I find Windows key + D a favourate of mine, to bring up the desktop then pressing it again brings all the windows back!

Windows key + L is a new one to me, I'll remember this one to impress people with the speed at which I can lock my workstations! :)

Speaking of Environment Variables, from the Run Dialog enter the following %tmp%. This will launch the File Explorer and take you to the system defined temporary directory. (This should work on Win95, Win2000, WinXP, etc.) So, why not create your own? You can create an Environment Variable that will take you to a directory, launch a file, or take you to a web site. I also created a little command-line util to help manage variables. For more info see my blog at <a href="http://rtodosic.blogspot.com/2004/11/setglobal.html">http://rtodosic.blogspot.com/2004/11/setglobal.html</a>;

By the way, thanks for your posts. I always find them very useful and insightful.

I learned about WinKey + L from a co-worker. I was in his cubicle while he was gone, and I was about to start fiddling with his desktop settings to screw with him. He peeked his head in from another room, and asked me to do him a favor while I was in his cube. He said to press and hold the winkey and then press then 'L' key. I did so of course, and it thwarted my attempts at mischief unfortunately.

Thanks Jeff for listing these. In particular the combination to restore all minimized windows. I knew that WinKey + M minimized them all, but I didn't know how to get them back. Of course, from now on I'll probably just use WinKey + D.

WinKey + U brings up the utility manager. I use magnifier all of the time for web development (pixel-perfect *slap*).

I'm used to winkey+r, winword/iexplore/excel/powerpnt/pbrush/notepad now.

I have long been a fan of making shortcuts, naming them appropriately, and dumping them in System32. I used "IE" to save myself time typing iexplore back before I switched to Firefox for good. I have used "home" as a shortcut to a remote desktop .rdp file that automatically opened a connection to my home machine with my screen size / color depth preferences.

Good times.

"Start, Run, "word" won't launch Microsoft Word, for example"

That's because the executable is called "winword". Win-R winword works just fine over here. Try and figure out power point without looking -- it's impossible.

Slickrun is also a nice tool:
Win + Q sets gives focus to a floating inputfield, where i can type the following:

"g searchstring" for googling
"m" for outlook
"music" for mediaplayer+explorer on musicdirectory
"babel word2lookup" to get a translation
"sql" for my queryanalyzer
"imdb moviename" guess what
"noir" calls a midget to fill my coffeecup

actually that last one isn't true :p

all cmd commands are still available offcourse

> Win-R winword works just fine over here.

Ah, right, it must be in the path already..

> WinKey + U brings up the utility manager.

Thanks, I added that one to the list!

> Win + Q sets gives focus to a floating inputfield, where i can type the following:

Yes, but I think all the same functionality can be delivered through Win + R and shortcuts.. if I create a shortcut named "g" with the command line..

"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE" http://www.google.com/search?q=

I can then do Win+R, "g test" and get a google search for test. Well, test with a leading space, I haven't quite worked that part out yet..

Another way of programs to execute from the Run dialog without adding them to the PATH is to add a Registry key under "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths". I'm pretty sure I saw this described in a "things good Setup programs ought to do" document but a surprising number of apps don't do it...

But launching is just one of 8 things, plus all things we do with various agents.

ActiveWords is so vastly more powerful than what you have written about! The hardest part is gettting people to modify their behavior. You have already done that, why not do more?

Let me know if you have any questions/comments about ActiveWords and I will do my best to get you answers.

Also, let me know if you think having a guided tour would enhance your understanding of ActiveWords.

Buzz

For all your environment variables: type SET at a command prompt.

===========
THE OLD WAY
===========

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\

Add a Key called "randomWordDocument.exe"
Inside the key, set default's value to "C:\My Documents\random.doc"

Now whenever you enter "randomWordDocument" (no need for the ".exe" part) it will launch "C:\My Documents\random.doc"... depending on you system, most likely inside of Microsoft Word.

I type "c", "d" and "e" to quickly launch those drives. "zip" for Winzip, "ff" for Firefox etc.

===========
THE NEW WAY
===========

That tricky to do... so use AppPaths ( http://www.gregorybraun.com/AppPaths_ss.html ) to save you from messing with the registry.

It's so helpfull that the first thing you should do is add an entry called "run.exe" so that you can launch it by typing "run" into the Windows Run dialog box.

I have a folder called "Often" within the "Start Menu" folder (right click the Start button and choose Explore) once I have created this folder I drag and drop shortcuts (holding down CTRL to make sure you COPY the shortcut rather than moving the original) from all over the shop to this folder - I then rename them to ensure that the first letter is unique and logical - from here I can be three keypresses away from what I want eg WINKEY - brings up start menu, O - selects the "Often" Menu, N selects Notepad, I dont need to hold down the WINKEY while I press O so can be drinking my tea while launching Notepad. I like this method also because it is easy to maintain (No registry hacks). If you know how to drag the menu items around and drop them then you cab set it up and alter it when new Apps are installed very quickly. Transferring to another computer is simply a ZIP away.

I love the WinKey, but do WAY more than these with it. The secret is the free AutoHotKey This lets you bind any action you like to any combination of keys you can imagine. I use the WIN+Letter key for my most frequent shortcuts, and RCTRL+Letter for a bunch of others. If that's not sufficient, you can bind arbitrarily complex keys Ctrl+Alt+Win+Letter or even PrntScrn+Shift+Letter up to the limits of your brain's capacity. Hitting a key launches a very powerful script engine that can do some amazine things. It can start programs, terminate programs, send keys or mouse clicks, activate, deactivate, expand, minimize... you name it. Check it out. It's my absolute favorite bit of coolness.

You find some nice changes in Windows Vista as it is much smarter you can type things like word and it opens word note opens note internet opens the default browser...

I'm still waiting for a Windows version of Quicksilver to come out. (<a href="http://quicksilver.blacktree.com/)">http://quicksilver.blacktree.com/)</a> It's changed the way I work with my iBook. I use slick run on my XP machines but it's no where near as powerful as Quicksilver.

1) An almost complete list of Windows keyboard shortcuts for Windows XP can be found in C:\WINDOWS\Help\keyshort.chm

2) Above list is missing Win+B (first introduced in XP) that gives focus to the first tray icon--or focus to that show/hide (<<) arrow if you are hiding tray icons

3) Win+Break should actually be Win+Pause. If you use a language that lets you simulate these keypresses--VB Script won't work with those keys--then only Win+Pause brings up system properties.

Excellent, I updated the list. Thanks for the tips!

Here's a list of 113 commands you can use with Windows-R (Run):

http://www.fixmyxp.com/content/view/20/42/

Some aren't very useful, and a few you already know about (calc, etc), but there are definitely a few gems in there. Worth reading through.

If someone wants an "appPaths"-like tool that autoregisters executable, that is selected in TotalCommnder, to be able to run through Win+R (with C (MSVC++ 7.0) source code), you may contact me (<a href="http://void_shambler_0.livejournal.com/profile)">http://void_shambler_0.livejournal.com/profile)</a>
The project is too small to have a homepage.

The latest version of google desktop has a useful feature of pressing ctrl twice to bring up a floating search dialog (similar to slickrun). You can then type search terms including names of shortcuts in your start menu. Typing "word" to start word works quite well and with the autocomplete you can usually get there in less letters.

I've been messing with mouseless windows for the last few weeks. Currently I'm on:
- Find and run robot. I found launchy but it had bugs. Find and run robot is much more powerful anyway. Highly recommended.

- Autohotkey is the business too. I'm currently using it for macros _everywhere_. So snippets of code that I want to use work in any text editor. I also have a couple of other scripts. My current favourite though is this one:
http://www.autohotkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1040

Control-Space and start typing. Hit enter and I'm there. no more alt-tabbing back and forth.

Actually there is no need to add anything to the path. try win+r "." (just type the dot character). You'll see that your default directory for win+r is your %homedrive%%homepath%. So you can just put links and executables in there. Admittedly that get cluttered a bit, but then again your real home is not used for much. Anything important is in subfolders of it.

question: sometimes my windows key will not work to expand the start menu. other windows key shortcuts work fine. I've seen this on two machines with XP. Have I inadvertently switched it off? Anyone else see this?

try a google for "Launchy" as an app launcher, absolute bliss..
small mem-footprint, multi-use; i hardly ever use the Start menu, or Run anymore

I'd never heard of the win+run shortcuts thing, and I love it! It sure beats all the clicking around the start menu!

Does anyone know how to change the WIN + (any number) shortcuts? I can't find any literature regarding them on the internet.

Here is what I found when I experimented:
WIN+1: Nothing I can tell
+2: Nothing
+3: Runs my "Suspend.exe" program (which is located at C:\suspend.exe) - not sure why it runs this program... (I have this program set at a shortcut for my Fujitsu ECO button on my laptop)
+4: Nothing
+5: Nothing
+6: Lauches "cdplayer.exe" - but it closes right after...if you pay attention to the taskbar, you will briefly notice a cd icon show up. I only found out that it was cdplayer.exe by opening task manager and then pressing the shortcut repeatably.
+7: cdplayer.exe
+8: cdplayer.exe
+9: cdplayer.exe
+0: Starts the screensaver

Can anyone else replicate these shortcuts? And also, does anyone know how to modify them? Thanks!

Dom

I've taken to using launchy(http://www.launchy.net/) for quick launching programs, access to files/folders, and doing web searches.

It doesn't catalog everything but for a lot of things it brings the computer to my fingertips fast.

Regarding the Win + number thing: in Vista, 1 through 0 open the first 10 shortcuts in the Quicklaunch toolbar. I have not tested in other Windows versions.

Also in Vista:
Win + X is the Windows Mobility Center. (I guess that is only important if you have a laptop.)
Win + B shifts focus to the system tray icons in the Startbar.
Win + T shifts focus to the task section of the Startbar.
Win + G is a substitute for the Ctrl/Ctrl thing to open the Google Desktop floating searchbar thing (if installed).

Even though they aren't Winkey combos, I have always liked these:
Ctrl - Esc is a substitute for just kitting the Winkey.
Ctrl - Shift - Esc opens Task Manager
Shift - F10 is a substitute for the other Windows key (the right-mouse, or menu key, or whatever that thing is called).

One more thing (only remotely related): run gpedit.msc to open the Group Policy Editor MMC snap-in, open User Configuration/Administrative Templates/Start Menu and Taskbar and set Remote Help menu from Start Menu to rid your start menu of that annoying Help item. There's other cool stuff in there as well.

L8r

The winkey+L is not working on my PC, the rest of the combination work fine. Can anyone help to advise? thanks

Just use Launchy. I set the hotkey to Win+Z.

I gotta say that I love doing things without the mouse. Its way cooler, its way faster, and its more mentally engaging.

However, I sometimes find myself using the mouse anyways.

The keyboard is like using a huge vocabulary, sometimes you just want to say things stupidly and with more words.

Plus, sometimes one hand is stuck under the desk ;o

I've always wondered what the difference between Windows + D and Windows + M is...

I use Winkey* for as long as I can remember. Locking my workstation, getting to the desktop, etc. Even when I started using Linux I configured all the common Winkey* combinations to match Window's so I could comfortably use them.
However the Winkey+B I didn't know yet. I prefer to work with the keyboard and this will help me to use the keyboard a little bit more. :) Thanks

> I've always wondered what the difference between Windows + D and
> Windows + M is...
> Guillermo on November 3, 2007 02:08 PM

Guillermo, I can't answer that and don't see why Windows+D was introduced (maybe because D is for Desktop) but Windows+M Minimises all windows and Windows+Shift+M restores them again. Makes more sense to use the same letter to me. Oh and I like the Windows+L, I've always wanted a quick way to do that!

> The winkey+L is not working on my PC, the rest of the combination
> work fine. Can anyone help to advise? thanks
> ngsp on September 11, 2007 12:44 AM

ngsp, This only works on NT based versions of Windows (2000, XP) and Vista. If you're using one of these versions and you can't lock your computer (the long way is Ctrl+Alt+Del then click Lock Computer) you'll need to tweak the network settings. I can't remember what to do, but it should be possible on Winndows NT/2000 and later.

And my contribution to the thread - the button immediately left of the right Ctrl key (a menu with a pointer) brings up the context menu (same as right-click).

Hope my ramblings help :)

PS. I just remembered, to set Google.co.yourcountry (google.co.uk for example) to search your country by default, click the 'pages from UK' button, then - leaving the search bar empty - click Search. The address bar now has the UK button selected when it loads. Now bookmark this page, or use it as your homepage.

Using shortcuts there is a HORRIBLE solution (kludge). You're supposed to use App Paths.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths

...like other people said above.

I went through Heathrow last week, and there were a noticeably large number of adverts up in the security screening area. (All for a certain large consultancy)

My Laptop Has no windows key :-(

In response to Dom's question. I run windows vista and the Win-number combinations launch the programs that are on my quicklaunch bar in order from left to right.

For example IE is the 4th icon over so Win-4 launches it.

I have more than 9 icons showing though and I have no idea how to launch the rest.

biojae

You can use SharpKeys to add a key map to your registry in place of the windows key if you need it. For example, my keyboard does not have a windows key either and I don't use F6 for anything else so I mapped it so F6 is my windows key.