Hotkey to remap keys does not trigger hotstring

Question

I have a hotkey and hotstring that don't seem to work together:

9::(

:?ob0:(::){left 1}

To give some context, in one part of the code I remapped all the symbols to the number below them and vice versa so 9 prints the parenthesis (. Later on I put a hotstring that would type a closed parenthesis after an open one and then places the cursor in between.

Seems simple enough because they both work individually but together when I press the key for 9 and press the Spacebar I only get the open parenthesis ( as if the hotstring was ignored.

Am I missing something obvious?

Answer 1

Try using a combination of Send and InputLevel.

#InputLevel 1
9::SendEvent (
#InputLevel 0

;; Add closing parenthesis
:?ob0:(::){left 1}

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Explanation

• #InputLevel

  • By default, hook hotkeys and hotstrings ignore keyboard and mouse events generated by any AutoHotkey script. This behavior can be overridden using SendLevel or #InputLevel
  • By setting the 9 hotkey to a higher InputLevel, it is able to the activate other hotstrings.

• SendEvent

  • Bizarrely, remapping a numkey to its Shift+# equivalent produced no input when #InputLevel 1 was active.
    • i.e. Couldn't use 1::!, 2::@, 3::#, ..., 8::*, 9::(, etc.
    • A Send command was used to workaround this remapping limitation
  • By default, Send and SendEvent are synonymous with each other.

Notes

• SendPlay is not affected by InputLevel.
• Remarks for Remapping Keys may explain why 9::( wouldn't trigger other hotkeys.
  • "Although a remapped key can trigger normal hotkeys, by default it cannot trigger mouse hotkeys or hook hotkeys."

Related

#InputLevel, Send, Remapping (Remarks)