AutoHotkey Webinar #51 Sep 2020: Hour 1 Helping attendees with their code

In the first hour of the AutoHotkey webinar we worked through some examples from attendees and their issues. You can get the resources shared here: https://www.the-automator.com/autohotkey-webinar-51-helping-attendees-with-their-code/
See past AutoHotkey webinars here: http://the-automator.com/webinars/

TLDR: AutoHotkey is a powerful tool for automating tasks and improving functionality in various work scenarios, but it's important to consider its limitations and adjust coordinates based on screen resolution for reliability.

1. 00:00 📅 AutoHotkey webinar #51 discussed code sharing, feedback on courses, using a second keyboard for hot keys, ordering stickers from Amazon, and the development of a new GUI course.
1.1 Joe and Jackie host the 51st AutoHotkey webinar, with 54 registrants and a reminder to mute themselves to avoid background noise.
1.2 The speaker discussed code sharing, feedback on AutoHotkey courses, and using a second keyboard for hot keys.
1.3 AutoHotkey can be used to detect and customize key inputs, and stickers can be ordered from Amazon for this purpose.
1.4 A new course on GUIs for AutoHotkey is being developed and will be available in about three weeks, providing a resource for people to easily learn about this advanced topic.

2. 03:55 🎙️ The speaker discusses using AutoHotkey to hide taskbar and program windows when launching OBS, troubleshoots a script, and demonstrates running AutoHotkey on Linux through Windows.
2.1 The speaker discusses using a script to hide the taskbar and program windows when launching OBS for AutoHotkey videos.
2.2 The speaker created a second function to reverse the settings and add a hotkey, but initially only had a function without a hotkey, and then realized it would be simpler to write one function to toggle the settings.
2.3 The speaker troubleshoots a script and invites attendees to share their work before diving into the example.
2.4 AutoHotkey and Quick Access can run on Linux through the Windows Subsystem for Linux, allowing for the installation of different distributions and long-term support.
2.5 The speaker discusses troubleshooting a Linux GUI application and demonstrates how to install Firefox on Linux using the terminal.
2.6 AutoHotkey can be used on Linux through running it on top of Windows, allowing for text expansion and hot strings to work as if it were on a Windows system.

3. 14:44 🔍 Microsoft is integrating Linux into Windows, and a client is using AutoHotkey to solve a problem with Dropbox on their server, discussing how to identify and handle specific windows and using timers to reduce race conditions.
3.1 Microsoft is integrating Linux into Windows, and a client is using AutoHotkey to solve a problem with Dropbox on their server.
3.2 AutoHotkey can watch for a specific window with a specific title, but the issue is that the title of the windows is just "dropbox," which doesn't help identify what to do with it.
3.3 You can use Windows Spy to examine the window and access the text of most usual windows, and most AutoHotkey commands have a window text parameter.
3.4 The macro should immediately start waiting for a window with a specific title or dialog text, and then handle it before going back to waiting, possibly using a loop command.
3.5 Use separate scripts to handle monitoring for two different windows, or set up a timer to periodically check for a specific window.
3.6 The code may have less race conditions with the use of timers, which can be put in a loop to look for instances.

4. 24:17 🔍 Using control send and control click to automate tasks, emphasizing the need to test on actual windows and the benefit of AutoHotkey connecting to older programs.
4.1 The speaker discusses using control send to click a specific button and the lack of an accelerator key for sending commands.
4.2 The discussion covers using control click to differentiate between specific controls in a window and suggests using a real example like notepad to demonstrate.
5. 29:31 📝 The speaker discusses running AutoHotkey scripts on a server, using visible text within windows, manipulating text elements in dialog boxes, identifying specific elements, and sending commands to buttons
6. 38:32 👨‍💻 AutoHotkey commands are efficient for interacting with older programs, use "control send" instead of "control click", and have a contingency plan within a loop to avoid endless loops and overburdening resources

7. 48:16 🕒 Setting a timer to check for a window every 100 milliseconds can provide more control, and checking for a file every 15 seconds is likely fast enough without significantly impacting the PC

8. 56:35 🤖 AutoHotkey is great for automating tasks and improving functionality in various work scenarios, but it's important to consider the limitations of using acc data and adjust coordinates based on screen resolution for reliability.

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