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AutoHotkey script to open, restore or minimize, Window's and Chrome's Apps using hotkeys

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JuanmaMenendez/AutoHotkey-script-Open-Show-Apps

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AutoHotkey-script-Open-Show-Switch-windows-Apps

AutoHotkey script to Open, Restore or Minimize any Apps using the hotkeys you want


Features

1) Support for Windows regular Apps, Windows Store Apps, Chrome Apps and Chrome Website Shortcuts (useful to directly open any web page)

2) Ability to switch between open windows of the same App by pressing Alt + ` (key above Tab key) similar to how it works in macOS. You can switch for example between multiple Chrome open windows


How it works

You set a hotkey and a corresponding utility function responsible to execute the action.

There are three utility functions you can use for this:

a) OpenOrShowAppBasedOnExeName(AppAddress) - Useful for regular Window Apps

Example: F7:: OpenOrShowAppBasedOnExeName("C:\Windows\notepad.exe")


b) OpenOrShowAppBasedOnWindowTitle(WindowTitleWord, AppAddress) - Specially useful for Chrome Apps and Chrome Website Shortcuts

Example: F8:: OpenOrShowAppBasedOnWindowTitle("Gmail", "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe --app=https://mail.google.com/mail/")


c) OpenOrShowAppBasedOnAppModelUserID(AppTitle, AppModelUserID) - Useful for Windows Store Apps (contained in the "shell:AppsFolder")

Example: F9:: OpenOrShowAppBasedOnAppModelUserID("Calculator", "Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App")

Note: To get the AppUserModelID of a Windows Store App, you can use this comprehensive guide.


Installation and Usage

1- Download and install the AutoHotkey App v1.1 here
Note: v1.1 is still working fine. Pull Requests to refactor the scripts for v2 compatibility are welcome.

2- Download the script file here

3- Edit the "*** YOUR SHORTCUTS CONFIGURATION ***" section in the script file (Notepad works) and create/modify your shortcuts, setting your hotkeys and the path to your desired App by using the above utility functions

For example, this line F7:: OpenOrShowAppBasedOnExeName("C:\Windows\notepad.exe") will open the Window's Notepad App when you press the F7 key

4- Execute the script (Double click on it)

5- (Optional) To automatically load this script on System Startup, you have to create a Windows desktop shortcut for it and move it into the Windows startup folder, located precisely at "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"

6- Enjoy