Window + E keys?

Share any ideas you have on improving Explorer++
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topbanana
Posts: 53
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2010 4:30 am

Window + E keys?

Post by topbanana »

Is it possible to remap the Window + E key combo to launch Explorer++ instead of Windows Explorer?
pseudo555
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2010 6:06 am

Re: Window + E keys?

Post by pseudo555 »

Without 3rd tools help, it's impossible. This keyboard shorcut (and some other) are hard-coded in windows, so there is no way to change that.

But you can override this crappy microsoft feature with AutoHotKey (which allows you to remap everything) :
http://www.autohotkey.com/

In my autoHotKey script, i remap win+ e to explorer++ using this line (i'm on win 7 64bit, you might need to change the path to explorer++):
#e::Run "C:\Program Files (x86)\explorer++\Explorer++.exe"
Max
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 3:18 am

Re: Window + E keys?

Post by Max »

I personally prefer HotKeyz (portable) and I use the "Win+E" hotkey for Explorer++ myself.
The RAM usage is about 9 mb and it's easier to use and has more features than AutoHotkey.
Whichever you choose, when you disable the default Windows hotkeys, you may also need to create manual commands for other Windows hotkeys that are now disabled (if you use them):

For the "Win+D" or "Win+M" (show desktop command), you can create a hotkey to point to "showdesktop.scf" (in the attachment)
For the "Win+R" (run command), you can create a .bat file with the following code inside:
@ECHO OFF
rundll32.exe shell32.dll,#61
Attachments
showdesktop.zip
(198 Bytes) Downloaded 1201 times
topbanana
Posts: 53
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2010 4:30 am

Re: Window + E keys?

Post by topbanana »

Could this functionality be coded into E++ then?
Max
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 3:18 am

Re: Window + E keys?

Post by Max »

Technically it could, but not without turning off all other Windows hotkeys, and I'm not sure people would want that. Blame it on Windows' bad customizability.
xXDarknessXx
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2010 7:54 am

Re: Window + E keys?

Post by xXDarknessXx »

@max Hotkeyz does definitely not have more features then AutoHotkey,
AutoHotkey can do all sorts like docking windows to other windows, controlling the mouse, sending keystrokes, moving specific windows to any position
or even use the SendMessage() Function to make basically any program do anything the user wants.

@topbanana I too suggest using autohotkey as it can be using to remap keys without the need to restart the computer (like some registry keymap tweaks will need) and with a few more lines added to pseudo's code you can make the hotkey program use about 3mb

Compile this code and put it into startup for the same code as pseudo's code just with a little less memory usage

Code: Select all

#NoEnv
#SingleInstance, force

#e::Run, "C:\Program Files\Explorer++\Explorer++.exe"
Although its not much, without the #NoEnv then this script ends up using 900kb more ram.
olof_
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 7:26 am

Re: Window + E keys?

Post by olof_ »

Thank you so much for this!

I used xXDarknessXx's solution and it worked like a charm.
now my right-click->edit this script looks like this:

Code: Select all

#NoEnv
#SingleInstance, force

#e::Run, "C:\Program Files (x86)\explorer++1.2_x64\Explorer++.exe"
as I am using a x64 system.

remember to reload script after editing it, otherways it wont work.

Edit: I use the AutoHotkey_L x64 Unicode.
Edit2: why force one instance when there is a possibility to not allow multiple instances?
grayghost2
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:27 pm

Re: Window + E keys?

Post by grayghost2 »

Q_1: Are codes run in a VBS file.
(I already have one of my own VBS files run at startup, via a shortcut to the VBS. Beginners luck that it works (rewrites an INI file before running an EXE)
I have not looked at AutoHotKey tool yet. I am a newbie :?

Q_2: I want to be able to run multiple instances of "Explorer++"
@ "olof"
What do the two expressions "#NoEnv" and "#SingleInstance, force" ... do or not do?
Does "#e " represent the the "e" key in Win+e ?
Would the VBS file have to be run with every boot/startup ?


Would appreciate any coaching, thank you
pseudo555
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2010 6:06 am

Re: Window + E keys?

Post by pseudo555 »

With my version, you can run as many as instance of explorer++ you want. I don't use others versions, so i don't know if that works the same way.

About #e, it means win + e.
More details here : http://www.autohotkey.com/docs/Hotkeys.htm

In my case, autohotkey starts with this scripte in the same time as windows.
grayghost2
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:27 pm

Re: Window + E keys?

Post by grayghost2 »

@pseudo555
pseudo555 wrote:About #e, it means win + e.
More details here : http://www.autohotkey.com/docs/Hotkeys.htm
Thank you "pseudo555" for your tips and link to Autohotkey.com :)
----------
:?: #NoEnv ... what does it represent or do?

:?: #SingleInstance, force ... what does it represent or do ? (? no multiple instances of, in this case, Exp++ ?)

Thank you for your generosity and help. :) :D
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