Content
Perfect Keyboard 1.2 for Windows 95/NT

Copyright © 1996  Petr Pitrinec

How does the Perfect Keyboard work ?

How can I use it ?

How do I ... ?

User interface

Shortcut item

Options

Macro recording

Samples

Registration

License agreement

Other products


User Interface

Folders:  Folders are organized in the tree structure (see left pane of the Perfect Keyboard window) called folder view.  Each folder collects shortcut items visible in the right pane of the Perfect Keyboard window.  Each folder has its own properties (label name and icon) you can change.  If you right click on a folder a menu with operations available pop ups.  Drag and drop a folder to change order of folders.  Using folders you can logically clasify your shortcuts.

For each folder you can define fonts that will be used in Shortcut properties dialog.

Shortcut items:  Shortcut items are in the right pane of the Perfect Keyboard window called items view.  Each shortcut item has its own properties you can change. If you right click on a shortcut item a menu with operations available pop ups.

There is a short description of some important controls:

  Adds a new folder as a sibling to the selected one.  If you want to add child folder you have to right click the folder and select Add sub-folder menu item.  You can also use Ctrl+D shortuct.

  Adds a new shortcut item.  You can also use Ctrl+I shortcut.

  Deletes either current folder (if the folder view is active) or current item (if the item view is active).

  Shows a list of all shortcut items.  You can easily find shortcut you are looking for (you can sort items in the list by any column) and either go to the folder where the item is defined (Go to button) or send text (or keystrokes) of the item (Expand button) to an application.  In Perfect Keyboard options you can define text and keyboard shortcuts which allow you to invoke this Find shortcut dialog window in any application.

  Allows you to search a string in items.

  Allows you to test shortcuts.


How does the Perfect Keyboard Work ?

You can use two types of shortcut -- text shortcut and key shortcut.

1)  Text shortcut:  when text shortcut is typed, it is expanded to another (much longer) text or several keystrokes.  For example, we have shortcut th associated with text Thank you for your prompt answear.  When you type (in any Windows program) th and press space bar, the text th is deleted and text Thank you for your prompt answear. is put instead.  Be aware that you cannot break the shortcut -- it means that if you, during typing shortcut, press other keys (delete, arrow keys, etc.) the shortcut will not be expanded.  There is only one exception - Backspace.  Backspace key doesn’t break recognition of shortcut being typed.  Thus if you make a mistake when typing shortcut use backspace to delete wrong characters.

2)  Key shortcut:  Key shortcut works the same way as the text shortcut does, but it is a combination of keys like Ctrl+Shift+n or Alt+Ctrl+t, etc.  For example, we have shortcut Alt+Ctrl+t associated with text Thank you for your prompt answear.  When you press Alt+Ctrl+t key combination (in any Windows program) the text Thank you for your prompt answear. is put.

See: Shortcut item


How Can I use It ?

There are some tips how can be the Perfect Keyboard used:

1) Mostly used phrases:  Why to type the same phrases again and again.  Create a library of mostly used phrases and use it in any wordprocessor or text editor you want.

2) Mostly used file paths: You can predefine shortcuts for your mostly used file paths (documents, projects, source files, etc.).  These shortcuts you can use, for example, in Open or Save as dialogues to switch to desired directory or in other (file management) programs to change directory quickly.

3) Windows shortcuts:  You can replace Windows keyboard shortcuts (like "Ctrl+Alt+n" for Notepad program- not very intuitive) to shortcuts that are remembered much easier (for example "np" for Notepad program).  You can type the shortcut in any program, even in the programs that have no keyboard input (empty desktop, MS Paint, etc.) and the shortcut is performed.

4) Forms templates:  If you often fill some forms you can define templates that will fill some default entries (date, time, phrases, etc.) to particular fields of the form.

5) Programmers can define shortcuts for often used programming constructions.  Such shortcuts save time and also unify your source code.

6) Mostly used e-mail addresses:  You can create a list of your mostly used e-mail addresses.  Once defined e-mail addresses can be used not only in your e-mail client(s) when sending mail but also in any other kind of correspondence you type an e-mail address.


Shortcut Item

Shortcut item consists of these fields:

1) Text shortcut: Text shortcut is a short text that is expanded to the Expand to text.  The shortcut should be short, lower case and unique.  Once the text shortcut is typed (in any program) and space bar is pressed (if auto-expand option is not checked on) it is automatically expanded to the Expand to text.

2) Key shortcut:  Key shortcut is a combination of keys like Ctrl+Shift+m or Alt+Ctrl+n, etc.  Once the key shortcut is pressed (in any program) it is automatically expanded to the Expand to text.

3) Expand to: Expand to field can contain following type of entries:

1) Text

2) Special keyboard keys (like Alt key down, Alt key up, ESC key, etc.)

3) Time and date entries

4) Other special entries

4) Description: Description is a text that describes what the shortcut means.

5) Pass text through clipboard:  If checked, the Perfect Keyboard passes text to an application through clipboard.  This option is highly recommended for bigger data - it is much faster and save.  This option must be unchecked if Expand to field contains some special keypress like Esc, Alt, Ctrl, etc. or other special entries like <wait100>, <dnds>, etc.  These special entries cannot be sent to an application through clipboard.

5)  Auto-expand:  If checked, it is not necessary to press space bar to expand shortcut typed.  The shortcut is expanded automatically when the last character of the shortcut is typed.

5)  Can be part of word:  If checked, the shortcut is recognized even it is a part of a word.

Example: 	Checked:	wordshortcut	shortcut is recognized

word   shortcut	shortcut is recognized

Unchecked:	wordshortcut	shortcut is not recognized and is not expanded

word   shortcut	shortcut is recognized

The Insert special button allows you to insert special characters (keys) to Expand to: field.  The button Insert recorded macro allows you to put recorded macro (see: Macro recording) to the Expand to: field.

See: Samples


Text entry
Text is a set of ASCII or other characters.  The text can be copied and pasted using clipboard.

How to enter text:  You can either type text using keyboard or paste text from clipboard.

See: Samples


Special key entry
Special keyboard keys are keys like Alt, Arrow left, Home, etc.  If Expand to: field contain such keys the button Pass text through clipboard must be unchecked.

How to enter special keys:  In shortcut properties press button Insert special, expand tree Keys, select a key and press Insert button.  If you remember that, for example, <alt> means Alt key down then you can type <alt> directly.

Attantion:  There are three keys with a little bit special behaviour: Alt, Ctrl and Shift.  If you want, for example, your shortcut generates f keystroke plus Alt key pressed then you have to do this:

1) Insert Alt special key (ses above).  This will press Alt key.

2) Type letter f.

3) Insert Alt special key.  This will release Alt key.

The result will look like: <alt>f<alt>

See: Samples


Time & Date entry
Date and time entries allows you to specify date and time information relative to current time and date.

How to enter date and time entries: In shortcut properties press button Insert special, expand tree Date & Time, select a key and press Insert button.  If you remember that, for example, <td:d> means today’s day then you can type <td:d> directly.  Each date (time) entry can be followed by number (close in brackets) that means how many days (minutes) you want to add/substract.  For example <td:m>(+1)/<td:d>(+1)/<td:y>(+1) means tommorow’s date, <td:m>(-1)/<td:d>(-1)/<td:y>(-1) means yesterday’s date.

See: Samples


Other special entries
Other special entries are:

1)  Entries for waiting - waits specified number of miliseconds (50, 100 or 500).

2)  Do not delete shortcut - if this entry is presented in Expand to: field then text shortcut is not deleted.

How to enter date and time entries: In shortcut properties press button Insert special, expand tree Special, select a key and press Insert button.  If you remember that, for example, <wait50> meanswait 50 miliseconds then you can type <wait50> directly.

See: Samples


Samples

Pure text

Macros

Date & Time

Special


Pure Text
Samples - Pure Text

This sample shortcut expands the text shortcut tw to the text To whom it may concern, .

  	Text shortcut:  	tw

Key Shortcut: 	None

Description: 	To whom it may concern,

Expand to:	To whom it may concern,


Macros
Samples - Macros

1) This sample shortcut opens Run dialog when you type re (and press space bar) or if press Ctrl+Alt+r key combination.

  	Text shortcut:  	rn

Key Shortcut: 	Ctrl+Alt+r

Description: 	Run dialog

Expand to:	<ctrl><esc><ctrl><w100><up><up><enter>

2) This sample shortcut runs Explorer program when you type re (and press space bar) or if press Ctrl+Alt+e key combination.

  	Text shortcut:  	re

Key Shortcut: 	Ctrl+Alt+e

Description: 	Run explorer

Expand to:	<ctrl><esc><ctrl><w100><up><up><enter>explorer.exe<enter>

Note: Special keys (enclosed in <> brackets) can be inserted by Insert special button in Shortcut properties.


Date & Time
Samples - Date & Time

1) When you type ct (and press space bar) or if press Ctrl+Alt+t key combination, the shortcut writes current time in HH:MM AM/PM format.

  	Text shortcut:  	ct

Key Shortcut: 	Ctrl+Alt+t

Description: 	D & T: Current time (HH:MM AM/PM)

Expand to:	<ct:h12>:<ct:m> <ct:AMPM>

2) When you type ct (and press space bar) or if press Ctrl+Alt+t key combination, the shortcut writes current time in HH:MM AM/PM format.

  	Text shortcut:  	ct1

Key Shortcut: 	None

Description: 	D & T: Current time + one hour (HH:MM AM/PM)

Expand to:	<ct:h12>(+60):<ct:m>(+60) <ct:AMPM>

Note:  Number enclosed in () brackets tells how many minutes add  (for example +60 for one hour later)/substract (for example -60 for before one hour) to/from current time.

3) When you type td (and press space bar) or if press Ctrl+Alt+d key combination, the shortcut writes current date in MM/DD/YY format.

  	Text shortcut:  	td

Key Shortcut: 	Ctrl+Alt+d

Description: 	D & T:  Today's date (MM/DD/YY)

Expand to:	<td:m>/<td:d>/<td:y>

4) When you type tm (and press space bar) , the shortcut writes current date in MM/DD/YY format.

  	Text shortcut:  	tm

Key Shortcut: 	None

Description: 	D & T: Tommorow's date

Expand to:	<td:m>(+1)/<td:d>(+1)/<td:y>(+1)

Note:  Number enclosed in () brackets tells how many days add  (for example +1 for tommorow)/substract (for example -1 for yesterday) to/from current date.

Note: Special keys (enclosed in <> brackets) can be inserted by Insert special button in Shortcut properties.


Special
Samples - Special

1) This sample shortcut presses Alt+f key combination when you type af  (and press space bar).

  	Text shortcut:  	af

Key Shortcut: 	None

Description: 	Alt+f

Expand to:	<alt>f<alt>

2) This sample shortcut presses Ctrl+Alt+Del key combination when you type re (and press space bar).

  	Text shortcut:  	cad

Key Shortcut: 	None

Description: 	Ctrl+Alt+Del

Expand to:	<ctrl><alt><delete><alt><ctrl>

Note: Special keys (enclosed in <> brackets) can be inserted by Insert special button in Shortcut properties.


Registration

To register software read carefully the register.txt file and run Register program.  You will get the registration number that matches your personal information.  Than copy your personal information and registration number to the Registration dialog window of the Perfect Keyboard program.

See: License agreement


License Agreement

The Perfect Keyboard program has been released for distribution as SHAREWARE and may be distributed at no cost.  You are granted a license to try Perfect Keyboard for 30 days.  If after this time, you find the program useful and intend to continue using it, you must register.  The base registration fee is US $19.

ALL WARRANTIES ARE DISCLAIMED, WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SOFTWARE.  THE ENTIRE RISK OF THE USE OR THE RESULT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE REMAINS WITH THE USER.


Options

Beep when expanding shortcut:  If checked, the Perfect Keyboard beeps when shortcut is expanded.

Expand shortcut after pressing:  You can select a key that means end of shortcut.  Default is space bar.

Text shortcut:  The shortcut allows you to bring up Find shortcut dialog from any application.  For more information about Find shortcut dialog see user interface.

Key shortcut: The shortcut allows you to bring up Find shortcut dialog from any application.  For more information about Find shortcut dialog see user interface.

Activate/deactivate shortcut:  this shortcut allows you to activate/deactivate Perfect Keyboard.


Macro Recording

The Perfect Keyboard allows you to record a macro (a sequence of key press) and put it to Expand to: field of shortcut in Shortcut properties dialog.  If macro recording doesn’t work properly (this might happen in some special cases) you can define macro by hand using Insert special button in Shortcut properties dialog that allowes you to insert special keys (see Shortcut item).

You have to start macro recording by selecting Start Macro Recording menu item (in File menu or in menu that appears when you click Perfect Keyboard tray icon).  After that all key press will be recorded.  If you want to performe some operation that is not a part of your macro (switch to another programme, invoke some dialog, etc.) use mouse.  When your typing is finished (macro is recorded) select Stop Macro Recording menu item.  It will stop recording so any key press doesn’t affect macro recorded.  Once macro is recorded you can use it in any shortcut you want.  Just put it to the shortcut in Shortcut properties dialog by press Insert recorded macro button.


How do ... ?
How do I ... ?

How do I include time/date information to my shortcut ?

How do I create a macro ?

How do I speed up shortcut expanding ?

How do I enter a shortcut if I want it is not to be expanded ?


See: time and date, samples


See: Special keyboard keys, Other special entries, samples


If Expand to: field contains only text data you can switch on Pass text through clipboard option in the shortcut item properties.


Type shortcut and before you press space bar (or other end of shortcut key defined in options) press some other key (for example End, arrow left, etc.).


Other products

PERFECT SCREENS for Windows 95/NT

Brief Description:

``````````````````

Perfect Screens is a shareware program for the Microsoft Windows95/NT

operating system. The program allows you to have MULTIPLE VIRTUAL SCREENS

and switch among them.  Running applications (windows) can be moved or copied

among screens very easily.  In addition, each screen has its own SCREEN MENU

and TOOLBAR to launch applications, open files and view directories (folders).

This menu and toolbar are local on the given screen and the menu is accessible

anywhere on the screen (by right mouse button click together with Alt key

pressed).

Perfect Screens provides many advantages to the Windows 95 user.

Among them are:

 1) The program allows you to run a lot of applications without losing track of

    them as well as the ability to switch among them quickly.

 2) You can create screens for any common activity (document processing, file

    management, networking, etc.) and avoid the overlapping of windows that have

    no relation to each other.

 3) Each screen can have its own background (color, wallpaper, ...).

 4) A local toolbar gives you a better view of installed applications and makes

    launching easier and faster.  The toolbar window can be moved anywhere on the

    screen and resized.

 5) The Screen menu is very similar to the Start menu but much easier to configure

    (right mouse button click on a menu item gets item properties).

 6) The new type of the screen menu item - directory - gives you very fast access

    to his most commonly used files. FILTERS can be applied to view only desired

    files of the given directory (folder).

 7) The program doesn't occupy too much space on the desktop (it may look like

    Microsoft Office).

 8) Everything is easily and fully customizable.

 9) The program widely supports the drag & drop feature and right clicking.

10) The installation program automatically creates several screens and makes many

    of standard Windows 95 programs accessible.

11) and more...

Requirements:

`````````````

   - Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 (Program runs also

     under NT 3.51 but setup will not create proper Screen

     menus and ToolBars and some functions may be disabled or

     work in a wrong way.  This is because the program uses

     new Windows 95 user interface features.  For more informatin

     read ps32.hlp help file.)

   - 1.5 MB free disk space

Availability:

`````````````

   Check the www: http://labe.felk.cvut.cz/PerfectScreens/ps32.htm

   Or write e-mail to: pitrinec@kagi.com

   Some other sites:

   www.coast.net     - Windows95 Archive/desktop

   www.windows95.com - 32-bit Shareware/Non-Network Shareware/Shell enhancements

   www.winsite.com   - Windows95 Archive/desktop

   www.zdnet.com     - Software Library/Programs & Utilities