Detecting keys while in focus windows 7

[TerminalWalrus]

Super dooper noober trooper I am. Google is my friend, but I'm having trouble finding an answer to a particular question.

It's my understanding that there's some issue with regards to Windows 7 and detecting hot keys being pressed while certain programs are in focus. I imagine this is some type of security feature, but it's in my way.

Could someone please explain to me what causes this issue and perhaps suggest a few ways to get around it (aside from installing Windows XP)? I'm learning, so it would be much appreciated.

[JohnOne]

Perhaps you ought to post a script snippet that demonstrates your issue.

[TerminalWalrus]

Okay, say for example then...

#RequireAdmin
#Include "Misc.au3"

Hotkeyset("{esc}", "off")

   ;*********************************************** Off Switch
   Global $consoleon
   If PRocessExists("example.exe") Then
   $consoleon = 1
   ElseIf ProcessExists("example2.exe") Then
   $consoleon = 1
   Else
   $consoleon = 0
   EndIf

   Global $on = 1
   If $on = 0 Then
   Exit
   ElseIf $consoleon = 0 Then
   Exit
   EndIf

   Func off()
   $on = 0
   EndFunc
   ;***********************************************

   While $on = 1 ; keeps the script running in the background
      Sleep(50)
   WEnd

The code works fine to stop the script when I press escape. Unless the window corresponding to example.exe is in focus. Then it doesn't capture the hot key when I press it.

[BrewManNH]

Other than commenting out the #RequireAdmin line from your script above, this worked for me using Notepad without a problem. Running this on Windows 7 x64.

I had to get rid of the RequireAdmin line because it wouldn't see the Process for Notepad unless I did that. Maybe the program you're having problems with uses Escape as it's own hotkey.

[TerminalWalrus]

Thank you for taking the time, Brew.

For anyone reading this with an identical problem in the future, the correct question I should have asked is... What alternative methods exist for setting hotkeys? Therein lay the solution.

Hotkeyset works fine for most things, but not everything.

[Xandy]

Could these tools help you?

_ispressed() and or winactive()

#include <Misc.au3>; header file includes _ispressed()
if winactive("window title") then
   if _ispressed("1B") then
      $on= 0
   endif; end if your hotkey pressed
endif;end if your window has focus

If you don't care about the window that has focus when ESCAPE is pressed just remove the if winactive and endif.

_ispressed will work but the keypress will also be sent to the window with focus.

Edited February 10, 2012 by Xandy