Shortcut to run macros doesn't work with all Win10 windows

[kalemaroni]

Some windows just do not acknowledge that I've pressed a macro express activation (I use alt+ctrl+shift+<key>).

For example, if Disk Management is in focus, none of them work, which is particularly annoying as I do data recovery and as soon as I see the drive letter I want to hit shift+ctrl+alt+D to prompt me for a drive letter which it will then open immediately in Explorer.

Any ideas how to fix this?

[rberq]

The only partial solution I have found is to trigger the macro with the mouse.  Instead of (or in addition to) a hot-key combination, a Mouse Event can activate a macro.  (Look at the Activation tab for the macro.)  You can specify some unused area of the screen which you click on to start your macro.  Not the most convenient, but maybe it would work for you. 

 

A similar method would be having a macro that runs continuously, repeatedly checking mouse coordinates.  When you move the mouse to some pre-determined area of the screen, this monitoring macro would then start the prompting macro.  You would want a delay built into the Repeat loop of the monitor, so it wouldn't excessively hog processor time -- half-second delays should be adequate but still give quick response time. 

[acantor]

I don't see an obvious reason why a hotkey macro won't respond in the "Disk Management" window.

Try recreating the macro from scratch, paying extra attention to its scope. Experiment with window specific and application specific, partial / exact matches, and hidden / non-hidden windows.

 

For testing purposes, set the scope to Global.  

 

Try totally different hotkeys. I recently stumbled on a bunch of key combos I couldn't assign because a background application "saw" the hotkeys before Macro Express did. (In this case, the affected hotkeys included F1, e.g., Ctrl + Alt + F1.)

[Cory]

Confirmed. I have a test macro crtl+keypad9 I use all the time. I had it pop up a message box and verified it works with other windows focused. I observe the last run time update. It does not activate when Disk Management is focused and the last run time does not change.

I searched the forum and found the answer in an old post about a similar behavior in task manager, disk management and such with the mouse locator. This is for security reasons and by design. I terminated MEP and ran it again with elevated permissions, administrator, and it works. 

Somewhere in the forum is a post with instructions on how to always have MEP start with admin privileges. I think it's as simple as changing the shortcut, but I don't remember for sure. Search and you will find. 

[Samrae]

This article describes How to Run Macro Express as Administrator when Windows Starts

[kalemaroni]

On 1/27/2023 at 10:23 PM, Samrae said:

This article describes How to Run Macro Express as Administrator when Windows Starts

Brilliant, thanks very much Samrae!

[kalemaroni]

On 1/26/2023 at 3:59 PM, Cory said:

Confirmed. I have a test macro crtl+keypad9 I use all the time. I had it pop up a message box and verified it works with other windows focused. I observe the last run time update. It does not activate when Disk Management is focused and the last run time does not change.

I searched the forum and found the answer in an old post about a similar behavior in task manager, disk management and such with the mouse locator. This is for security reasons and by design. I terminated MEP and ran it again with elevated permissions, administrator, and it works. 

Somewhere in the forum is a post with instructions on how to always have MEP start with admin privileges. I think it's as simple as changing the shortcut, but I don't remember for sure. Search and you will find. 

Yes, that did the job, thanks Cory

[kalemaroni]

On 1/26/2023 at 2:24 PM, rberq said:

The only partial solution I have found is to trigger the macro with the mouse.  Instead of (or in addition to) a hot-key combination, a Mouse Event can activate a macro.  (Look at the Activation tab for the macro.)  You can specify some unused area of the screen which you click on to start your macro.  Not the most convenient, but maybe it would work for you. 

 

A similar method would be having a macro that runs continuously, repeatedly checking mouse coordinates.  When you move the mouse to some pre-determined area of the screen, this monitoring macro would then start the prompting macro.  You would want a delay built into the Repeat loop of the monitor, so it wouldn't excessively hog processor time -- half-second delays should be adequate but still give quick response time. 

Run MEP as admin sorted out you'll be pleased to know

[kalemaroni]

On 1/26/2023 at 2:56 PM, acantor said:

I don't see an obvious reason why a hotkey macro won't respond in the "Disk Management" window.

Try recreating the macro from scratch, paying extra attention to its scope. Experiment with window specific and application specific, partial / exact matches, and hidden / non-hidden windows.

 

For testing purposes, set the scope to Global.  

 

Try totally different hotkeys. I recently stumbled on a bunch of key combos I couldn't assign because a background application "saw" the hotkeys before Macro Express did. (In this case, the affected hotkeys included F1, e.g., Ctrl + Alt + F1.)

Running MEP as admin sorted out you'll be pleased to know

[acantor]

Good to know. I've never run Macro Express as Administrator.

[Cory]

Neither have I.