Question

Custom Function keys - set function keys to CTRL+B, CTRL+F..

Asked by: mechanism

For my own needs, I need a small application that would set the function keys to specific keystrokes:

F1 set to CTRL+U + CTRL+M
F2 set to CTRL+B + CTRL+M
F3 set to CTRL+F + CTRL+M
F4 set to CTRL+E + CTRL+M
F5 set to CTRL+V + V + + CTRL+M
F6 set to CTRL+W + CTRL+M
F7 set to CTRL+T + CTRL+M

This means that if I press F5, it should be like pressing CTRL+V, then the letter V, and then CTRL+M. How should I do that?

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Asked On: 2009-10-22 at 08:31:51ID24834922
Topics: VB Script
,; Microsoft Visual Basic.Net
Participating Experts: 3
Points: 500
Comments: 9

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Answers

by: bhmahlerPosted on 2009-10-22 at 10:58:29ID: 25637116

Do you want to achieve this in your application only or globally? If you want it globally you would need to use a low level keyboard hook and this would disable the function keys from any other action. If you want it only in your application you can set keypreview to true on your form and handle the KeyUp event. You could then send the appropriate keys when the selected function key was clicked. If you can clarify the method you are looking for, I can provide an example.

by: Idle_MindPosted on 2009-10-22 at 12:08:36ID: 25637812

Also, please let us know what version VB you're using...there's a HUGE difference between VBScript (.vbs) and VB.Net...

by: mechanismPosted on 2009-10-23 at 02:16:34ID: 25642542

THANK YOU indeed for your comment. In fact, I can use 2003 or 2005 versions of VB .NET, I just putted vb script in case I can solve this without compiling ..

Yes, as a fast solution, I would like to permanently change the behaviour of the function keys (well, it would be nice if I could reverse this later on in the future)

THANK YOU

Nick

by: CodeCruiserPosted on 2009-10-23 at 04:55:20ID: 25643461

You can use the global keyboard hooks and replace the e.keychar appropriately. Following articles are in C# but may be useful

http://www.codeproject.com/KB/cs/CSLLKeyboardHook.aspx

http://www.codeproject.com/KB/cs/globalhook.aspx

by: mechanismPosted on 2009-10-23 at 06:08:34ID: 25643965

I will look, but I would appreciate if we could do something in VB .NET...

THANK YOU

by: bhmahlerPosted on 2009-10-23 at 06:40:48ID: 25644292

I have a HookManager.dll that I use for global hooks. I can't share the source but you are welcome to use the dll. The dll is written in C#. It is available here http://ffxilinkshell.com/apps/Hook.dll

Usage is as follows below. I made a quick project that should do what you are asking

Imports Hook
 
Public Class Form1
 
 
    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        AddHandler HookManager.KeyDown, AddressOf HookManager_KeyDown
        AddHandler HookManager.KeyUp, AddressOf HookManager_KeyUp
 
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub HookManager_KeyDown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As KeyEventArgs)
        Select Case e.KeyCode
            Case Keys.F1
                e.Handled = True
            Case Keys.F2
                e.Handled = True
            Case Keys.F3
                e.Handled = True
            Case Keys.F4
                e.Handled = True
            Case Keys.F5
                e.Handled = True
            Case Keys.F6
                e.Handled = True
            Case Keys.F7
                e.Handled = True
        End Select
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub HookManager_KeyUp(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As KeyEventArgs)
        Select Case e.KeyCode
            Case Keys.F1
                e.Handled = True
                SendKeys.Send("^u")
                SendKeys.Send("^m")
            Case Keys.F2
                e.Handled = True
                SendKeys.Send("^b")
                SendKeys.Send("^m")
            Case Keys.F3
                e.Handled = True
                SendKeys.Send("^f")
                SendKeys.Send("^m")
            Case Keys.F4
                e.Handled = True
                SendKeys.Send("^e")
                SendKeys.Send("^m")
            Case Keys.F5
                e.Handled = True
                SendKeys.Send("^v")
                SendKeys.Send("v")
                SendKeys.Send("^m")
            Case Keys.F6
                e.Handled = True
                SendKeys.Send("^w")
                SendKeys.Send("^m")
            Case Keys.F7
                e.Handled = True
                SendKeys.Send("^t")
                SendKeys.Send("^m")
        End Select
    End Sub
End Class

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by: Idle_MindPosted on 2009-10-23 at 08:10:00ID: 25645149

Here's one written completely in VB.Net.

As stated in the Load() Event, the hook does not work while in the Visual Studio IDE. Run the EXE in the \bin\release folder instead:

Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Public Class Form1
 
    Private SCH As ShortCutHook
 
    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        ' *** Hook does NOT work while in the Visual Studio IDE...run the EXE in \bin\release directly! ***
        SCH = New ShortCutHook
    End Sub
 
    Private Class ShortCutHook
 
        Private Const HC_ACTION As Integer = 0
        Private Const WH_KEYBOARD_LL As Integer = 13
        Private Const WM_KEYDOWN As Integer = &H100
        Private Const WM_KEYUP As Integer = &H101
 
        Private Declare Sub keybd_event Lib "user32.dll" (ByVal bVk As Byte, _
            ByVal bScan As Byte, ByVal dwFlags As Integer, ByVal dwExtraInfo As Integer)
 
        Private Declare Function MapVirtualKey Lib "user32" Alias "MapVirtualKeyA" _
            (ByVal wCode As Integer, ByVal wMapType As Integer) As Integer
 
        Public Structure KBDLLHOOKSTRUCT
            Public vkCode As Integer
            Public scancode As Integer
            Public flags As Integer
            Public time As Integer
            Public dwExtraInfo As Integer
        End Structure
 
        Private Declare Function SetWindowsHookEx Lib "user32" _
            Alias "SetWindowsHookExA" ( _
            ByVal idHook As Integer, _
            ByVal lpfn As LowLevelKeyboardProcDelegate, _
            ByVal hmod As Integer, _
            ByVal dwThreadId As Integer) As Integer
 
        Private Declare Function CallNextHookEx Lib "user32" ( _
            ByVal hHook As Integer, _
            ByVal nCode As Integer, _
            ByVal wParam As Integer, _
            ByVal lParam As KBDLLHOOKSTRUCT) As Integer
 
        Private Declare Function UnhookWindowsHookEx Lib "user32" ( _
            ByVal hHook As Integer) As Integer
 
        Private Delegate Function LowLevelKeyboardProcDelegate( _
            ByVal nCode As Integer, _
            ByVal wParam As Integer, _
            ByRef lParam As KBDLLHOOKSTRUCT) As Integer
 
        Public Event KeyDown(ByVal Key As Keys)
 
        Private hhkLowLevelKeyboard As Integer
        Private keyboardDelegate As LowLevelKeyboardProcDelegate
 
        Public Sub New()
            keyboardDelegate = New LowLevelKeyboardProcDelegate(AddressOf Me.LowLevelKeyboardProc)
            hhkLowLevelKeyboard = SetWindowsHookEx(WH_KEYBOARD_LL, keyboardDelegate, _
                Marshal.GetHINSTANCE(System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly.GetModules()(0)).ToInt32, 0)
        End Sub
 
        Private Function LowLevelKeyboardProc( _
            ByVal nCode As Integer, _
            ByVal wParam As Integer, _
            ByRef lParam As KBDLLHOOKSTRUCT) As Integer
 
            If (nCode = HC_ACTION) Then
                Select Case wParam
                    Case WM_KEYDOWN
                        Select Case lParam.vkCode
                            Case Keys.F1 To Keys.F7
                                Return True ' Suppress WM_KEYDOWN
 
                        End Select
 
                    Case WM_KEYUP
                        Select Case lParam.vkCode
                            Case Keys.F1 To Keys.F7
                                ' Make sure the Function key is up:
                                KeyPress(lParam.vkCode, False)
 
                                ' F1 set to CTRL+U + CTRL+M
                                ' F2 set to CTRL+B + CTRL+M
                                ' F3 set to CTRL+F + CTRL+M
                                ' F4 set to CTRL+E + CTRL+M
                                ' F5 set to CTRL+V + V + CTRL+M
                                ' F6 set to CTRL+W + CTRL+M
                                ' F7 set to CTRL+T + CTRL+M
 
                                Select Case lParam.vkCode
                                    Case Keys.F1
                                        ' Ctrl-U
                                        KeyPress(Keys.ControlKey, True)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.U, True)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.U, False)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.Control, False)
 
                                    Case Keys.F2
                                        ' Ctrl-B
                                        KeyPress(Keys.ControlKey, True)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.B, True)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.B, False)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.Control, False)
 
                                    Case Keys.F3
                                        ' Ctrl-F
                                        KeyPress(Keys.ControlKey, True)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.F, True)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.F, False)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.Control, False)
 
                                    Case Keys.F4
                                        ' Ctrl-E
                                        KeyPress(Keys.ControlKey, True)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.E, True)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.E, False)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.Control, False)
 
                                    Case Keys.F5
                                        ' Ctrl-V
                                        KeyPress(Keys.ControlKey, True)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.V, True)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.V, False)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.Control, False)
 
                                        System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(100)
 
                                        ' V
                                        KeyPress(Keys.V, True)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.V, False)
 
                                    Case Keys.F6
                                        ' Ctrl-W
                                        KeyPress(Keys.ControlKey, True)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.W, True)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.W, False)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.Control, False)
 
                                    Case Keys.F7
                                        ' Ctrl-T
                                        KeyPress(Keys.ControlKey, True)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.T, True)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.T, False)
                                        KeyPress(Keys.Control, False)
                                    
                                End Select
 
                                System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(100)
 
                                ' Ctrl-M
                                KeyPress(Keys.ControlKey, True)
                                KeyPress(Keys.M, True)
                                KeyPress(Keys.M, False)
                                KeyPress(Keys.Control, False)
 
                                Return True
 
                        End Select
 
                End Select
            End If
 
            Return CallNextHookEx(hhkLowLevelKeyboard, nCode, wParam, lParam)
        End Function
 
        Private Sub KeyPress(ByVal keyCode As Integer, ByVal DownState As Boolean)
            keybd_event(keyCode, MapVirtualKey(keyCode, 0), IIf(DownState, 0, 2), 0)
        End Sub
 
        Protected Overrides Sub Finalize()
            UnhookWindowsHookEx(hhkLowLevelKeyboard)
            MyBase.Finalize()
        End Sub
 
    End Class
 
End Class

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by: mechanismPosted on 2009-10-25 at 16:29:48ID: 25659013

Checking both solutions. Thank you indeed; by Monday I will be ready to answer (the final test will be done in another desktop so I need to be sure for the functionality on that system).

I will use vb .net 2005

by: mechanismPosted on 2009-10-29 at 05:40:35ID: 25692925

Sorry for delay, I think the autonomous solution is what I was looking for.

Thank you all

Nick

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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Custom Function keys - set function keys to CTRL+B, CTRL+F..

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VB Script

Microsoft Visual Basic.Net

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