Binding key combinations (strictly) to a specific form

Question

Could you please tell me how to use the "globalmousekeyhook" library (https://github.com/gmamaladze/globalmousekeyhook/blob/vNext/keycomb.md) to write keyboard shortcuts Not to the whole application, but to a specific form? To avoid checking the form for activity, every time (Form.ActiveForm == this). P.S. If you do not do these checks, the keyboard shortcuts, will be triggered simultaneously in all created forms.

private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {
   Action ex1 = () => { if (Form.ActiveForm == this) Dop.ChangeBackColor(this, Color.Black); };
   Action ex2 = () => { if (Form.ActiveForm == this) Dop.ChangeBackColor(this, Color.Green); };

   // Install listener App [Combinations]
   Hook.AppEvents().OnCombination(new Dictionary<Combination, Action> {
      { Combination.FromString("Control + S"), ex1 },
      { Combination.FromString("Control + D"), ex2 }
   });
}

What's wrong with the code you have? There are ways to do this on the form itself (override WndProc for example). But you want to use a global key hook, so you'll need to do some checking no matter what. I would use events here, makes it simple. — Zer0, Feb 03 '21 at 04:33
This is a heavy-handed approach at reinventing [RegisterHotKey](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/winuser/nf-winuser-registerhotkey). — IInspectable, Feb 03 '21 at 09:08
Happy to see you found solutions, but you should mark one of them as accepted to close the question. You can always change the accepted answer if you see a better solution. — Zer0, Feb 07 '21 at 07:45

Tatami · Accepted Answer · 2021-10-23T20:51:00.937

Solution for AppEvents

private IKeyboardMouseEvents m_ApplHook;
private void FormName_Activated(object sender, EventArgs e) {
  m_ApplHook = Hook.AppEvents(); // Subscribe

    Action d = () => { Dop.ChangeBackColor(this, Color.Black); };
    Action s = () => { Dop.ChangeBackColor(this, Color.Red); };

    // Install listener App [Combinations]
    m_ApplHook.OnCombination(new Dictionary<Combination, Action> {
      { Combination.FromString("Control + S"), d },
      { Combination.FromString("Control + D"), s }
    });
}

private void FormName_Deactivate(object sender, EventArgs e) {
  m_ApplHook.Dispose(); // UnSubscribe
}

Solution for GlobalEvents (If you have only 1 form in your application)

Activate GlobalEvents in FormName_Load

private IKeyboardMouseEvents m_GlobalHook;
private void FormName_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {
   m_GlobalHook = Hook.GlobalEvents();

   // Install Global listener [Sequences]
   Sequence OpenApps = Sequence.FromString("Control + C, Control + C");
     Dictionary<Sequence, Action> assignments = new Dictionary<Sequence, Action> {
       { OpenApps, () => {
           this.Text = Clipboard.GetText();
         }},
       };

  // Replace Hook.GlobalEvents() on m_GlobalHook
  m_GlobalHook.OnSequence(assignments);
}

Deactivate GlobalEvents in FormName_Closed (Not obligatory: closing the main form will close the entire application

private void FormName_FormClosed(object sender, FormClosedEventArgs e) {
  m_GlobalHook.Dispose();
}

Solution for GlobalEvents (If you have more than 1 form in your application)

Hide the desired form using Hide(), open another one. According to the book (http://it-kniga.narod.ru/5-7502-0222-4/02020903.html), method Hide() is analogous to Visible = false;

Create the FormName_VisibleChanged event. Write the code in all the necessary forms (example: FormMain, Form1, FormName...). This method allows you to activate GlobalEvents for each individual form instead of all running (hidden) forms.

private IKeyboardMouseEvents m_GlobalHook;
// Documentation: https://github.com/gmamaladze/globalmousekeyhook/blob/vNext/keycomb.md

private void FormName_VisibleChanged(object sender, EventArgs e) {
  if (this.Visible) {
    m_GlobalHook = Hook.GlobalEvents(); // Subscribe

    Action ex = () => { this.Text += "Ctrl + C x2"; };
    Action ext = () => { this.Text += "Shift + C"; };

    // Install Global listener [Sequences]
    m_GlobalHook.OnSequence(new Dictionary<Sequence, Action> {
      { Sequence.FromString("Control + C, Control + C"), ex },
      { Sequence.FromString("Shift + C"), ext },
    });

  } else m_GlobalHook.Dispose(); // UnSubscribe
}

Binding key combinations (strictly) to a specific form

1 Answers1