I need to capture a key press when my program is not in focus. (ie. Ctrl+Alt+J) and trigger an event in my program.
Thus far i have found this dll that appears to be the correct path\"
[DllImport(\"user32.dll\")]private static extern int RegisterHotKey(IntPtr hwnd, int id,int fsModifiers, int vk);
[DllImport(\"user32.dll\")] private static extern int UnregisterHotKey(IntPtr hwnd, int id);
Please note that this code will not trigger events in console application projects. You have to use WinForms project for events to fire.
This is the correct code:
public sealed class KeyboardHook : IDisposable
{
// Registers a hot key with Windows.
[DllImport(\"user32.dll\")]
private static extern bool RegisterHotKey(IntPtr hWnd, int id, uint fsModifiers, uint vk);
// Unregisters the hot key with Windows.
[DllImport(\"user32.dll\")]
private static extern bool UnregisterHotKey(IntPtr hWnd, int id);
/// <summary>
/// Represents the window that is used internally to get the messages.
/// </summary>
private class Window : NativeWindow, IDisposable
{
private static int WM_HOTKEY = 0x0312;
public Window()
{
// create the handle for the window.
this.CreateHandle(new CreateParams());
}
/// <summary>
/// Overridden to get the notifications.
/// </summary>
/// <param name=\"m\"></param>
protected override void WndProc(ref Message m)
{
base.WndProc(ref m);
// check if we got a hot key pressed.
if (m.Msg == WM_HOTKEY)
{
// get the keys.
Keys key = (Keys)(((int)m.LParam >> 16) & 0xFFFF);
ModifierKeys modifier = (ModifierKeys)((int)m.LParam & 0xFFFF);
// invoke the event to notify the parent.
if (KeyPressed != null)
KeyPressed(this, new KeyPressedEventArgs(modifier, key));
}
}
public event EventHandler<KeyPressedEventArgs> KeyPressed;
#region IDisposable Members
public void Dispose()
{
this.DestroyHandle();
}
#endregion
}
private Window _window = new Window();
private int _currentId;
public KeyboardHook()
{
// register the event of the inner native window.
_window.KeyPressed += delegate(object sender, KeyPressedEventArgs args)
{
if (KeyPressed != null)
KeyPressed(this, args);
};
}
/// <summary>
/// Registers a hot key in the system.
/// </summary>
/// <param name=\"modifier\">The modifiers that are associated with the hot key.</param>
/// <param name=\"key\">The key itself that is associated with the hot key.</param>
public void RegisterHotKey(ModifierKeys modifier, Keys key)
{
// increment the counter.
_currentId = _currentId + 1;
// register the hot key.
if (!RegisterHotKey(_window.Handle, _currentId, (uint)modifier, (uint)key))
throw new InvalidOperationException(\"Couldn’t register the hot key.\");
}
/// <summary>
/// A hot key has been pressed.
/// </summary>
public event EventHandler<KeyPressedEventArgs> KeyPressed;
#region IDisposable Members
public void Dispose()
{
// unregister all the registered hot keys.
for (int i = _currentId; i > 0; i--)
{
UnregisterHotKey(_window.Handle, i);
}
// dispose the inner native window.
_window.Dispose();
}
#endregion
}
/// <summary>
/// Event Args for the event that is fired after the hot key has been pressed.
/// </summary>
public class KeyPressedEventArgs : EventArgs
{
private ModifierKeys _modifier;
private Keys _key;
internal KeyPressedEventArgs(ModifierKeys modifier, Keys key)
{
_modifier = modifier;
_key = key;
}
public ModifierKeys Modifier
{
get { return _modifier; }
}
public Keys Key
{
get { return _key; }
}
}
/// <summary>
/// The enumeration of possible modifiers.
/// </summary>
[Flags]
public enum ModifierKeys : uint
{
Alt = 1,
Control = 2,
Shift = 4,
Win = 8
}
to use (i had to edit the modifier keys to cast them (modifier)1 (modifier)2 etc
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
KeyboardHook hook = new KeyboardHook();
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
// register the event that is fired after the key press.
hook.KeyPressed +=
new EventHandler<KeyPressedEventArgs>(hook_KeyPressed);
// register the control + alt + F12 combination as hot key.
hook.RegisterHotKey(ModifierKeys.Control | ModifierKeys.Alt,
Keys.F12);
}
void hook_KeyPressed(object sender, KeyPressedEventArgs e)
{
// show the keys pressed in a label.
label1.Text = e.Modifier.ToString() + \" + \" + e.Key.ToString();
}
}
Here is a working vb.net port of original answer:
KeyboardHook.vb
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Public NotInheritable Class KeyboardHook
Implements IDisposable
\' Registers a hot key with Windows.
<DllImport(\"user32.dll\")> _
Private Shared Function RegisterHotKey(hWnd As IntPtr, id As Integer, fsModifiers As UInteger, vk As UInteger) As Boolean
End Function
\' Unregisters the hot key with Windows.
<DllImport(\"user32.dll\")> _
Private Shared Function UnregisterHotKey(hWnd As IntPtr, id As Integer) As Boolean
End Function
\'\'\' <summary>
\'\'\' Represents the window that is used internally to get the messages.
\'\'\' </summary>
Private Class Window
Inherits NativeWindow
Implements IDisposable
Private Shared WM_HOTKEY As Integer = &H312
Public Sub New()
\' create the handle for the window.
Me.CreateHandle(New CreateParams())
End Sub
Public Event KeyPressed As EventHandler(Of KeyPressedEventArgs)
\'\'\' <summary>
\'\'\' Overridden to get the notifications.
\'\'\' </summary>
\'\'\' <param name=\"m\"></param>
Protected Overrides Sub WndProc(ByRef m As Message)
MyBase.WndProc(m)
\' check if we got a hot key pressed.
If m.Msg = WM_HOTKEY Then
\' get the keys.
Dim key As Keys = DirectCast((CInt(m.LParam) >> 16) And &HFFFF, Keys)
Dim modifier As ModifierKeys = DirectCast(CUInt(CInt(m.LParam) And &HFFFF), ModifierKeys)
\' invoke the event to notify the parent.
RaiseEvent KeyPressed(Me, New KeyPressedEventArgs(modifier, key))
End If
End Sub
#Region \" IDisposable Members\"
Public Sub Dispose() Implements IDisposable.Dispose
Me.DestroyHandle()
End Sub
#End Region
End Class
Private _window As New Window()
Private _currentId As Integer
Public Sub New()
\' register the event of the inner native window.
AddHandler _window.KeyPressed, Sub(sender As Object, args As KeyPressedEventArgs)
RaiseEvent KeyPressed(Me, args)
End Sub
End Sub
\'\'\' <summary>
\'\'\' Registers a hot key in the system.
\'\'\' </summary>
\'\'\' <param name=\"modifier\">The modifiers that are associated with the hot key.</param>
\'\'\' <param name=\"key\">The key itself that is associated with the hot key.</param>
Public Sub RegisterHotKey(modifier As ModifierKeys, key As Keys)
\' increment the counter.
_currentId = _currentId + 1
\' register the hot key.
If Not RegisterHotKey(_window.Handle, _currentId, DirectCast(modifier, UInteger), CUInt(key)) Then
\'Throw New InvalidOperationException(\"Couldn’t register the hot key.\")
\'or use MsgBox(\"Couldn’t register the hot key.\")
End If
End Sub
\'\'\' <summary>
\'\'\' A hot key has been pressed.
\'\'\' </summary>
Public Event KeyPressed As EventHandler(Of KeyPressedEventArgs)
#Region \" IDisposable Members\"
Public Sub Dispose() Implements IDisposable.Dispose
\' unregister all the registered hot keys.
Dim i As Integer = _currentId
While i > 0
UnregisterHotKey(_window.Handle, i)
System.Math.Max(System.Threading.Interlocked.Decrement(i), i + 1)
End While
\' dispose the inner native window.
_window.Dispose()
End Sub
#End Region
End Class
\'\'\' <summary>
\'\'\' Event Args for the event that is fired after the hot key has been pressed.
\'\'\' </summary>
Public Class KeyPressedEventArgs
Inherits EventArgs
Private _modifier As ModifierKeys
Private _key As Keys
Friend Sub New(modifier As ModifierKeys, key As Keys)
_modifier = modifier
_key = key
End Sub
Public ReadOnly Property Modifier() As ModifierKeys
Get
Return _modifier
End Get
End Property
Public ReadOnly Property Key() As Keys
Get
Return _key
End Get
End Property
End Class
\'\'\' <summary>
\'\'\' The enumeration of possible modifiers.
\'\'\' </summary>
<Flags> _
Public Enum ModifierKeys As UInteger
Alt = 1
Control = 2
Shift = 4
Win = 8
End Enum
Form1.vb
Tasks:
- Replace 2 instances of
Application1
below with name of your application (it can be seen as root of tree in Visual Studio Solution Explorer window).
- Add call to
AddGlobalHotkeySupport()
into initialization stage of your application.
- Add call to
RemoveGlobalHotkeySupport()
into finalization stage of your application.
Code:
Public Sub AddGlobalHotkeySupport() \'TODO: call this at initialization of the application
\' register the event that is fired after the key press.
AddHandler hook.KeyPressed, AddressOf hook_KeyPressed
\' register the control + alt + F12 combination as hot key.
hook.RegisterHotKey(Application1.ModifierKeys.Control Or Application1.ModifierKeys.Alt, Keys.F12)
End Sub
Public Sub RemoveGlobalHotkeySupport() \'TODO: call this at finalization of the application
\' unregister all registered hot keys.
hook.Dispose()
End Sub
Private Sub hook_KeyPressed(sender As Object, e As KeyPressedEventArgs)
\' show the keys pressed in a label.
MsgBox(e.Modifier.ToString() + \" + \" + e.Key.ToString())
End Sub