question for the helpdesk

[low_delta]

What do I do to my PC, so if I hit a certain key or set of keys, my computer does something. Like hit ctrl + ! and it enters a certain bit of text?

Comments

[marswalker.livejournal.com]

You either need a programmable keyboard, or you need a keymapper program that intercepts characters and puts out a stream of text instead.

In UNIX / Xwindows you can program any key the changes in .Xdefaults and in xmodmaprc. In Windows, I think it takes special keyboards.

Hmm... digging around I found this pretty quick, sounds like what you want: http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Utilities/Automation_Utilities/Virtual_Programmable_Keyboard.html

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Software, huh? A coworker asked me. He was pretty sure he used to do this, but it was back in Windows 3.0 or something.

Thanks!

[mummm.livejournal.com]

Awwww... you want to program in "I love you" to send to Cyn easily! That's so sweet!
(Sorry... feeling trollish today)

I have no idea. My computer does form fills but that's all except that it does *remember* things on LJ.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

No, it's for longer strings than that. I've gotten pretty good at typing "I love you," since I do it three thousand times a day. ;-)

[mummm.livejournal.com]

Three thousand? Wow... must be sort of a newlywed. ;-D

I wonder how the ladies are doing in East Lansing...

[banana.livejournal.com]

A program could listen for the key combination Ctrl+! and do something, but I don't know one that will type some text into whatever has the keyboard focus. Wouldn't be so hard to write, so I'm sure someone's done it. The hard part is finding it...

[banana.livejournal.com]

OK, not so hard. More like trivially simple, if you search for the right words: http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=windows+hotkey+macros

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

That one on the first result seems to be available as an executable file. That might work. Thanks!

This is for work, where they don't allow you to install your own programs, and they don't install freeware, and they don't do anything that costs money.