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What is AutoHotkey?

AutoHotkey is a free, open-source scripting language to automate processes in Windows.

AutoHotkey's focus is on keyboard shortcuts, hotkeys and macros.

Babycastles uses AutoHotkey to turn computers into arcade machines, by doing things like:

  • Hiding the system cursor
  • Hiding the taskbar
  • Running a game
  • Running JoyToKey
  • Mapping all of these things to the middle mouse button

By adding an AutoHotkey script to the Windows Startup folder, the AutoHotkey script can run when the computer turns on.

Using AutoHotkey

download_screenshot

  1. Click Clone or download on this repo and choose Download ZIP
  2. Unzip the contents by right-clicking the downloaded zip and selecting Extract All...
  3. Move the contents of the unzipped folder into the folder of your game
  4. Modify runner.ahk to fit your particular needs (see the Building your script section)

If you want your game/autohotkey script to run on startup (you probably do!), then do this...

  1. Press the Windows logo key + R, type shell:startup, then select OK. The startup folder opens.
  2. Create a shortcut to runner.ahk in the startup folder
    1. Right-click and hold runner.ahk
    2. While still holding the right-click, drag the file into the startup folder
    3. Release the right-click and select Create shortcuts here

Building your script

  1. Open runner.ahk in a text editor (Right-click and Open With Notepad++ or Notepad)

For most use cases, you can just modify the Refresh method to run your game. refresh-example

  1. Replace MyGame.exe in Run "MyGame.exe" with the name of your game file

Running this script will:

  1. Close and quit all open programs and folders
  2. Hide the system cursor
  3. Hide the taskbar
  4. Run the specified game/executable
  5. Maps the Middle Mouse button to do all of the above steps
  6. Enable the hotkeys specified in utils/hotkeys.ahk - see the Hotkeys section

Hotkeys

The utils/hotkeys.ahk file is where we define hotkeys/shortcuts to perform certain tasks.

Defaults are:

  • Windows logo key + A
    • Reloads the AutoHotKey script
  • Windows logo key + T
    • Toggles the taskbar
  • Windows logo key + C
    • Toggles the cursor
  • Windows logo key + Z
    • Quits AutoHotKey script and runs the ExitFunction

TODO/explain

  1. Explain each of the util scripts in detail (and batch file)
  2. Define command vs function
  3. Explain run command - https://www.autohotkey.com/docs/commands/Run.htm
  4. Explain process command - can be used to close a target process (by PID or name) - https://www.autohotkey.com/docs/commands/Process.htm

Explain

omit a parameter by adding a comma

Explain options for run

Options

Max: launch maximized

Min: launch minimized

Hide: launch hidden (cannot be used in combination with either of the above)

Explain ExitApp

Explain ORDERING - https://www.autohotkey.com/docs/Scripts.htm The Top of the Script (the Auto-execute Section)

After the script has been loaded, it begins executing at the top line, continuing until a Return, Exit, hotkey/hotstring label, or the physical end of the script is encountered (whichever comes first). This top portion of the script is referred to as the auto-execute section.