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Posts tagged "Google Sheets API AutoHotkey"

AHK News 2025-11-13: How to Identify Tasks for Automation

Howdy,

Previously I’ve made videos on how our brain works differently when we explain things to other people.

Well I’ve been blown away by how much more of my work I’ve been able to automate because of conversations I’ve had with my son (when I was training him to edit our vidoes)

Just like with debugging, you don’t have to be talking to an expert.

When you explain what you’re doing your brain “works differently.”

One of the best things the person you’re talking to can do to help is to question your assumptions.

Surprisingly I find it can help if the person is less knowledgeable about what you do.

They are more likely to, unwittingly, question your assumptions (because they don’t “know better”).

So my advice is to find somebody that’s willing to listen to you and explain your process to them.

Ask them for ideas on things to automate (just not how to do it).

When they propose something, don’t explain “why their suggestion isn’t possible.”

Think about what you would have to do in order to make it possible.

Remember to question your assumptions

Of course you could also just join an AHK Hero call and have a bunch of people throw ideas out to you…

Now on with the show…

Access all our Courses; Quit when you want

Identifying Path of #Included File

During an AHK Hero call Connie asked if we could “detect” where a given file had been Included from.

It was a pretty interesting challenge which we discussed in this video.

Identifying the #included path

Backing Up Your Post

Have you ever been filling out a form / writing something in a browser and “lost” all the content of what you’ve written❓

That’s what Hero member Harry challenged us with. Isaias came up with an interesting solution with AutoHotkey, and I offered a JavaScript version at the end with a Bookmarklet.

Auto Backing-up Forum post

Why Shared Scripts Break

During an AHK Hero call we walked through this list of the Common Reasons why your AHK scripts might break when shared with others (or ran on a 2^nd computer).

You can watch our discussion here.

Why Scripts Break when Shared

Benefits of Setting your Working Directory

While developing AHK Script Maker, Hero member Connie found an issue where AutomateMyTask would not run.

It failed to run because the script relied on relative paths but we failed to set the Working Directory with SetWorkingDir.

Check out the full discussion in this video.

Benefit of Set Working Directory and Relative Paths

Keep Computers up to date with Action1

For one of our clients we’re constantly pushing updated versions of our tools to their 9 computers.

Originally we had to remote in to each computer and transfer the files, however Isaias knew there had to be a “better way”.

After some research and testing we settled on Action1.

Learn more about this (mostly) free tool in this video.

Remotely control computers with Action1

Improving People’s Lives: Story #70

I was on a consultation call with AJ (the client we’re working on the 2^nd keyboard tool for) when he mentioned how he needs to use a new hotkey 3 times in order to remember it.

After our call I sent him our HotKeyString lookup tool which can make it very easy to find those created HotStrings / Hotkeys.

What we’re reading

Win11 is changing pictures in Phone Link
How to add more USB ports to your Android phone
Stop plugging in Peripherals to the wrong USB ports
Windows 11 has an emergency shutdown option
8 Excel tips from master presenter Leila Gharani

AI News that you Need to Know

Deploy apps live in minutes with Google’s AI Studio
Google maps’ biggest updates ever❗
Ask Claude about your upcoming meetings

Screen sharing and Highlighting with CoPilot

⚡️Productivity tips:

Great Windows Hotkeys, do you know them all❓

Amazing Windows Shortcuts You Aren’t Using

A spot of Humor:

If you’ve ever shot a pistol you know how ludicrous this is!

Lethal Weapon – “Target Practice”

What we utomated this week with AutoHotkey #110

In this week’s video, I walk you through a bunch of client projects and tools we cranked out with AutoHotkey – everything from creating a secondary keyboard that actually works on different hardware setups to wrestling with Google Sheets API (which was a fun adventure!).

We tackled some really cool automation challenges like capturing video content from the internet and building distributable programs that solve real-world problems.

It’s amazing how much tedious work you can eliminate when you get creative with AutoHotkey!

What we Autoamted with AutoHotkey #110

Clients say…

I am so thankful for all you are doing to help us in this conversion and our mission to produce a solid product. — Stephanie Holland

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 487 hours of recordings teaching AutoHotkey that is exclusive to AHK Hero members❗

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

Help AHK Hero Members with their Questions & Code
Regular Expressions: Differences between AHK and RegEx101
Using Edit field to Filter a list
- Change Search to “Fuzzy” match via RegEx
Adding Check for Update to Ahk Script Maker
Using a Ternary to easily apply changes based on logic (instead of using an “if”)
Changing show 50 on YouTube- rethinking our UIA script
Changing our Licenses to be a 1-time check instead of checking on start every time
Comparing strings, case sensitivity, how to handle when in map, etc.
Using SendTo for passing multiple files to a script

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

The secret to getting things done is to get started; The secret to getting started is to divide your task into small pieces with “quick wins”. — Joe Glines
Never give up, never surrender, and always go for the win. — Charlie Kirk
Work hard, Be honest, Be kind — Buckin’ Billy Ray Smith

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The-Automator

Joe, Isaias, Irfan and staff

P.S. You really should get another set of eyes on your processes.

You’ll be amazed at how much more can be automated!

AHK News: Why I fired my son last Sunday❗

Howdy %Name%,

A couple of months ago I hired my son to help me edit videos and work on the-Automator business.

I was impressed how fast he was learning to edit videos and upload our AHK Hero Call summaries to WordPress.

But, like many people, he hadn’t learned to prioritize keeping the boss happy over “his wants”.

Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t asking him to be like me.

During my junior and Senior years of High school, I worked ~ 60 hours a week. And, when I finished working my way through college, I frequently worked 80+ hours a week for Corporate America.

But the crazy hours I put in for Corporate America were mainly of my choosing and was mostly where I was investing in myself (learning to work smarter, not harder).

I fired my son because I felt he was “soft” and needed a “reality check”. (excuse the pun)

He can continue to live here while in College and I’ll keep him fed but he’ll have to fend for himself for money.

If he shows signs of realizing his poor judgment choosing to play online games with friends and leaving me waiting for him to work then I’ll reconsider.

The best part about being a Strategic / “Long-Term” thinker is that I don’t even feel bad because I know I’m “helping him“.

What do you think %name%, am I a “meanie“❓

Now on with the show…

How AI can save you Thousands of Dollars and Reduce your Stress

I think most of us have used AI for some basic things but I came across a wonderful use case where AI can save you a crazy amount of money (and greatly reduce your stress).

Fittingly I used AI to create a video explaining how to use AI to save a fortune!

How to Use AI to fight Unfair / Complex Bills

Configuring New File Templates for AHK v2

During an AHK Hero call we got an interesting question about configuring a New File Template for AutoHotkey.

In this video Isaias walked us through how easy it is to configure multiple templates! It’s easier than you think!

Configuring your AutoHotkey v2 New File Templates

Greatly Simplify Your Code by Using Groups

Sometimes you want conditions based on multiple programs / windows etc. In that case using the Group methods can be a lifesaver! Check out how Isaias used them in this video.

Using Groups to Make your AutoHotkey Coding Life Easier❗

Using a Ternary to Simplify your Code

I was using Claude to create a tool. I’d given it our Notify class and told it I wanted a different notification based on conditions.

I have to admit I was surprised (in a good way) when I looked at the code.

We walk through it in this video.

Using Ternary with Notify

Improving People’s Lives: Story #69

A few months back our client AJ had mentioned he was tired of “buying new Stream Decks” because he kept killing his. We finally got the Hotkeys for 2^nd keyboard script working properly.

It needs more work before we share it with the general public but we got our client configured during a consultation.

Now he can map keys on a 2^nd keyboard to actions!