FireKey2

Create system wide hotkeys to run programs or perform other tasks.

Created by Rob Saunders (rob@therks.com / http://therks.com)
Written in the AutoIt (v3) scripting language (http://www.autoitscript.com)

    Contents:
  1. Special thanks
  2. Creating a hotkey (quick and dirty)
  3. Creating a hotkey (thorough explanation)
  4. Options menu
  5. Limitations
  6. History

Special thanks:

Creating a hotkey (quick and dirty):

  1. Double click the FireKey2 icon in the system tray.
  2. Click Add HotKey
  3. Click Choose and choose a key combination.
  4. In the Path field, enter the path to file you want to run.
  5. Click OK.

Creating a hotkey (thorough explanation):

  1. Double click the FireKey2 icon in your system tray (the area near the clock). The main FireKey2 window will appear.
  2. Click the Add HotKey button at the bottom of the window. The Add/Edit HotKey window will appear.
  3. Click the Choose button at the top of the window and decide what key combination you'd like to use.
    If the Detect Key button is selected then the program will try to auto select whatever key combination you press (some combinations cannot be detected).
    Otherwise, click the buttons for each modifier (Win, Alt, etc) you want to use and then choose the base key from the drop down list.
    For example, if you want to use the number pad asterisk (*) plus the Windows and Control keys you would click Win, Ctrl, and then choose NumPad Multiply from the list.
    Then click OK.
    Now the key combination you chose should be displayed in the box at the top of the window.

    Note: Some hotkey combinations (Win+R, Win+E, etc) will be in use and blocked by Windows or other applications.
    If the program detects you have chosen a blocked hotkey it will warn you and you may choose another.
    Alternatively, you can try to use the virtual key method which is explained further below.

  4. If you are worried about accidentally pressing this hotkey and doing something you don't want (like shut down your computer or start a slow program) then you can check the box for
    Confirm before performing function and you will be shown a confirmation dialog when you press the hotkey. This is recommended for functions like Hibernate or Shutdown.
  5. Sometimes you may want to use a hotkey combination that is already in use by another program or by Windows itself. In this case try checking off the Use virtual key hook box as you
    define your hotkey. Most hotkeys will work using this method but the program may have issues if you press the key repeatedly, or if something makes the program delay (like a confirmation
    prompt) and the original hotkey may leak through. Unfortunately I have no fix for this.
    ie: If you set a virtual hotkey to Win+E, then spam the hotkey, Windows Explorer will probably open a few times.
  6. Now choose the function you want to execute when you press your hotkey. There are a variety of functions here like volume adjust (raise/lower, mute), window manipulation (maximize, minimize),
    power options (log off, shutdown, hibernate) and some functions specific for FireKey (open/toggle the key list, shutdown FireKey).
  7. Some function details:
    1. If you want to launch a program or open a file/folder, choose Run.
      In the Path field below, type the location of whatever you want to run, or click one of the buttons on the end to browse for it.
      · If you want to browse for a file click the first button, if you want to browse for a folder click the second.
      If you are launching a program and not a file then any command line options you want to specify must be entered in the Parameters field.
      The working directory, or "Start in" folder, can be specified in the Working Dir field, and the Window drop down list will allow you to select
      how the window should appear when the program is launched (not all programs respect this setting).
    2. If you want to raise, lower or mute the system volume, choose Volume Adjust.
      If you want to adjust the volume, check the Amount selector below and then enter how much you want the volume to change on each key press.
      The amount is based on 100 being full volume and 0 being silent. So if you want to go from full volume to silence in 4 key presses then you could enter -25.
      If you want a visible meter that shows the volume level whenever the adjustment is made you can check the Display Meter box.
      If you just want to toggle muting the volume then check the Toggle Mute selector.
  8. When you have finished selecting and configuring the function for your hotkey click OK and your hotkey will now be usable and you will be returned to the key list window.

Options menu:

Limitations:

The number pad Enter key cannot be differentiated from the normal Enter key so any hotkey that uses Enter can be triggered by both the number pad and main Enter keys.

The following keys/combos cannot be used:

History:

I wrote the first FireKey for myself to replace a program called WinKey. WinKey was nice, but limited in that it only had support for a preset list of key combinations.
For example, you couldn't create hotkeys with punctuation or the Alt key. FireKey allowed just about any combination of modifiers and a base key.
I originally started rewriting FireKey back in late 2006 but kept losing interest and motivation and instead patched in hacky fixes to the original code.
I worked on it off and on for a while and finally "finished" it at work during a rather long and boring night shift.
I still tinker with it now and then, but there's not much left I can do with it.