Setting hotkeys

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 08:58

@JohnRennie: Hi sir. Good morning :-)

John Rennie

@GuruVishnu hi :-)

Did you manage to create a link to open a collection in Edge?

Guru Vishnu

No sir. I tried to create a shortcut for a particular webpage by saving it. But it didn't go as planned. Things like icons and all those stuff also got saved. I don't know why, but this method seems to work well only for folders and not for applications like Edge and OneNote sir.

John Rennie

To open a web page you need to create a shortcut with the path set to:

C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c start Microsoft-Edge:https://physics.stackexchange.com/

where I've used a link to the PSE as an example.

I'm guessing there would be some similar way of opening a tab collection, but I don't know what it is.

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir.

@JohnRennie Yesterday, I tried of opening multiple folders with the same shortcut key, but only the latest one opened. So that method of just compounding doesn't work.

Or in other words, I set the shortcut for folders A and B as Ctrl+Alt+A; but only folder B opened because that was the one I added last.

John Rennie

Ah right, yes, I think you can only set one folder for any particular hotkey.

Generally the way you this is to write a batch file, then create a shortcut to that batch file and set a hotkey.

Then the hotkey runs your batch file.

In the batch file you can put multiple commands so you could add commands to open as many folders as you want.

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 09:07

Sounds nice. What's a batch file? I think I have to learn about it on the internet.

John Rennie

@GuruVishnu Are you familiar with using a command prompt?

Guru Vishnu

No sir.

John Rennie

Click Start, then scroll down to Windows System and open it, then click on Command prompt

Guru Vishnu

Opened sir. I used the search bar for the sake of simplicity :-)

John Rennie

OK, so you have a black command prompt window open

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 09:12

Yes sir.

John Rennie

You can do stuff from the command prompt by typing commands

Guru Vishnu

Ok. So it's like how primitive computers were used, right?

John Rennie

Yes, but it's still very useful even in Windows 10.

Guru Vishnu

Oh fine.

Good to know, sir.

John Rennie

For example type:

explorer %HOMEPATH%

This will open your home folder.

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 09:15

Yes sir.

John Rennie

You were asking about opening multiple folders, well you can do this using multiple commands:

explorer <folder name>

OK so far?

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir. But what if there are multiple folders with the same name? Don't we need the complete address in those cases?

John Rennie

Yes, you need the full folder name. Have you got an example of a folder you want to open? I can show you how to open it with a command.

Guru Vishnu

@JohnRennie Sir, I tried explorer Academics to open a folder named Academics in D:\\; but this opens something else in the default Documents tab.

John Rennie

The command needs to be:

explorer D:\Academics

i.e. you need to tell Explorer the full folder name including the drive letter.

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 09:19

Ok sir. Now got it.

John Rennie

A batch file is just a text file with the commands that you'd type in a command prompt, one command per line.

When you run the batch file it runs the commands in the file one line at a time exactly as if you had typed them into a command prompt.

So suppose you had the file containing:

explorer D:\Academics
explorer D:\Universities

When you run the batch file it runs both commands in turn so it would open the two folders.

Guru Vishnu

Ok so far sir. I have understood everything you've explained till now.

John Rennie

So you create a batch file somewhere convenient. e.g. in your Documents folder create a folder called Batch, then create the batch files in that folder.

So in Documents\Batch you could create a file called Academics.bat (it has to end in .bat) and put the two commands in that file.

Then on your desktop create a shortcut to that batch file, and set the hotkey.

Now when you press the hotkey it runs that shortcut, which runs the batch file, which opens your two folders.

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir. I got it. I'll experiment it immeditaly after this question. Is it really necessary for the shortcut to be on the desktop? Yesterday, I tried putting all the shortcuts inside one of the drives deep in the folder. But it didn't work out.

John Rennie

This probably seems a lot of fuss, but it isn't when you get used to it, and we long time hackers do this sort of thing all the time.

@GuruVishnu You can put the shortcut anywhere you want. I just suggested you put it on the desktop to make it quick to find.

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 09:27

Ok sir. But it worked only when the shortcut was in the desktop.

John Rennie

It should work anywhere.

If you have TeamViewer you are welcome to connect to my PC and I'll demonstrate.

Guru Vishnu

@JohnRennie Ok sir. Sure.

Oh wow. Didn't you mean you controlling my computer? :-)

John Rennie

I can connect to you if you prefer. Shall I connect now?

Guru Vishnu

By the way, I think it would be better if you delete yours.

@JohnRennie Yes sir. I hope you have my id.

John Rennie

Do you want to give me your password? (It will change every time so you aren't giving away anything critical)

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 09:31

Did you get it sir?

Is RATTICLE you, sir?

John Rennie

Yes, that's me :-)

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir. Then that's fine.

John Rennie

How do you want to do this? Shall we try creating a batch file?

Guru Vishnu

Sure. Isn't that simply a notepad file with .bat?

John Rennie

Yes

But I wouldn't just put the batch file on the desktop as the desktop will get cluttered.

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 09:33

I guess I might not be able to chat.

John Rennie

That's why I suggested creating a batch folder somewhere. Maybe Documents\Batch?

Guru Vishnu

@JohnRennie Ok sir. I've a dedicated folder for that.

Did you see that location, sir?

D:\Data\System\Shortcuts

John Rennie

Yes, shall I edit the batch file and create the commands to open D:\Academics?

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir. And for multiple folders, maybe we could use: D:/Academics/Subjects.

That's terrible on my side. I have used forward slash instead of back slash sir :-)

John Rennie

:-)

So do you want to try running the batch file to check it works. Just double click it.

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 09:38

I guess you can view my messages even before I send them :-)

This is interesting!

@JohnRennie Ok sir.

John Rennie

Ah, the file name is wrong.

It's Academics.bat.txt

We need to rename it.

Guru Vishnu

Oh fine.

John Rennie

There, yoiu can see the name is wrong. I'll rename it now.

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir.

John Rennie

Now try it

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 09:41

Is that the way to change a .txt file to .bat file, sir?

John Rennie

The problem here is that by default Explorer hides the suffix from you, and that makes it difficult to change the suffix.

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir.

John Rennie

The easiest solution is to tell Explorer to show you the suffix, but I didn't want to change any settings without checking with you first.

Guru Vishnu

@JohnRennie It works sir. A black window comes in between and I suppose it's the command prompt.

John Rennie

Yes, let me show you how to create the shortcut and hide the black window.

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 09:43

@JohnRennie Oh fine. From some YouTube video I did learn that we could enable extensions to be viewable. But I didn't do that as it would be bit more messay.

John Rennie

You can enable the extensions, edit the file name, then turn extensions off again.

Guru Vishnu

@JohnRennie Ok sir. Sure.

John Rennie

Anyway, I'll create the sortcut now.

Guru Vishnu

@JohnRennie I thought we could change the extension by merely changing it in the Save As option.

@JohnRennie Ok sir.

Ok so far sir.

John Rennie

I change the "Run As" to "Minimized" to hide the black command prompt window.

Do you want to choose a hotkey?

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 09:46

@JohnRennie Ok sir. But wouldn't it open the folders in the minimized view?

John Rennie

We'll try it and see :-)

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir. Then I'll choose a random shortcut :-)

Ctrl + Alt + D; Ok sir?

John Rennie

OK, try it!

Guru Vishnu

Nice. Black window didn't come up. But we got minimized versions.

John Rennie

You mean the folders opened minimized?

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 09:50

Yes sir.

John Rennie

Hmm, let me try ...

Guru Vishnu

Or was that intentional?

@JohnRennie Ok sir.

John Rennie

No it wasn't intentional

It looks to me as if they opened fine.

They opened fullscreen because they remembered how you last had them open.

Guru Vishnu

@JohnRennie Oh fine sir. So that "run as minimized" doesn't have any impact on these?

John Rennie

It shouldn't do.

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 09:52

Perfect! It's normal now.

John Rennie

It controls how the command prompt runs, but any folders opened by the command prompt will open as they did last time.

Guru Vishnu

So do I need to always, use run as minimized?

John Rennie

@GuruVishnu that is purely cosmetic.

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir :-)

John Rennie

I find it annoying to have the black window flash up then disappear.

But you can configure it any way you want.

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 09:53

Yes sir. I agree.

Do you wish to solve one more problem?

John Rennie

Yes ... ?

Guru Vishnu

This is regarding shortcuts not in desktop for whom the hotkeys don't work.

Now, I have made a shortcut of Academics folder in my dedicated shortcuts folder.

Next, I have set Ctrl+Alt+G as its hotkey.

On pressing Ctrl+Alt+G,

the academics folder doesn't seem to open.

But if I paste the short cut on the desktop:

and set its hotkey as Ctrl+Alt+J

then on pressing the combination...

The folder opens.

But why doesn't it open in the first case, sir?

John Rennie

Can I try?

Guru Vishnu

Sure sir.

John Rennie

OK ctrl-alt-J worked ...

Hmm, you're quite correct, it doesn't work in the folder.

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 10:00

Yes sir. It's not a big issue. But I'm a type of person who wishes to keep the desktop relatively clean :-)

John Rennie

I agree, I'm the same :-)

Guru Vishnu

Oh fine. So, you too keep all those shortcuts in the desktop, sir?

John Rennie

Maybe it is a builtin limitation. I'll have to experiment on my own computer.

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir. I think there's some way to disable desktop icons. I need to see whether it's possible to selectively disable stuff.

By the way, you could see my messages even before I send them right? I'm curious to know :-)

John Rennie

Yes :-)
Shall I disconnect now? I think we're done until I research how to make hotkeys work from a folder.

Disconnected!

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 10:03

@JohnRennie Ok sir. Thank you.

John Rennie

I'll have a play and get back to re hotkeys from a shortcut in a folder.

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir. So, is it time for you to go now?

John Rennie

No, I'm around for another two or three hours if you want to ask anything.

OK, it looks like shortcuts only work from the desktop ...

I guess that's a deliberate design choice by Microsoft.

Guru Vishnu

Hm. For me, the reason doesn't seem obvious.

John Rennie

You can put shortcuts on the Start menu, let me see if hotkeys work for them ...

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 10:08

Ok sir.

How would you paste the shortcuts in the start menu, sir?

John Rennie

There's a folder buried away that you can add stuff to and have it appear on the Start menu.

I can show you where it is if you want ...

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir. Sure. Since I would be creating shortcuts for every subject it would be better to avoid clutter in the desktop.

John Rennie

Ah, hotkeys do work from the start menu.

Shall I connect again so I can show you where it is?

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir. I believe user id is the same.

John Rennie

Yes ... ?

Conneted.

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 10:13

Yes sir. Noticed.

John Rennie

OK, I'll take over and show you where the folder is

Guru Vishnu

Sure sir.

John Rennie

I need to turn on Hidden items

I'll turn it off again when I'm done.

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir.

John Rennie

You see how that Shortcuts folder has appeared on the start menu now?

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 10:17

Nice sir! After this session, would you share the address of this location? I guess I need to make a lot of shortcuts :-)

John Rennie

And when you click on it it expands to show the shortcuts in it.

Shall I drop a link to it on the desktop?

Or put a link to it in D:\System\Shortcuts?

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir.

John Rennie

... to avoid cluttering the desktop.

There!

Guru Vishnu

Got it sir. Thank you.

John Rennie

You should find that if you set hotkeys on icons in that folder they will work.

Check it before you create a lot of icons! :-)

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 10:20

Ok sir. :-)

John Rennie

I've left Hidden items on ...

Guru Vishnu

By the way, do you consider my system to be organized? Or are there any other tips?

John Rennie

The way you had set it up looks fine to me.

Guru Vishnu

@JohnRennie I'll turn it off. It removes a lot of clutter.

@JohnRennie Ok sir. Is there anything we have to do over TeamViewer?

John Rennie

No, I'll disconnect now.

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 10:22

Ok sir.

Disconnected.

John Rennie

Damn useful this TeamViewer :-)

Guru Vishnu

Yes sir :-)

I save Pictures, Downloads to D:\ instead of C:\ to save space on the SSD. Is this fine or a meaningless thing to do?

John Rennie

I do that as well.

I try to keep the C: drive as uncluttered as possible.

Guru Vishnu

Oh fine. Good to know!

John Rennie

I keep all data on D: because every now and then I wipe C: and reinstall Windows.

Keeping all the data on the D: drive means I don't lose any data when I do a reinstallation.

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 10:25

Ok sir.

I'm having a doubt in chemistry. Could you tell how to arrive at the equation for strength as given below?

As far as I remember, strength is something to denote number of parts of something by total number of parts.

John Rennie

"Strength" just means concentration

It's just the concentration is silly units i.e. ppm instead of moles per litre

I assume it means "Strength of free iodine"

I don't see where chlorine would come from.

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir. That's my mistake for not telling that this is a method to determine the amount of free chlorine in water after treatment with chlorine gas or bleaching powder.

John Rennie

Ah :-)

Guru Vishnu

Ok sir. Let me see if I could arrive at this expression. I hope it must be easy. When I was looking over Chem.SE, it seems the equivalent concept is pretty outdated one and only books here teach them even today!

Thank you for the tech help, sir. I'm sure it would set me in the right direction for simplifying a lot of stuff.

John Rennie

Batch files are very useful for doing this sort of automation.

e.g. you could have your batch file open some folders on your PC and open a web page in Edge.

Guru Vishnu

Dec 30, 2020 10:35

Oh. Then, it solves the other problem too! :-)
How would you command edge to open specific webpages and PDFs?

John Rennie

2 hours ago, by John Rennie

To open a web page you need to create a shortcut with the path set to:

C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c start Microsoft-Edge:physics.stackexchange.com

Just put that command in your batch file e.g.

explorer D:\Academics
explorer D:\Academics\IveForgottenTheFolderName
C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c start Microsoft-Edge:physics.stackexchange.com

Guru Vishnu

@JohnRennie Oh fine! I really forgot about that. :-)

It was how everything began.

John Rennie

:-)

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