specific formatting options when pasting content.

A spot of Humor

These ManScripts are painfully funny❗

How to Never Get In Trouble With Her Again
MAN SCRIPTS - How to Never Get In Trouble With Her Again

What we utomated this week with AutoHotkey #79

In episode 79 week I covered 106 AHK scripts that we worked on this week at the-Automator.com.

We help people work smarter, not harder❗

You can schedule a call here to see how we can do the same for you %name%

What we Automated with AutoHotkey #79
What we Automated with AutoHotkey #79

Client’s say…

I love your scripts because I don’t have to focus on so many things.   I just look at the image and rely on muscle-memory. — Michael N. (Radiologist)

Cartoon superhero mascot in green costume beside the bold text AHK Hero on a yellow background AHK Hero

Consider joining the AHK Hero club! Members receive 25% off courses, consultations, tutoring, done for you project work, etc.    Currently we have over 387 hours of recordings teaching AutoHotkey that is exclusive to AHK Hero members❗

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

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

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

  • Hire people that are over-performing in crappy jobs — Dan Kennedy
  • Time is linear; Success doesn’t have to be — Joe Glines
  • Give me 6 hours to chop down a tree and I’ll spend the first 4 sharpening the axe — Abraham Lincoln
  • Better to Remain Silent and Be Thought a Fool than to Speak and Remove All Doubt — Mark Twain

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, Rizwan and staff

P.S. With AGI approaching faster and faster we are in a new era where it isn’t “what you know” it is being able to find a way to solve the problem.

Our team of AHK experts are the best on the planet!

We use AI to create projects for our clients that are light years ahead of others.

Give us a try; I guarantee you’ll be impressed!

AHK Newsletter 2025-03-13 Why I spent $88.32 to overnight a “Onesie”

AutoHotkey Newsletter

Howdy %Name%,

My wife “got the call” early on Thursday last week.

She got her “go bag”, jumped in the car and began the ~3 hour drive to the hospital where her daughter was working on having our third grand-child.

She messaged me during the drive because she realized that she forgot to bring the blanket & “onesie” that she’d bought for the baby’s first outfit and asked if I could over-night it to her or meet her ½ way.

I did a little research and found out I could get it delivered by 10:00 am for $88.32.

We’ve been very busy here at the Automator so, instead of driving 3 hours,

I chose to “buy back time” and pay to have it sent.

People often say we all have the same amount of time in the day however that is a flat-out lie!

Those of us that have can buy-back time!  

It’s one of the main reasons hire us to develop projects for them!  Whether we are buying back time for them, or helping their employees be more productive, the goal is the same!

Get more done in less time!

Now back to the reason for the onesie…  

My wife got there in time for the birth of Kenneth. 

A newborn baby wrapped in a white blanket with grey footprint prints, wearing a white knit hat, held in an adult's arms in a hospital setting

Thankfully the delivery went well and they’re now home resting.

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

Easy Tweak to Add Functionality to all your scripts

Last week we released this video which showed a simple tweak we highly recommend you add this to your scripts!  I’ve come to depend on having it available!

Easily Adding Open Folder and Video link to system Tray Icon in an AHK V2 Script
Easily Adding Open Folder and Video link to system Tray Icon in an AHK V2 Script

Building Menus in AHK v2

A Hero member was having troubles with building menus in AutoHotkey.  Isaias led a short tutorial on building menus which we extracted here.

Learning Menus in AutoHotkey v2 [Excerpt from AHK Hero call]
Learning Menus in AutoHotkey v2 [Excerpt from AHK Hero call]

Intro to RegEx

We put together a great email drip campaign that helps get you started with Regular Expressions.  You can watch the first video here.

5 videos from RegEx course: #1 Using RegEx101
5 videos from RegEx course: #1 Using RegEx101

Improving People’s Lives: Story #40

I had a call with a new client that new very little about AutoHotkey today.   I set him up with a simple function that lets him use HotStrings or Hotkeys to paste snippets of text wherever he wants it (without blanking his clipboard).

While AutoHotkey can do 8-million other things, Hotkeys & HotStrings are, by far, the lowest hanging fruit!  (Both are covered in our Intro to AutoHotkey course)

What we’re reading

AI / Chat GPT-3 News / Usage

⚡️Productivity tips:  A HotKey a day keeps inefficiency at bay!

Most programs have built-in Hotkeys.  Make it a habit to learn one new hotkey per day!

A spot of Humor

I’m considering trying this in my local town.

Cop Shoots Cat Off Of Tree

Cop Shoots Cat Off Of Tree

What we utomated this week with AutoHotkey #78

In this week’s video I walk through 153 AutoHotkey scripts that we worked on over the past week.

Aroudn 14 minutes in I also go into a cool approach I did pushing my libraries into Claude.

What we Automated with AutoHotkey #78
What we Automated with AutoHotkey #78

Client’s say…

I had no idea you could do this with AutoHotkey — Jim F.

Cartoon superhero mascot in green costume beside the bold text AHK Hero on a yellow background AHK Hero

Consider joining the AHK Hero club! Members receive 25% off courses, consultations, tutoring, done for you project work, etc.    Currently we have over 384 hours of recordings teaching AutoHotkey that is exclusive to AHK Hero members❗

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

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

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

  • What gets measured gets improved — Joe Glines
  • If it doesn’t make dollars, it doesn’t make sense — Grandma
  • If there is no wind; row — Virgil
  • Automation is inevitable , and the way we embrace it will define our future. Let’s make sure it’s a future we’re proud of — Elon Musk

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, Rizwan and staff

P.S. Remember, when we use AutoHotkey we are, in essence, “buying time”.  We take more time now to save more time later. 

Or, if you don’t have the time, our developers can typically do in an hour what might take you a week.   I know because that is why I initially hired them!  Yes, they are that good!  

Check out my calendar and schedule a meeting where we can figure out how we can help you.

 

Kenneth and his “big sister”

A toddler girl with pigtails kisses a newborn baby in a brown onesie lying on a white knit blanket beside a plush duck toy

Most common “gotchas” when starting-out with AutoHotkey

When diving into AutoHotkey, beginners often encounter a few common pitfalls. Recognizing these can significantly smooth out the learning process. Here’s a breakdown of the top mistakes:

  1. Neglecting the AHK Documentation:
    • AutoHotkey has excellent, comprehensive documentation. Many beginners try to learn through scattered online examples, which can lead to confusion.
    • Mistake: Not thoroughly reading and understanding the official AutoHotkey documentation.
    • Solution: Prioritize familiarizing yourself with the core concepts and syntax from the official source.  Of course, you also could learn oodles from our AHK Courses
  2. Trying to Imitate a Human instead of using an API approach
    • Most people start off with AutoHotkey sending keystrokes and mouse clicks
    • Mistake: AutoHotkey has built-in ways to automate programs far superior and are much more reliable. This is especially important if you plan to use it on more than 1 comptuer!
    • Solution:Schedule a call with a Pro that can quickly let you know which is the best way to automate your specific program
  3. Trying to Automate an entire process at the start
    • Many people get carried away thinking they can easily automate 100% of a process.
    • Mistake: Automating an entire process takes a lot of time!
    • Solution: Identify the “pain points” and automate those (to start). The next time through, automate a bit more…
  4. Not Using Comments:
    • As scripts grow in complexity, it becomes difficult to remember what each section does.
    • Mistake: Writing scripts without clear and concise comments.
    • Solution: Always add comments to explain the purpose of different code sections. This will make your scripts easier to maintain and debug.  (I guarantee you’ll thank me later❗)
  5. Misuse of Hotkeys and Hotstrings:
    • Choosing hotkeys that conflict with existing system shortcuts or creating hotstrings that trigger unintentionally.
    • Mistake: Using common key combinations or creating hotstrings that are too short.
    • Solution: Select unique and less frequently used hotkey combinations. Test hotstrings thoroughly to avoid unintended triggers. Binding them to a program, by making them context sensitive, can greatly reduce this issue!  We cover Hotkeys & HotStrings in Intro to AHK
  6. Not Understanding How to do basic Debugging:
    • When a script doesn’t work as expected, beginners often struggle to identify the cause.
    • Mistake: Not utilizing MsgBox or other debugging techniques to track variable values and script execution.
    • Solution: Learn to use debugging tools and techniques to identify and fix errors.
  7. Working in a “bubble“:
    • When people try and learn AutoHotkey on their own they often waste an incredible amount of time.
    • Mistake: Not finding a “coding buddy” / expert to ask questions to.
    • Solution: If you don’t know anyone, the AHK Hero Club is an excellent way to get help from AHK Experts!
  8. Working with AHK v1 instead of AHK v2:
    • A lot of people are using AHK v1 because there are so many examples
    • Mistake: AutoHotkey v1 is depricated.  There are no updates being done and new funcionality is not being added.  For all intents and purposes AHK v1 is dead.
    • Solution: AHK v2 solves many of the issues AHK v1 had.  It was in development for over 10 years and now is the official version.  If you wan to use AI to help write V2 Code, I definitely recommend Claude or Deepseek.   We have an excellent AHK v1 to v2 course.

By being aware of these common mistakes, you can significantly improve your AutoHotkey learning experience.