Use a reserved key as a hotkey in MEP

[UAMike]

I'd like to be able to use the F1 Key as a program-specific hotkey to serve as the delete button so that I can delete a line in the Editor with my left hand. When I hit the key, it pops up the help menu, which I don't care to ever see using a hotkey. Is there a way to reclaim this reserved key?

 

On my old machine, this worked without issue, but I am not sure if it's because of an older MEP version, the fact that I was using a virtual desktop, or because of some other tweaking I did.

 

[acantor]

On some computers, I have no problem using Macro Express to "expropriate" F1 for my own purposes. On other computers, especially in corporate environments, key combinations that include F1 are not recognized when remapped, e.g., Shift + Alt + F1 and Ctrl + Alt + F1. It's as though certain applications "see" the key combinations before Macro Express does.

 

I'm not sure whether this relates to the version of Macro Express. I have remapped F1 on my up-to-date version of MEP running Windows 10, but I hit walls when using the 18-month old version of MEP that my corporate client uses, also running Windows 10. My guess it's less about the MEP version than about the way my client configures their computers.

[rberq]

I'm running ME 4.9.1.1 with Windows 10.  ME allows me to assign F1 as a hotkey, and I have been using it that way for quite some time.  When I assign it to activate the macro, it tells me there is another global macro already using it, and recommends I make it program specific -- but I can't find any other macro using F1.  I have code within the macro that effectively makes it program specific, by exiting if I'm not in the expected window.  If I hit F1 when Macro Explorer is active, the macro runs and exits, AND Macro Express Help opens up. 

 

Not sure any of that helps you, but there it is. 

[kevin]

Whether or not you are able to assign F1 as a hotkey may depend on the version of Windows you are using. Windows is getting less flexible about which key combinations is allows Macro Express to assign as a hotkey.

 

As acantor said, it is also possible that specific programs are preventing reassignment of hotkeys. This can be due to the order that the programs are loaded or it could be caused by a program taking the hotkey for its own use and preventing Macro Express using it.

 

One thing you could try is to open Macro Explorer, click Tools and Restore Keyboard & Mouse Hooks.