Hot Keys

Hot Keys is a global hot key utility which allows you to define keys strokes to activate applications and open documents from any context on the Windows desktop.  Hot Keys also has a menu interface to pick applications to run.

Introduction

What is the Hot Keys application?

How To...

Activate the Hot Keys menu

Configure Hot Keys

Drag and Drop new items

Import Groups from Program Manager

Install Hot Keys as your Windows Shell

About the hTools utilities...

Registering hTools

Technical Support and Customer Service

Legal Notices and Disclaimers

Copyright © 1994 R2M Software Company 	v1.3


   What is the Hot Keys Application?

Hot Keys is a global hot key utility and program launcher which lets you launch your most often used programs and documents from any where in the Microsoft Windows environment.

Hot Keys is accessed by clicking with the secondary mouse button on the desktop, or clicking on the Hot Keys icon.  The icon may optionally not be displayed.  This displays a pop up menu, which contains a list of items that you configure.  The menu is fully configurable, with sub-menus, menu breaks, and separators.

Setting up applications for Hot Keys is a breeze with drag and drop file support for File Manager, and you may also import existing program groups from Program Manager.

A set of key strokes (the Hot Key) may be assigned to each item on the menu.  This allows the application to be accessed from any other application.  For instance, you may assign Ctrl + Alt + D to start an MS-DOS prompt.

Besides supporting programs and documents, hot keys supports internal commands for such functions as exiting windows, or a run dialog box.  Bailing out of windows can be as simple as pressing Ctrl + Alt + X.


The secondary mouse button is the rightmost button if you are using a right handed mouse setup, or the leftmost button if you are using a left handed mouse setup.  This setting can be changed by selecting the mouse icon in Control Panel.


Hot Keys Menu

The hot keys menu is activated by

•	Clicking with the secondary mouse button on the desk top

•	Double clicking the Hot keys Icon on the desk top.

•	- or - by pressing a hot key combination that has been assigned to do this.  By default, this hot key is Ctrl + Alt + H.

From the Hot Keys Menu, you can active a previously assigned application, or display the Hot Keys setup dialog to change or add menu items and Hot Key assignments.


Arranging Menu Items

You may arrange your menu items in the Hot Keys setup or pop-up menu setup dialog boxes.

•	To arrange move a menu item, select the item in the list, and click either the Up or Down button to change its position.

•	If you wish to remove a menu item, select the item in the list, and click the Remove button.

•	You may also move a menu item from one menu to another by using the clipboard to move a menu item from one setup dialog to another.


Parameters are optional words or switches used with an application.  For instance, to run the notepad application with a file already open in it's window, you would type "notepad  readme.txt".  The file name after the program name is the parameter.


Run Dialog

The run dialog is displayed when the internal command !run is used.  The run dialog allows you to type a command line for windows, much like using the Run command from Program Manager's file menu.

•	In the Command Line edit field, type the name of the application, that you wish to start along with any optional parameters.  You may also select previous command from the pull down list.  Press the Enter key, or the OK button to carry out the command.

•	To find the name of an application, you may use the Browse button to display the Browse dialog box.


Hot Keys Setup Dialog

The Hot Keys setup dialog is activated by selecting the item from the Hot Keys menu or by pressing the hot key combination that has been assigned to it.  While this dialog is displayed, all Hot Key assignments will temporarily be disabled.

•	In this dialog you may assign the Setup Hot Key and the Menu Hot Key.  The setup hot key brings up this dialog box.  The menu hot key displays the menu.  For an explanation on how to assign a hot key using these field, see the Hot Key Assignment Field topic.

•	The dialog box displays a list of the top level menu that is displayed for the Hot Keys menu.  To edit and existing item, double click on the item with the mouse, or click the Edit... button.  This will either display the Item Setup dialog, or the Pop-up Menu Setup dialog.

•	To add a new item to the list, click the Add button.  This will display the New Hot Key Item dialog.

•	To save desk top space, you may turn on the Hide Icon selection to hide the Hot Key icon.

•	Hotkeys may be installed as your Windows shell instead of Program Manager.  To do this, you may turn on the Windows Shell selection.  If you wish Program Manager to be your Windows shell instead of Hot Keys, turn this selection off.

•	To save any changed that you may have made to your Hot Key Setup, click the Save button.  If you wish to not save any changes, click on the Cancel button.

•	To terminate Hot Keys, click the Exit button.  You may also terminate the program by selecting Close from the control menu of the Hot Keys icon.

See also:

Using the Clipboard to Move Menu Items

Arranging Menu Items


Hot Key Assignment Field

The Hot Key assignment field allows you to enter the hot key sequence the same way as you would use it.  A Hot Key sequence consists of any key, along with the Alt key, and either the Shift or Ctrl keys.  As you enter the key strokes, they will be displayed in the assignment field.  The modifier keys, Alt, Shift, and Ctrl must be pressed before the other key is pressed.

Some keys cannot be used as Hot Keys.  These are:

•	Any key sequence that uses the Esc key.

•	Any key sequence that uses Tab key.

•	Any key sequence that uses Enter key.

The function keys, numeric key pad, and editing keys may be used in a hot key sequence, as well as any of the printable characters on the key board.


New Hot Key Menu Item

This dialog allows you to choose what kind of item to add to a menu list.  Selecting a menu item will display the Item Setup dialog which adds a item to the menu list which actives an application.  This item may be assigned a hot key.

•	Selecting a separator will add a menu separator to the list.  You can use separators to organize your Hot Key menus into logical groups.

•	Selecting a menu break will cause the next item in the menu to start a new column in the menu.

•	Selecting a pop-up menu will display the Pop-up Menu Setup dialog, which adds a Pop-up menu  to the menu list.

•	Selecting import groups will display the Import Groups from Program Manager  dialog box, which allows you to import groups from Program Manager.

•	If you change your mind, press the Cancel button to not add anything to the menu, otherwise, click the OK button.


Hot Key Item Setup Dialog

The hot key item setup dialog allows you to configure an item that can be launched using Hot Keys.

•	The Menu Text edit field is for the text that is displayed in the Hot Key menu.  The text may include an ampersand "&" character for a short cut key used in the menu.  When the menu is displayed, the character after the ampersand is shown using an underline.

•	The Command Line edit field is for the command string used to execute the command.  The command line may contain parameters.  The command line may also contain the name of a document file instead of an application which has an association with application.  Any file that can be opened in File Manager can be used in the command line.  Instead of an application or document, the command line may also be a special internal command.

•	The Browse... button may be used to select a program or document file to be used in the command line, by displaying the Browse Dialog.

•	The Icon... button may be used to select an icon for a non-Windows program.  This is the icon that appears when the application is minimized.  Icons cannot be changed for Windows applications.

•	The Startup Directory edit field is for an optional directory to be the current directory when the application is started.

•	The Hot Key edit field is used to assign a global hot key to the item. For an explanation on how to assign a hot key using these field, see the Hot Key Assignment Field topic.

•	The Assign to App option, when selected, assigns the hot key to the window that has already been opened using the hot key rather than opening a new window.  Any hot key assignments that have been assigned to opened windows using Program Manager, or in a PIF File will be override a hot key assigned in Hot Keys.  If you want Hot Keys to open a new window for an application, you should remove these hot key assignments made in a PIF file or in Program Manager.

•	The Show As buttons control how the application is opened.  Choose Normal to display the window normally.  Choose Minimized to display the application as an icon.  Choose Maximized to display the application using the whole screen.  Keep in mind that not all applications will be shown at the requested size, which depends on the application.

•	The Run during Hot Keys startup option, when selected, will cause the item to be executed whenever Hot Keys is started.

•	The Show on menu option, when selected, will cause the item to displayed on the menu, otherwise, the item is hidden from the menu.

•	After you are done making changes, click on the OK button to save the changes, or Cancel button to cancel the changes.


A PIF ( Program Information File ) is a file used for settings when running DOS applications.  PIF Files are created and modified using the PIF Editor, which is an application that comes with windows.


Internal Commands

Besides executing other applications, Hot Keys supports some internal commands for assigning to hot keys.  Internal commands are preceded with a "!" character, and are used in the Command Line field of a menu item in the Hot Key Item Setup Dialog.

The following commands are supported:

!exitwindows	This command ends the Windows session, if all applications agree.

!restartwindows	This command ends the Windows session, and begins a new one

!rebootsystem	This command ends the Windows session, and reboots the computer.

!exitwindowsexec	This command ends the Windows session, runs a DOS program given in the command, and starts a new Windows session.

!tasklist	This command brings up the task manager.  It is the same as pressing Ctrl+Esc or double clicking on the desk top.

!run	This command displays the run dialog box.

!screensaver	This command starts the screen saver.


The screen saver is a program that is enabled through the Desktop settings in Control Panel.  It starts a program which displays on the screen after a period of inactivity.  To setup your screen saver via Control Panel, click here.


Hot Keys Pop-Up Menu Setup

The Hot Keys Pop-up Menu Dialog is activated by editing and existing pop-up menu item, or adding a new menu item by using the Add... button and selecting a pop-up menu from the New Menu Item dialog.

•	In this dialog you must assign the pop-up menu a Menu Title.  This is the text that appears in the parent menu.  A menu title may have an ampersand "&" to mark the short cut key for the title.

•	The dialog box displays a list of the top level menu that is displayed for the Hot Keys menu.  To edit and existing item, double click on the item with the mouse, or click the Edit... button.  This will either display the Item Setup dialog, or another Pop-up Menu Setup dialog.

•	To add a new item to the list, click the Add button.  This will display the New Hot Key Item dialog.

•	To save any changed that you may have made to the setup of the pop-up menu, click the OK button.  Note that changes are not saved until the Save button is pressed in the Hot Keys Setup dialog.  If you wish to not save any changes, click on the Cancel button.

See also:

Using the Clipboard to Move Menu Items

Arranging Menu Items

Using File Manager to Drag and Drop Menu Items


A pop-up menu is a menu that is a sub menu of a parent menu.  Pop-up menus appear on the parent menu with an arrow head next to the menu text.


Using the Clipboard to Move Hot Key Items and Pop-Up Menus

You can use the clipboard to copy or move menu items in either Setup dialog box, or the Pop-Up Menu Setup dialog box.

•	To copy an item, select the item in the list by clicking on it with the mouse, or tab to the list, select the item with the arrow keys, and press Ctrl+C.  This will copy the item to the clipboard.

•	To cut an item, select the item in the list by clicking on it with the mouse, or tab to the list, select the item with the arrow keys, and press Ctrl+X.  This will copy the item to the clipboard and delete it from the list.

•	To paste an item, select the place in the list where you want the item to be inserted by clicking on it with the mouse, or tab to the list and select the position with the arrow keys, and press Ctrl+V.  If there is a menu item in the clipboard, this will place the item in the list.


Browse Dialog

The Browse dialog allows you to select an application or a document to place in a Item Setup dialog command line field.

To select a file:

•	Select the drive that the file resides in the drives pull down list.

•	Select the directory that the file resides in the directory list box.

•	Select the file in files list.  The List Files of Type pull down list can be changed to show different file types.

•	Click on OK.


Change Icon Dialog

The Change Icon dialog allows you to specify an icon to use for a non-Windows application.  This icon appears when the window containing the application is minimized.

•	To specify the name of a file containing the icon you wish to use, enter the name of the file in the File Name field.  You may use the Browse button to help find a file to put in this field.

•	If the file name field contains a valid file name, the icons contained in that file are displayed in the Current Icon list box.  Choose the icon you wish to use.

•	To save your choice, click the OK button.  To cancel the change, press the Cancel button.


Browse Icon Dialog

The Browse dialog allows you to search for an Icon file to place in a Change Icon dialog file name field.  An Icon files usually have the extension ICO, but may also be contained in EXE files, or DLL files.  The file PROGMAN.EXE contains several icons, as well as MOREICONS.DLL, which should be found in your Windows directory.

To select a file:

•	Select the drive that the file resides in the drives pull down list.

•	Select the directory that the file resides in the directory list box.

•	Select the file in files list.  The List Files of Type pull down list can be changed to show different file types.

•	Click on OK.


Import Groups from Program Manager Dialog

The Import Groups from Program Manager dialog is displayed by selecting the Add... button from the setup dialog and selecting Import Groups in the  New Menu Item dialog.

This dialog allows you to import groups from Program Manager as pop-up menus in Hot Keys.  This dialog displays all the available groups in Program Manager.

•	To import groups,  select the groups that you wish to import in the list box

•	Press the OK button.  The groups you have chosen will appear as pop-up menus on the menu you are currently editing.

•	Press the Cancel button if you chose not to import any groups.


To display Program Manager, click here.


Drag and Drop Hot Key Items

You may use File Manager to Drag and Drop programs or documents to be used as Hot Key items.

•	Click on the file you wish to use in Hot Keys as a program or document with the mouse.

•	Hold the mouse button down and move the mouse cursor over the Hot Keys icon.

•	Release the mouse button.

•	Open the setup dialog to make changes to the new item, such as adding a hot key.

Files may also be dropped on any of the following dialogs:

•	Hot Keys Setup

•	Hot Keys Pop-up Menu Setup

•	Hot Key Item Setup


File Manager is an application which comes with Windows that is used to manipulate files on your system.  To display File Manager, click here.


Install Hot Keys as your Windows Shell

Hot Keys may be installed as your Windows shell instead of Program Manager.  To do this, open the setup dialog box and turn on the Windows Shell selection.  The next time Windows starts, Hot Keys will be your shell.

You may disable this by turning the Windows Shell selection off.  Program Manager will then be the shell next time Windows starts.