AutoHotkey scripts

AutoHotkey (AHK) scripts [UP]

Contents
AutoHotkey FF - Fuzzy Filter EZFF - Enhanced ZTree File Filtering

AutoHotkey

AutoHotkey (freeware) is a powerful scripting language that allows automating almost anything in Windows. Its scripts can run under the AutoHotkey interpreter, or be compiled into standalone executables. Daily use of the Windows environement as a whole, as well as individual applications and their interaction, can be optimized in many areas and made considerably more efficient with simple home-grown AutoHotkey scripts.

Links: Homepage Forums Wiki Scripts Freeware from Skrommel
Docs: Commands Variables, Expressions, Operators Key names

Can ZTree and AutoHotkey play together?

What is especially attractive about the AutoHotkey language is its keyboard programming support.

AutoHotkey thus seems ideal for experimenting with ZTree by sending it a sequence of keycodes (or clicks) exactly as if typed/clicked by the user. This automation is similar to ZTree's own keyboard macros.

AutoHotkey scripts cannot (without considerable overhead) access all the context information available to ZAAP assistant applications because they execute in different processes and memory spaces. However, but by using certain tricks, an AutoHotkey script can force ZTree into a known state and then interact with it without major problems. In many cases such scripts can surpass the macro recorder/player features (F12, .ZTM files), because AutoHotkey is a true programming language that comes with a compiler.

In addition to sending strings of characters and commands to ZTree, and thus saving a lot of work, AutoHotkey also allows very straightforward key re-mapping. For example, if you rarely use the F5 key in ZTree ("ARCHIVE current file to:"), but keep hitting it when wanting to refresh the display, you can fool ZTree to actually see and execute it as if it were F3 (ZTree refresh). But you don't need to lose the original F5 functionality: you can remap it to an unused key like Ctrl+Shift+F5.

You may download and play with the two AutoHotkey scripts I wrote as an exercise. The scripts have been compiled into standard .EXE files, so you don't need to install the AutoHotkey package on your system unless you want to play with the sources.

FF - Fuzzy Filespec
Download ff.zip
FF is a wrapper around ZTree's Filter dialog permitting fast and complex filter entry using the smallest number of keystrokes possible. The resulting "fuzzyspec" is a perfectly legal ZTree user input, consisting of one or more of the three filespec types (Name, Size, Date). FF is activated by simply terminating the standard Filter dialog with Shift+Enter, rather than Enter. It thus introduces only one new key combination into the ZTree environment. more...

EZFF - Enhanced ZTree File Filtering
Download ezff.zip
EZFF is also a Filter enhancer, but very different from FF. At its core is a set of pre-defined, frequently used Name, Date and Size filters arranged in logical cycles. Unlike FF, EZFF introduces three major and several minor hotkeys (none are currently in use by ZTree). more...