[RESOLVED] [2008] Best way to use GetAsyncKeyState

[Slyke]

I'm creating a program that takes screen shots for the user, then automatically saves them into a folder for the user.

My program will remain in the system tray (Unless they close it).

I've got an option that allows the user to set their own Hotkeys for the program to trigger an event to record the screen shot.

Since this is not local to the program, the program needs to "Listen" for the user to press the keys they have entered in.

The problems are:
1. Will using a timer with a low interval to listen to for the keys use a lot of memory?

2. How can I listen for multiple keys at the same time? Such as "Ctrl + Shift + ~"?

I don't want to have to do a for loop and go through every keycode passing it through the GetAsyncKeyState API, so if there is an easier way, or another way to achieve my goal, then I would like to know please .

[Slyke]

Public Declare Function GetAsyncKeyState Lib "user32" Alias "GetAsyncKeyState" (ByVal vKey As Integer) As Integer

    Public Function checkForCombination(ByVal keyString As String) As Boolean

        Const keyCTRL = 17
        Const keyALT = 18
        Const keyShift = 16

        Dim eachKey() As String

        eachKey = Split(keyString, " + ")

        Dim keySuccess(0 To UBound(eachKey)) As Boolean

        For I = 0 To UBound(eachKey) - 1

            eachKey(I) = Replace(LCase(eachKey(I)), "ctrl", keyCTRL)
            eachKey(I) = Replace(LCase(eachKey(I)), "alt", keyALT)
            eachKey(I) = Replace(LCase(eachKey(I)), "shift", keyShift)

            keySuccess(I) = getPressedKey(eachKey(I))

        Next I

        eachKey(UBound(eachKey)) = Asc(eachKey(UBound(eachKey)))

        If getPressedKey(eachKey(UBound(eachKey))) Then

            keySuccess(UBound(eachKey)) = True

        End If

        Debug.Print(UBound(eachKey))

        For I = 0 To UBound(eachKey)

            Debug.Print(keySuccess(I), I)

            If keySuccess(I) = False Then Return False

        Next I

        Return True

    End Function

    Public Function getPressedKey(ByVal keyCodes As Integer) As Boolean

        If GetAsyncKeyState(keyCodes) Then
            Return True
        End If

        Return False

    End Function

I just called the checkForCombination function with a timer.

This is the best I could do .

[Half]

You don't need any of that. There is a way to have a global shortcut to inform your program. See the RegisterHotKey example by TGOSeraph.