AutoHotKey is a free, open-source macro-creation app for Windows. It lets you create really powerful macros that respond to keyboard input from within any application.
Autohotkey is a great, free tool that helps you get more work done in fewer keystrokes – which is always good if you’re a programmer. I use AutoHotKey at both home and work to perform some simple (and some complex) text replacement macros. In this post I’ll take you through a few simple examples of what AutoHotKey can do to show why I think this is an essential item for your developer batman utility belt.
You can download AutoHotKey from its website, here.
The really, really basic example – replacing text:
Here is a sample script that I use to write out my work email address
:*:@work::jbarboza@wakefly.com
It looks a little confusing but trust me, it’s really simple. The * tells AHK that this script is an “instant replacement” and AHK should not wait for the spacebar to be pressed. “@work” as you’ve probably guessed is the trigger and “[email protected]” is the replacement text. Note: AHK doesn’t care about the @ symbol in @work, it’s only there for consistency with my other email triggers.
Another simple example – fixing common misspellings
I suck at spelling. I make spelling mistakes all the time. These script lines show how I auto-correct a few of my more common spelling mistakes.
:*?:.cm::.com
:*?:.ocm::.com
AutoHotKey can also run applications:
AHK isn’t just for replacing text. The built-in scripting language can do a multitude of things, from manipulating selected text, gathering user input via prompts and using it in script output, even automate applications.
#f::Run Firefox
This script will run Firefox when you press [Windows Button] + f. The # symbol in AHK is a shortcut for the windows key. You can use other shortcuts like ^, and ! for CTRL and ALT respectively.
This is just a small sampling of what AHK can do, if you’re interested in learning more about the AHK scripting language check out the HotKey Introduction in the AHK Documentation, the AHK articles on Lifehacker, or the AutoHotKey wikipedia page.