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Unplug Your Mouse: Workflow Automation With Uto Ot Ey

Keyboard shortcuts and AutoHotkey scripts can be used to automate repetitive tasks and improve workflow. The document provides examples of shortcuts for Windows Explorer, ACDSee Viewer and Firefox. It also demonstrates simple and complex AutoHotkey scripts, such as creating folders, renaming files, and pasting files into multiple folders. An application for entering metadata keywords from a document into an XML file is outlined in multiple steps. Tools for creating, testing and troubleshooting AutoHotkey scripts are also listed.

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Zesorith Thunder
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102 views24 pages

Unplug Your Mouse: Workflow Automation With Uto Ot Ey

Keyboard shortcuts and AutoHotkey scripts can be used to automate repetitive tasks and improve workflow. The document provides examples of shortcuts for Windows Explorer, ACDSee Viewer and Firefox. It also demonstrates simple and complex AutoHotkey scripts, such as creating folders, renaming files, and pasting files into multiple folders. An application for entering metadata keywords from a document into an XML file is outlined in multiple steps. Tools for creating, testing and troubleshooting AutoHotkey scripts are also listed.

Uploaded by

Zesorith Thunder
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Unplug Your Mouse

Workflow Automation
with AutoHotKey

Andrew Weidner
Robert Wilson
Mice make simple things easy
and complex things impossible.
Mice make simple things easy
and complex things impossible.
Mice are useful and fun, but they tend to
slow down repetitive file management tasks.
Do things faster with your keyboard.
Keyboard Optimization: why type fifty-two keys
when you can do the same thing with two?

(Ctrl + 4)
Overview

• Keyboard Shortcuts
• AutoHotkey Scripts
• Tools & References
• Demonstration
Keyboard Shortcuts
Windows Explorer

Tab = cycle fields (add Shift to reverse)


Alt + Tab = application switcher
Enter = open selected file/folder
Backspace = return to parent folder
Alt + F + M = rename selected file/folder (also F2)
Alt + F + W + F = create a new folder
Home/End = go to first/last file
Keyboard Shortcuts
ACDSee Viewer

Page Down = next image


Page Up = previous image
(NumPad) * = fit image to window
(NumPad) + = zoom in
(NumPad) - = zoom out
Arrow Keys = move around the image
Home/End = go to first/last image
Keyboard Shortcuts
Mozilla Firefox

Ctrl + T = open new tab


Ctrl + Tab = cycle tabs (add Shift to reverse)
Alt + Left = go to previous page (also Backspace)
Ctrl + L = focus on address bar
Tab = cycle links (add Shift to reverse)
Arrow Keys = scroll through the page
Ctrl + B = show/hide bookmarks sidebar
AutoHotkey Scripts
Simple: another Enter key

; plain text file with .AHK extension


; comments begin with a semicolon

; define the hotkey: Alt + a


!a::
; define the action
Send, {Enter}
AutoHotkey Scripts
Simple: type some text

; hotkey: Ctrl + 1
^1::

; use the ` symbol before a literal comma


; `n inserts a new line, `t inserts a tab
Send, Sincerely`,`n`t
AutoHotkey Scripts
Complex: create a folder

; hotkey: Win + k
#k::
Send, {AltDown}f{AltUp}
Sleep, 200
Send, w
Sleep, 200
Send, f
AutoHotkey Scripts
Complex: rename a file

; hotkey: Ctrl + Alt + r


^!r::
Send, {F2}
Sleep, 200
Send, {Home}
Sleep, 200
Send, 2013
AutoHotkey Scripts
Complex: paste a file in multiple folders
Pause::Pause ; pause script with the Pause key
!v::
Send, {CtrlDown}v{CtrlUp}
sleep, 400
Loop {
Send, {Backspace}
Sleep, 1400
Send, {Down}
Sleep, 400
Send, {Enter}
Sleep, 800
Send, {CtrlDown}v{CtrlUp}
Sleep, 400
}
AutoHotkey Scripts
Complex: open with Photoshop

NumpadDot & NumpadEnter::


ClipMem = %Clipboard% ; save current clipboard value
clipboard =
Send, ^c ; copy the file name
ClipWait
; insert the file name at the end of the Photoshop Run command
Run, C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS5 (64 Bit)\Photoshop.exe %clipboard%
clipboard = %ClipMem% ; restore the original clipboard value
Return
AutoHotkey Scripts
Application: ETD_Metadata

Finds keywords in author-provided metadata


and enters them in an XML file.
ETD Metadata: Part 1
Open author-provided metadata
#Home::
DefinedAddress =  Declare blank variables for future use
DefinedKeywords =
KeywordMeta =
Clipboard =  Copy file path
SendInput, {F4}{ControlDown}a{ControlUp}
sleep, 200
Send ^c
ClipWait
Sleep, 100
DefinedAddress = %clipboard%  Assign file path to variable

SetWorkingDir, %DefinedAddress%  Open index.docx file in Wordpad


Run, Wordpad.exe index.docx
WinWaitActive, index
ETD Metadata: Part 2
Find Keywords
Keywords:  Function title
Sleep, 100
clipboard =  Open Find dialog
SendInput, {CtrlDown}f{CtrlUp}
WinWaitActive, Find
Sleep, 100  Type ‘Keywords’
SendInput, Keywords
Sleep, 100
SendInput, {Enter}{Esc}
Sleep, 100
SendInput, {Tab}
Send ^c  Copy text
ClipWait  Store text in variable for later use
DefinedKeywords = %clipboard%
ETD Metadata: Part 3
Create GUI for Keyword Input
/* Comma + space occurrences in DefinedKeywords variable are replaced
with Tab so keywords are sent to appropriate fields later */
StringReplace, DefinedKeywords, DefinedKeywords, `,%A_Space%, %a_tab%, all

; create window for keyword input, separated into individual variables


KeywordWindow:
Gui, 30:+AlwaysOnTop
Gui, 30:Add, Text, x6 y6 w100, Keyword1:
Gui, 30:Add, Edit, x6 y+5 w100 vKeyword1

Gui, 30:Add, Text, x6 y6 w100, Keyword2:


Gui, 30:Add, Edit, x6 y+5 w100 vKeyword2
; code repeats to Keyword10
ETD Metadata: Part 4
Send Keywords
; submit each field as a defined variable: Keyword1-10

Gui, 30:Add, Button, x6 default, OK  Create OK Button


Gui, 30:Show,, Keywords

Sleep, 100
WinActivate, Keywords
SendInput, %DefinedKeywords%  Send formatted keywords
Sleep, 100

30GuiClose:
30ButtonOK:  Close Window
Gui, 30:Submit
ETD Metadata: Part 5
Open Metadata XML File
IfExist, C:\Program Files\jEdit\jedit.exe  Open metadata.xml in jEdit (.exe or .bat)
Run, C:\Program Files\jEdit\jedit.exe metadata.xml
Else
Run, C:\Program Files\jEdit\jedit.bat metadata.xml

WinWait, jEdit  Wait for jEdit


Sleep, 1000 to load the file

SendInput, ^{Home}  Move to


Sleep, 200 top of file

Send, {ControlDown}f{ControlUp}
Sleep, 200
 Open Search
window
ETD Metadata: Part 6
Prepare for Keyword Entry
WinWait, Search And Replace,  Wait for Search window to open
IfWinNotActive, Search And Replace, , WinActivate, Search And Replace,
WinWaitActive, Search And Replace,  Search for ‘#Keywordmeta’
SendInput, {#}{ShiftDown}k{ShiftUp}eywordmeta{Enter}
Sleep, 200  Types ‘#Keywordmeta’
SendInput, {Esc}
 Close Search window
‘#Keywordmeta’ is highlighted
ETD Metadata: Part 7
Enter Keywords
If (Keyword1 <> "")  Send keywords stored in
SendInput, <subject qualifier="KWD">%Keyword1%</subject> variables (IF they exist!)
Sleep, 100
If (Keyword2 <> "")
SendInput, `r<subject qualifier="KWD">%Keyword2%</subject>
Sleep, 100
; code repeats to Keyword10
Tools & References

• AutoHotkey Recorder: produces script code


• Mobile AutoHotkey: use on any Windows system
• AutoIt Window Spy: screen coordinates & title info
• Website: www.autohotkey.com
• Documentation: www.autohotkey.com/docs
• Forum: www.autohotkey.com/board
Demonstration

• ETD_Metadata (rw)
• SuperPaste (rw)
• OpenWithPhotoshop (rw)
• TDNP_Microfilm (aw)
• NewspaperNotes (aw)
• DashboardTools (aw)

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