I discovered today that my computer, at my workplace, has “Shortkeys,” a keyboard macro. You can set up rules, using key combinations, to replace keystrokes with text.
Their example is that if you type “##test” you get “Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.” This works in most applications, as it comes between the keyboard and the app.
Any love for this app? Any hate? Are there competitors that are any good? Is there anything of this nature that’s free? (Shortkeys licenses for $29.95. I’m not quite sure I’d get that much utility from it.)
I’m using MS Ergonomic 4000 keyboards on one console at work and on my desktop set-up at home. The WIN drivers/software includes the ability to program 10 special keys and a springy toggle switch to do key combinations, macro or text combinations like you describe, or issue special program-launches. There’s also 5 numbered keys at the top that can take those pre-configurations or be used to change the pre-configurations of the other keys (or the mouse).
It would therefore be feasible for me to program my mouse to issue a command when I middle-click (push the mouse wheel down and activate the button underneath – not all mice have such a 3rd button) to select the M32 grenade launcher [Think T100 vs cops in the T2 movie] when I’m running my demolitions guy in Ghost Recon, and then push the fourth numbered key to select the hand grenade when I’m running the rifleman in the same Ghost Recon game. They’re different key commands, but I could tell the middle button to issue a different command depending on which of the numbered buttons I’ve selected before middle-clicking.
I hope that made sense; it looks convoluted to me and only decipherable because I’m sitting in front of this keyboard and looking at the buttons and the mouse.
I used to have a Logitech keyboard and it, too, came with drivers that allowed assignment of key combinations, macros, text strings, function activation or program launching.
I have a Logitech G600 gaming mouse that has more buttons than I need. Basically, though, I don’t need to utilize the vast flexibility that I poorly describe in the blue paragraph above because I’ve programmed special responses into 2/3rds of the special buttons on this mouse.
Good luck!
—G!
Interesting! I have a Logitech “deluxe” keyboard and a Logitech mouse.
Some Googling suggests I might get some benefit from “Logitech Gaming Software,” which is made to let users put in key combos for gaming purposes – as you gave examples of. Select grenade launcher, select hand grenade, etc.
I’m more interested in text macros – “Ctrl-P” > “Product no available in all fifty states” – but LGS might have options. Thank’ee for the hint!
Wow! My face is red: I just found out that Windows 10 has a keyboard reassignment function, with macros available exactly as I was describing!
Good thing I didn’t spend the thirty dollars!
(“Found money!” Gonna go have a big lunch!)
Make sure that the keyboard combo you use for the shortcut doesn’t replace some existing keyboard shortcut. And if you’re typing in Microsoft Word, for instance, you can set these shortcuts up there without needing another program. I could, for example, configure MS Word so that if I type SDMB, it’s auto-corrected to Straight Dope Message Board. The computers at work are programmed to do this when we type the initials of the company name; they prefer that the name be spelled out.