Many of you are probably already familiar with AutoHotKey. This modest and gratuitous utility lets you automate tasks and brand your PC piece of work exactly the way you lot desire it to. The program is driven past a custom scripting language that's easy to understand -- even for someone with fiddling or no programming feel.

You lot can write a macro using a uncomplicated text editor, similar notepad, or use the included macro recorder to create hotkeys for nigh any push button or combination of keys. That may not sound like a large deal, just once you beginning grasping its potential yous'll see it can exist incredibly handy.

For example, you can assign a hotkey to launch any application you use regularly, or just switch to it if it is already running; assign abbreviations that expand every bit you type them; save fourth dimension on repetitive tasks by setting the figurer to auto-click a confirmation screen; or brand the 'Gyre Lock' and Pause/Interruption keys do something useful for a change. The all-time part is that scripts can be compiled into an executable file and run on computers that don't have AutoHotkey installed.

Today nosotros'll be looking at three simple time-saving scripts that tin make your life easier and more productive.

Set up any window to bear witness 'Always on Pinnacle'

There's an endless number of scenarios where it tin be useful to have a window show "on peak," even so this functionality is unremarkably crippled past how inaccessible it is depending on the program. For case, say yous're trying to use the Windows Calculator and a PDF file at the same time, demand to copy data from one document to another, or simply want a chat window visible while working on other stuff. Some programs take this selection congenital in them, but if yous simply can't exist bothered with looking for it every time then a simple script tin save you from constantly shuffling back and along betwixt windows.

Only create a new text file on Notepad, enter "^SPACE:: Winset, Alwaysontop, , A" (without the quotes), and salvage it as apparently text with the .ahk file extension. Double-clicking this file loads the script on AutoHotKey. Now you can select any window and press Ctrl+Space to keep information technology on top fifty-fifty when information technology's not the active window. You tin can modify the "^SPACE" portion to whatever y'all similar if you would prefer to use some other hotkey, just remember to reload the script.

Toggle subconscious files and extensions visibility with a shortcut

If you regularly need to admission hidden files or change file extensions merely don't similar the extra clutter that comes with leaving them always visible, there's an easy style to toggle them on or off without the hassle of going into the Windows Explorer options every fourth dimension.

Create a text file and paste the following code: (credit How-To Geek)

; WINDOWS Fundamental + Y TOGGLES FILE EXTENSIONS

#y:: RegRead, HiddenFiles_Status, HKEY_CURRENT_USER, Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Avant-garde, HideFileExt If HiddenFiles_Status = 1 RegWrite, REG_DWORD, HKEY_CURRENT_USER, Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced, HideFileExt, 0 Else RegWrite, REG_DWORD, HKEY_CURRENT_USER, Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced, HideFileExt, 1 WinGetClass, eh_Class,A If (eh_Class = "#32770″ OR A_OSVersion = "WIN_VISTA") send, {F5} Else PostMessage, 0×111, 28931,,, A Render

; WINDOWS Primal + H TOGGLES Hidden FILES

#h:: RegRead, HiddenFiles_Status, HKEY_CURRENT_USER, Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced, Subconscious If HiddenFiles_Status = 2 RegWrite, REG_DWORD, HKEY_CURRENT_USER, Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced, Hidden, ane Else RegWrite, REG_DWORD, HKEY_CURRENT_USER, Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Avant-garde, Hidden, two WinGetClass, eh_Class,A If (eh_Class = "#32770" OR A_OSVersion = "WIN_VISTA") send, {F5} Else PostMessage, 0x111, 28931,,, A Return

Double-clicking this file will load the script on AutoHotKey. At present you lot can toggle hidden folders using the Windows Key + H and toggle file extensions using Windows Key + Y. Again, y'all tin can change the key combination to any you lot like.

Send yourself quick electronic mail reminders

Ideas often come up when you are in the eye of something else, but if yous neglect writing them down immediately equally they come it'due south likely y'all'll exist sorry later trying to remember what they were.

Ane simple mode of going about when in that location's no pen and paper at hand is sending yourself quick e-mail reminders. With a simple AutoHotKey script you can save a lot of fourth dimension and avoid distractions by not having to even open an email customer or browser window.

Offset y'all'll need to catch this VBScript file from Cybernet News and customize it with your email account details – basically your email address and countersign. In one case yous've done that yous'll need to create a new AutoHotkey script in the aforementioned binder with the text below, replacing the e-mail address with your own: (credit Lifehacker)

#!e:: { InputBox, UserInput, Quick Email, Reminder:, , 380, 170 If Not ErrorLevel { Run, cscript.exe sendemail.vbs "e-mail@gmail.com" "%UserInput%" "",, Min } Return }

After loading the script you tin hit the Win+Alt+E shortcut cardinal (or whatever you change it to by replacing the "#!e" portion), type in your reminder into the box and hit enter. An email volition be sent to your email business relationship with the reminder in the field of study line. Note that the VBS script you lot downloaded showtime is configured to piece of work with Gmail accounts but you tin can use information technology with other services past modifying the SMTP server configuration. Also, it would be wise to either encrypt the file or at least creating an extra email business relationship just for sending these emails, since the password would be stored in plain text.

This is just scratching the surface of what AutoHotKey can do. You can discover many helpful resources on their developer's forum and around the Web. If you lot regularly use other scripts that you discover useful, feel gratuitous to share them in the comments.

We'll be on the sentinel for more time-saving ideas to revisit this topic in the time to come. In the meantime yous tin download the aforementioned scripts in a single executable file here to run them without AutoHotKey installed.