How to run script automatically when in exe form Topic is solved

[ctrl+shift+a]

Hi there ...

My first post into this forum, so hope I am within the guidelines of do's and dont's on the community.

I have a script - say xyz.ahk. This script does certain actions when the user presses ctrl+shift+p. It's all working fine. I would be distributing this script in the exe form (xyz.exe). Since I want to distribute the script to others, I have also coded the script to do the following ...

Code: Select all

Detect if it is being run for the first time (I detect it based on whether xyz.ini file exists or not)
if it is the FirstTime
{
  1) Show a welcome screen that tells the user about what the script does and to press ctrl+shift+p when required.
  2) Makes a shortcut of the xyz.exe into the user's startup folder.
  3) Get user's preferences and save in xyz.ini file.
}

This is also working fine. That is, when a user runs the xyz.exe on a PC for the first time, it does the first time actions. The problem is that the user still has to press ctrl+shift+p after double clicking the xyz.exe. That is, when the user double clicks xyz.exe, you can simply see it is started based on the tray icon, it doesn't actually execute the script, doesn't show the welcome screen or anything else. Only when the user presses ctrl+shift+p the script will be executed and welcome screen would be shown.

What I would like to achieve is when the user double clicks on xyz.exe, it should start the script (as if the user has pressed ctrl+shift+p) and show the welcome screen. Is there any way to achieve that?

Thanks.

[Osprey]

If you're asking how to check if the script has been compiled into an executable, you can use the built-in A_IsCompiled variable. Near the top of your script (before your hotkeys, to be safe), add the following:

Code: Select all

If A_IsCompiled
{
  Goto ^+p
}

That should process the code under your Ctrl+Shift+P hotkey whenever anyone starts the script. I assume that that's what you're trying to do.

[ctrl+shift+a]

Thanks Osprey, especially for such an immediate response. Actually, my logic is not dependent upon "A_IsCompiled", but probably I didn't explain my pain point very clearly ... I want my users to simply double click their xyz.exe and the code be called. I don't want them to have to double click the xyz.exe, wait for something to happen, then half of them possibly just give up thinking this thing doesn't work, while the other half may see the instructions that they have to now press ctrl+shift+p. I want the user's first experience such that they double click the xyz.exe and welcome screen shows - without they having to press the hot key (ctrl+shift+p).

[Osprey]

After posting, I re-read your post more carefully and edited my reply to give a more relevant suggestion. I didn't expect you to read it so quickly. Please see the edit and see if it's what you need.

[Exaskryz]

GoSub ^+p ? (Of note, Osprey used the Ctrl+Alt+p hotkey/label as Alt=!; if you really do mean Shift, it should be ^+p.)

[ctrl+shift+a]

Osprey, Exaskryz --- thanks a ton! I will try that later today and update the thread.

[Osprey]

GoSub ^+p ? (Of note, Osprey used the Ctrl+Alt+p hotkey/label as Alt=!; if you really do mean Shift, it should be ^+p.)

Thanks. Yes, I meant ^+p. It's late and I was in a hurry to edit that into my post before he saw it.

[ctrl+shift+a]

Osprey, Exaskryz ... thanks! This worked wonderfully. So far I hadn't realized that when you run the script, it will execute from the top to the first Label/Function/Sub???? I had always - mistakenly - thought that it is simply loaded in the memory and executed upon pressing the shortcut key.

[Exaskryz]

Yeah, you can read more about that here: auto-execute section.

[ctrl+shift+a]

Cool. Thanks.