Alt-menu keyboard shortcuts - Alt+F for file menu, etc.

[scullionj]

I think that these are called alt menu commands, but maybe there's another technical name for it that'd help me find what I'm looking for.

Basically, I'm looking at how in most programs on Windows, you can press Alt + (some other keys) to access the different menus on the menu bar. Example, Alt + F usually opens the File menu, Alt + E the Edit menu, and so forth. The letter will correspond to the displayed underlined one.

I've found that at least the ones within the menus work, without using the Alt key, so if I click the Options menu, and then the N key, I get the Preferences dialog. But, trying to see if it's at all possible to press Alt + S and be given the Options menu, or other similar menus. Anybody have any experience with this?

Note: This has in part to do with my experimenting with Autohotkey. See http://audiogeekzine.com/2008/09/spe...ools-workflow/ this link. Notice that the author mentions setting up a hotkey for pulling up things like Playback Engine & Preferences. For Show Preferences, they've remapped Print Screen to invoke Alt->S->N. But...Alt->S->N doesn't even work for me?

[scullionj]

OK, interesting. I was messing around and realized that if I actually press the keys in completely sequential order, it works. So, I pressed alt, and let go, then pressed W, and let go, and then I had the Window menu open. So, that issue solved.

I guess now if anyone wants to use this thread to discuss different things they've done with Windows and setting up their own shortcuts using Autohotkey, or other workflow tricks? I'm all about that stuff

[guitardom]

A couple of us have YEARS and multiple apps built for PT users using ahk. Shan spearheaded this back around 2004-2005 somewhere and He introduced me to it soon after.

There is a lot of issues with PT remapping keys at a registry level that makes it not possible to work inside of PT. Yes alt is one of the modifiers that will not work. a lot of creative thinking and knowing multiple ways to make any function work is necessary to use ahk. If you are wanting a more simplistic way to create shortcuts, look into a macro recorder.

[scullionj]

Interesting, I had no idea that people were doing it. I tried a bit of googling around, but was mostly only able to come across a couple unanswered threads on the AHK forum & then that blog post that I linked in my OP. Could you recommend any starting threads or resources that might still be around for learning a bit more about the kinds of things that all of you were/are doing? Was my mistake searching Autohotkey and not AHK? Thanks.

[guitardom]

Originally Posted by scullionj

Interesting, I had no idea that people were doing it. I tried a bit of googling around, but was mostly only able to come across a couple unanswered threads on the AHK forum & then that blog post that I linked in my OP. Could you recommend any starting threads or resources that might still be around for learning a bit more about the kinds of things that all of you were/are doing? Was my mistake searching Autohotkey and not AHK? Thanks.

I honestly dont know of anywhere. we kept it off the forum as its just not relevant and the ahk forum in many cases is about useless. we pretty much just talked on skype when we needed and spent more endless hours than I care to think about just experimenting with different ideas and I lived with the help manual open in my taskbar for seriously a couple years I think. basically come up w the idea of what you want to do, then start hammering the ahk manual, it is actually really good. Just know that PT does not play nice!!!

[Shan]

Originally Posted by scullionj

I guess now if anyone wants to use this thread to discuss different things they've done with Windows and setting up their own shortcuts using Autohotkey, or other workflow tricks? I'm all about that stuff

Many can be found in this old link in my sig. It's probably way past time I update it and add all the new stuff from over the years. There's also Steve's TRASHER, which is a complete utility app created with AHK(at least the first few versions were that I know of).

On the topic of menu items, I recommend using the PostMessage command in AHK.

Shane

[guitardom]

Originally Posted by Shan

Many can be found in this old link in my sig. It's probably way past time I update it and add all the new stuff from over the years. There's also Steve's TRASHER, which is a complete utility app created with AHK(at least the first few versions were that I know of).

On the topic of menu items, I recommend using the PostMessage command in AHK.

Shane

Wow, I had forgot about that old thread!!!!

[joachim]

Originally Posted by scullionj

... Notice that the author mentions setting up a hotkey for pulling up things like Playback Engine & Preferences. For Show Preferences, they've remapped Print Screen to invoke Alt->S->N. But...Alt->S->N doesn't even work for me?

Old thread, if found when searching, hit my interest.
I am not an ahk-expert, but those things I like to do that easy way :
( // means comment )
// Setup, I/O = Ctrl Shift 1
^+1::
WinMenuSelectItem, Pro Tools, , Setup, I/O...
return

// Setup, Video Sync Offset = Ctrl Shift 2
^+2::
WinMenuSelectItem, Pro Tools, , Setup, Video Sync Offset...
return

// Setup, Preferences = Ctrl Shift 3
^+3::
WinMenuSelectItem, Pro Tools, , Setup, Preferences...
return

Maybe of help.