I find myself re-creating similar "application-specific" commands over and over in different applications that have slightly different hotkeys.

 

What I would like to do is set a global command that will check what the current application is, and then send the correct hotkey accordingly.

For example, I have a command called "toggle bullet" that will format the current text as a bulleted list. I need to use a different hotkey depending on the app.

So what I want to do is this:

 

currentApp = { some magical code that will fetch the name of the current application }

If currentApp = "Chrome.exe" then Sendkeys "^+8"   ' this is Google docs

ElseIf currentApp = "Obsidian.exe" then Sendkeys "%-"  

ElseIf ...

 

 

So is there some way to get the name of the application or the window into a variable? 

 

Or am I stuck re-creating the same command over and over again every time I start using a new app?

 

-------------------------

Dragon Professional Individual v15.6. Windows 10. Knowbrainer 2017.

The short answer is yes, but there are a couple of complications. You can get the name of the current window and, if it is not a child window, 

it's usually possible to determine the application from that name. However, if the application has multiple windows open, it might not be 

possible to determine the application from the name of the window. Dragon®/KnowBrainer scripting allows you access to most, if not all, 

of the low level function calls for manipulating Windows®. You have to prepare each individual script to recognize these function calls and 

each function call must be individually specified. The easiest way to do this is to set up an "include" file.

____example with uses:____

'#Uses "C:\Program Files (x86)\KnowBrainer\KnowBrainer Professional 2017\WindowsAPI.txt" 

Sub Main 

   ' your code goes here 

End Sub

____end of example____

 

____example without uses:____

Declare Function GetForegroundWindow Lib "user32" Alias "GetForegroundWindow" () As Long 

Declare Function GetWindowText Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowTextA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpString As String, ByVal cch As Long) As Long 

 

Sub Main 

   Dim title As String 

 

   title = ActiveWindowTitle 

' You now have the title of the foreground when the 

' You need to figure out how to parse the application from the title 

' if the application is Notepad the title might look like: 

' untitled - Notepad 

' your code goes here,  in pseudocode and might look something like... 

   If InStr(title, "Notepad") <> 0 Then '

 Do whatever you want to do if the application is notepad 

   End If End Sub 

 

Function ActiveWindowTitle() As String 

' based on a script from the KnowBrainer Forum by Fmen 

   Dim titleLength As Integer 

   Dim title As String 

   Dim foregroundWindow As Long 

 

   foregroundWindow = GetForegroundWindow() 

   titleLength = GetWindowText (foregroundWindow, title, 512) 

   title = Left(title, titleLength) 

   title = Trim (title) 

   ActiveWindowTitle = title 

End Function 

____end of example____

 

I have a text file "WindowsAPI.txt" in which I keep every Windows® API which I use (you may place it anywhere just make sure that your #uses statement 

reflects the accurate location), for the not-faint-of-heart, I will included here...

____WindowsAPI.txt:____

' WindowsAPI.txt

' efm5 30 November 2016

'references these Windows API functions:

'FindWindow (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long

'GetCursorPos (lpPoint As POINT) As Long

'GetForegroundWindow () As Long

'GetMonitorInfo (ByVal hMonitor As Long, lpMonitorInformation As MONITORINFO) As Long

'GetSystemMetrics (ByVal n As Long) As Long

'GetTickCount () As Long

'GetWindowPlacement (ByVal hwnd As Long, lpwndpl As WINDOWPLACEMENT) As Long

'GetWindowRect (ByVal hwnd As Long, lpRect As LOCATIONSIZE) As Long

'GetWindowText (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpString As String, ByVal cch As Long) As Long

'keybd_event Lib "user32.dll" (ByVal vKey As Long, bScan As Long, ByVal Flag As Long, ByVal exInfo As Long) As Long

'MonitorFromRect (lpRect As RECTANGLE, dwFlags As Long) As Long

'MoveWindow (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal x As Long, ByVal y As Long, ByVal nWidth As Long, ByVal nHeight As Long, ByVal bRepaint As Long) As Long

'SetActiveWindow (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Long

'SetForegroundWindow (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Long

'SetWindowPos (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal hwndInsertAfter As Long, ByVal x As Long, ByVal y As Long, ByVal nWidth As Long, ByVal nHeight As Long, ByVal bRepaint As Long) As Long

'ShowWindow (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nCmdShow As Long) As Long

'SystemParametersInfo (ByVal uAction As Long, ByVal uParam As Long, lpvParam As Any, ByVal fuWinIni As Long) As Long

 

'mouse_event (ByVal dwFlags As Long, ByVal dx As Long, ByVal dy As Long, ByVal dwData As Long, ByVal dwExtraInfo As Long)

 

 

' defines these custom functions:

'ActivateWindow (ByVal windowClass As String, ByVal windowTitle As String, ByVal timeout As Long) As Boolean (ByVal windowClass As String, ByVal windowTitle As String, ByVal timeout As Long) As Boolean

   'ActivateWindow is currently unused and commented out

'SecondaryMonitorRectangle (lpPrimaryMonitorRectangle As RECTANGLE) As RECTANGLE

'ActiveWindowTitle() As String

'WaitForDialog()

'WaitForWindow (WindowTitle As String, WaitTime As Integer) As Integer

 

Type RECTANGLE

   Left As Long

   Top As Long

   Right As Long

   Bottom As Long

End Type

 

Type LOCATIONSIZE

   Left As Long

   Top As Long

   Width As Long

   Height As Long

End Type

 

Type POINT

   x As Long

   y As Long

End Type

 

type WINDOWPLACEMENT

  length As Long

  flags  As Long

  showCmd  As Long

  ptMinPosition As POINT

  ptMaxPosition As POINT

  rcNormalPosition As RECTANGLE

End Type

 

Type MONITORINFO

   cbSize As Long

   rcMonitor As RECTANGLE

   rcWork As RECTANGLE

   dwFlags As Long

End Type

 

' WINDOWPLACEMENT pound defines for showCmd:

Enum WindowPlacements

SW_HIDE = 0

SW_SHOWNORMAL = 1

SW_SHOWMINIMIZED = 2

SW_MAXIMIZE = 3

'SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED = 3' I wonder if this is a mistake in the documentation

SW_SHOWNOACTIVATE = 4

SW_SHOW = 5

SW_MINIMIZE = 6

SW_SHOWMINNOACTIVE = 7

SW_SHOWNA = 8

SW_RESTORE = 9

End Enum

Dim WindowPlacement As WindowPlacements

 

' pound defines for Set Window Position:

Enum SetWindowPositions

SWP_SHOWWINDOW = 64

' there are quite a few more but I won't worry about them until I need them

' https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms633545(v=vs.85).aspx

End Enum

Dim WindowPositions As SetWindowPositions

 

' pound defines for System Parameters Info :

Enum SystemParametersInfos

SPI_GETWORKAREA = 48

' there are quite a few more but I won't worry about them until I need them

' https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms724947(v=vs.85).aspx

End Enum

Dim SystemParameters As SystemParametersInfos

 

' pound defines for Monitor From Rectangle/Window:

Enum MonitorFromRectangles

MONITOR_DEFAULTTONULL = 0

MONITOR_DEFAULTTOPRIMARY = 1

MONITOR_DEFAULTTONEAREST = 2

End Enum

Dim MonitorFroms As MonitorFromRectangles

 

' Constants for mouse_event

Const MOUSEEVENTF_LEFTDOWN = &H2

Const MOUSEEVENTF_LEFTUP = &H4

Const MOUSEEVENTF_MIDDLEDOWN = &H20

Const MOUSEEVENTF_MIDDLEUP = &H40

Const MOUSEEVENTF_RIGHTDOWN = &H8

Const MOUSEEVENTF_RIGHTUP = &H10

 

' declare virtual key constant for the left Windows key, control key, shift key, alt key & space key

'https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/inputdev/virtual-key-codes

Const VK_LWIN = &h5B

Const VK_CTRL = &h11

Const VK_SHIFT = &h10

Const VK_ALT = &h12

Const VK_SPACE = &h20

Const VK_LMENU = &hA4

Const VK_LALT = &hA4' alias

Const VK_RMENU = &hA5

Const VK_RALT = &hA5' alias

Const VK_LSHIFT = &hA0

Const VK_RSHIFT = &hA1

Const VK_SNAPSHOT = &h2C

Const VK_PRINT_SCREEN = &h2C' alias

 

' declare Win32 API functions

Declare Function keybd_event Lib "user32.dll" (ByVal vKey As Long, bScan As Long, ByVal Flag As Long, ByVal exInfo As Long) As Long

 

Declare Function GetCursorPos Lib "user32" Alias "GetCursorPos" (lpPoint As POINT) As Long

 

Declare Function GetTickCount Lib "kernel32" () As Long

 

Declare Function GetWindowRect Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowRect" (ByVal hwnd As Long, lpRect As LOCATIONSIZE) As Long

 

Declare Function GetForegroundWindow Lib "user32" Alias "GetForegroundWindow" () As Long

 

Declare Function MoveWindow Lib "user32.dll" Alias "MoveWindow" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal x As Long, ByVal y As Long, ByVal nWidth As Long, ByVal nHeight As Long, ByVal bRepaint As Long) As Long

 

Declare Function SetWindowPos Lib "user32.dll" Alias "SetWindowPos" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal hwndInsertAfter As Long, ByVal x As Long, ByVal y As Long, ByVal nWidth As Long, ByVal nHeight As Long, ByVal bRepaint As Long) As Long

 

Declare Function SystemParametersInfo Lib "user32" Alias "SystemParametersInfoA" (ByVal uAction As Long, ByVal uParam As Long, lpvParam As Any, ByVal fuWinIni As Long) As Long

 

Declare Function GetMonitorInfo Lib "user32" Alias "GetMonitorInfo" (ByVal hMonitor As Long, lpMonitorInformation As MONITORINFO) As Long

 

Declare Function MonitorFromRect Lib "user32" Alias "MonitorFromRect" (lpRect As RECTANGLE, dwFlags As Long) As Long

 

Declare Function GetWindowPlacement Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowPlacement" (ByVal hwnd As Long, lpwndpl As WINDOWPLACEMENT) As Long

 

Declare Function SetForegroundWindow Lib "user32" Alias "SetForegroundWindow" (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Long

 

Declare Function ShowWindow Lib "user32.dll" Alias "ShowWindow" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nCmdShow As Long) As Long

 

Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindow" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long

 

Declare Function SetActiveWindow Lib "user32" Alias "SetActiveWindow" (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Long

 

Declare Function GetWindowText Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowTextA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpString As String, ByVal cch As Long) As Long

 

Declare Function GetSystemMetrics Lib "user32" Alias "GetSystemMetrics" (ByVal n As Long) As Long

 

Declare Function mouse_event Lib "user32" Alias "mouse_event" (ByVal dwFlags As Long, ByVal dx As Long, ByVal dy As Long, ByVal dwData As Long, ByVal dwExtraInfo As Long)

 

' Custom functions:

 

' the ActivateWindow command is unused as of 21 February 2018

'Declare Function ActivateWindow Lib "user32" Alias "ActiveWindow" (ByVal windowClass As String, ByVal windowTitle As String, ByVal timeout As Long) As Boolean

 

'Function ActivateWindow (ByVal windowClass As String, ByVal windowTitle As String, ByVal timeout As Long) As Boolean

   'Dim returnValue As Boolean

   'returnValue = false

   'Dim windowHandle As Long

   'windowHandle = FindWindow (windowClass, windowTitle)

   'if windowHandle = 0 Then

      '' warn the user then bail out

      'MsgBox "could not find a window with the title: " + windowTitle

      'Exit All

   'End If

   'ShowWindow(windowHandle, 5)' 5 = SW_SHOW - see above WindowPlacements

   'windowHandle = SetForegroundWindow(windowHandle)' may not activate a window unless it is foreground

   'if windowHandle = 0 Then

      '' warn the user then bail out

      'MsgBox "could not make a window with the title: " + windowTitle + " the Foreground window"

      'Exit All

   'End If

   'For increment = 0 To timeout

      'Dim activeWindowHandle As Long

      'activeWindowHandle = SetActiveWindow(windowHandle)

      'If activeWindowHandle = 0 Then

         'Wait 1

      'Else

         'returnValue = true

         'Exit For

      'End If

   'Next increment

   'ActivateWindow = returnValue

'End Function

 

Function SecondaryMonitorRectangle (lpPrimaryMonitorRectangle As RECTANGLE) As RECTANGLE

   Dim secondaryRectangle As RECTANGLE

   Dim monitorInformation As MONITORINFO

   Dim monitorHandle As Long

   ' given a grid like the Mouse Grid:

   ' 1 2 3

   ' 4 5 6

   ' 7 8 9

   ' and that the primary monitor is 5 and the secondary monitor is 4

   secondaryRectangle.Left = lpPrimaryMonitorRectangle.Left - 1

   secondaryRectangle.Top = lpPrimaryMonitorRectangle.Top

   secondaryRectangle.Right = lpPrimaryMonitorRectangle.Left - 1

   secondaryRectangle.Bottom = lpPrimaryMonitorRectangle.Top

   ' if the secondary monitor were 6

   ' secondaryRectangle.Left = lpPrimaryMonitorRectangle.Right + 1

   ' etc.

   monitorHandle = MonitorFromRect secondaryRectangle, MONITOR_DEFAULTTONEAREST

   GetMonitorInfo monitorHandle, monitorInformation

   SecondaryMonitorRectangle = monitorInformation.rcWork

End Function

 

Function ActiveWindowTitle() As String

' based on a script from the KnowBrainer Forum by Fmen

   Dim titleLength As Integer

   Dim title As String

   Dim foregroundWindow As Long

   foregroundWindow = GetForegroundWindow()

   titleLength = GetWindowText (foregroundWindow, title, 512)

   title = Left(title, titleLength)

   title = Trim (title)

   ActiveWindowTitle = title

End Function

 

Function WaitForDialog()

' based on a script from the KnowBrainer Forum by monkey8 (Lindsay)

   Dim handle As Long

   handle = GetForegroundWindow 'gets the window handle of the current window

   Do While GetForegroundwindow = handle

      Wait 0.2 'the wait command frees up the CPU to do other work, must be present

      'when the word document loads foreground window handle will change and the loop will exit

   Loop

End Function

 

Function WaitForWindow (WindowTitle As String, WaitTime As Integer) As Integer

' based on a script from the KnowBrainer Forum by PG LTU

    Dim count As Integer

 

    count = 1

    Do Until InStr (GetWindowTitle, WindowTitle) > 0

         DoEvents

         Wait 1

         If count = WaitTime Then

             WaitForWindow = 0

             Exit Function

         End If

         count = count + 1

    Loop

    WaitForWindow = 1

End Function

____end of WindowsAPI.txt____

-------------------------

-Edgar
DPI 15.3, 64-bit Windows 10 Pro, OpenOffice & Office 365, Norton Security, Shure X2U XLR to USB mic adapter with Audio Technica DB135 vocal mic, Asus X299-Deluxe Prime, Intel Core i9-7940X (14 core, 4.3 GHz overclocked to 4.9 GHz), G.SKILL TridentZ Series 64GB (4 x 16GB) DDR4 3333 (PC4 26600) F4-3333C16Q-64GTZ, NVIDIA GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1060 GV-N1060G1 GAMING-6GD REV 2.0 6GB graphics card with 3 1920x1080 monitors

 

Edgar, this really looks like being a great post, if anyone could even read it. :-)

-------------------------

No need to buy if all you want to do is try ...

DragonCapture KB Download (Latest)
DragonCapture Homepage

Very cool, would love to take a look at this. But the formatting…

Could you post the code on https://pastebin.com/ or similar, then share the link?

-------------------------

Dragon Professional Individual v15.6. Windows 10. Knowbrainer 2017.

If William Faulkner had been a programmer, his posts would have looked like this one of Edgar's! :-)

Quite right, Matt. Both authors have a preference for the interior monologue. However, to me it looks even more inspired by James Joyce.

-------------------------

No need to buy if all you want to do is try ...

DragonCapture KB Download (Latest)
DragonCapture Homepage

I have done this via Macro Express. It's relatively easy to scope Macro Express scripts to only be recognized in specified applications or windows. Make the Macro Express script triggered by, for example, F12. And then make a Dragon command that sends F12.

The Macro Express script looks something like this:

Variable Set String %TopmostProgram% to topmost program name

Switch( %TopmostProgram% )

Case: WINWORD.EXE
// Do something
End Case

Case: OUTLOOK.EXE
// Do something
End Case

Case: POWERPNT.EXE
// Do something
End Case

Case: EXCEL.EXE
// Do something
End Case

Case: FIREFOX.EXE
// Do something
End Case

Case: ACRORD32.EXE
// Do something
End Case

Default Case
Text Box Display: Script does not yet handle "%TopmostProgram%"
Macro Stop
End Case
End Switch

I think it would be similarly easy in AutoHotkey, although I haven't done it.

Everything looked fine until I clicked the Send button - will resend it tomorrow, sorry.

-------------------------

-Edgar
DPI 15.3, 64-bit Windows 10 Pro, OpenOffice & Office 365, Norton Security, Shure X2U XLR to USB mic adapter with Audio Technica DB135 vocal mic, Asus X299-Deluxe Prime, Intel Core i9-7940X (14 core, 4.3 GHz overclocked to 4.9 GHz), G.SKILL TridentZ Series 64GB (4 x 16GB) DDR4 3333 (PC4 26600) F4-3333C16Q-64GTZ, NVIDIA GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1060 GV-N1060G1 GAMING-6GD REV 2.0 6GB graphics card with 3 1920x1080 monitors

I fixed up the missing line breaks in the original post.

-------------------------

-Edgar
DPI 15.3, 64-bit Windows 10 Pro, OpenOffice & Office 365, Norton Security, Shure X2U XLR to USB mic adapter with Audio Technica DB135 vocal mic, Asus X299-Deluxe Prime, Intel Core i9-7940X (14 core, 4.3 GHz overclocked to 4.9 GHz), G.SKILL TridentZ Series 64GB (4 x 16GB) DDR4 3333 (PC4 26600) F4-3333C16Q-64GTZ, NVIDIA GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1060 GV-N1060G1 GAMING-6GD REV 2.0 6GB graphics card with 3 1920x1080 monitors