AutoHotKey...streamline keystrokes

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keithl
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AutoHotKey...streamline keystrokes

Post by keithl » Sat May 14, 2011 11:30 pm

I recently purchased a bigger widescreen monitor to replace my dual monitor setup. The one issue that I came across was when I needed to switch mixing/editing screens, I would have to hit Ctrl+=

When you do that for a while, you realize that it is pretty inefficient. I started researching the internet for a keymapper and saw AutoHotKey. It's been around a while, so you may already use it.

http://www.autohotkey.com/

Here is a page that helped me define my script.
http://www.soundpunk.com/topic/4309-pro ... -advanced/

Now, I just hit my ` button (I don't think I ever used it in my life!) and my mix/edit screens switch.

I also liked the way they remapped keys to create new tracks.

Thought that I'd pass it along!

-k
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Re: AutoHotKey...streamline keystrokes

Post by rld » Sun May 15, 2011 7:12 am

Hey Keith,
I've been debating about going to a single 28" screen.
I know it would look cool, but I'm having a hard time convincing myself that it would be "better" than my dual 17".
I like the track screen on the left and my edit/vsti's/browser screen on the right.
Trying to get away from upgrading just to upgrade...if it ain't broke... :)
How do you like the single screen setup?

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Re: AutoHotKey...streamline keystrokes

Post by matto » Sun May 15, 2011 9:52 am

rld wrote:Hey Keith,
I've been debating about going to a single 28" screen.
I know it would look cool, but I'm having a hard time convincing myself that it would be "better" than my dual 17".
I like the track screen on the left and my edit/vsti's/browser screen on the right.
Trying to get away from upgrading just to upgrade...if it ain't broke... :)
How do you like the single screen setup?
Wouldn't you be losing screen real estate by going from dual 17s to a single 28...or does my math suck that bad? :lol:
I know there's no way I would want less screen space...not for looks or pretty much any other reason. If anything I'd want dual 28s... :D

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Re: AutoHotKey...streamline keystrokes

Post by thokus » Sun May 15, 2011 10:36 am

I love the dual screen thing. No matter what, you still need to hit something to get from one window to the other, but having them both up and exposed saves time .. Often setting up parameters from one song to match another. I have both tracks up and can compare the full thing.. just one of a million advantages.. I think ...
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Re: AutoHotKey...streamline keystrokes

Post by rld » Sun May 15, 2011 10:51 am

matto wrote: Wouldn't you be losing screen real estate by going from dual 17s to a single 28...or does my math suck that bad? :lol:
I know there's no way I would want less screen space...not for looks or pretty much any other reason. If anything I'd want dual 28s... :D
Yeah, you're probably right...I could fit a 30" 'tween my reference monitors.
My ol' 17's are not widescreen HD, so there is some better resolution to be gained, I guess.
Current setup works fine though, just wondering if I should help out the economy... :D
Last edited by rld on Sun May 15, 2011 4:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: AutoHotKey...streamline keystrokes

Post by mojobone » Sun May 15, 2011 12:22 pm

I couldn't fit two 19" square flatscreens in my space, so my new 27" widescreen monitor fit the bill nicely. I like a DAW with a single-screen interface, anyways; swapping windows is too fiddly for my workflow. This gives me more of what I need to see for tracking, mixing and editing, (in Tracktion, it's all done in one window, including MIDI micro-editing) and is even handy just for web browsing; when I have 15 or 20 browser windows open, I can still read the tabs, heh.
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Re: AutoHotKey...streamline keystrokes

Post by keithl » Sun May 15, 2011 12:47 pm

I think you have to compare resolution, not size of monitor. My 2 monitors were running at 1280, where as the one widescreen is running at 1920, so you get more real estate. If they were running both at 1280, you would have the exact same size, just a bigger picture of it.

I think it boils down to preference. I think when I first set up the 1 wide monitor, it took a little bit to get used to, but I have come to really enjoy it. My left hand is usually on the computer keyboard, ready to hit the space bar, so the "`" key works great.
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Re: AutoHotKey...streamline keystrokes

Post by Cruciform » Sun May 15, 2011 4:30 pm

Hi Keith,

Per your OP, I use the programmable macro keys on my G15 gaming keyboard for some things like that. And when I get some more desk space I'll be plugging in my gameboard and programming macros to do heaps of stuff.

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Re: AutoHotKey...streamline keystrokes

Post by keithl » Mon May 16, 2011 4:14 am

That gameboard is one crazy looking controller!
Is that used for just games or do you do recording tasks with it?
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Re: AutoHotKey...streamline keystrokes

Post by Cruciform » Mon May 16, 2011 5:46 am

keithl wrote:That gameboard is one crazy looking controller!
Is that used for just games or do you do recording tasks with it?
Actually, I don't use it for games. I bought it for day trading but never really got it working with my trading platform. I haven't set it up for recording yet, but it's completely macro based - you can assign keystrokes, series of keystrokes or mouse events.

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