[FIXED 3.1.0.1223] Hotkeys are inconsistent

[rycher]

Yes, but this (the 3 sec delay) is no longer the case for MM 3.1 (by default - i.e. supposing that LLKbdHookReceived=1 is not added to MM.ini file to force MM 3.0 hotkey handling).

Do you mean PreferLLKeysHook = 1, or is there another variable LLKbdHookReceived=1? Because I had to set PreferLLKeysHook = 1 for proper global hotkey behaviour (see earlier post from Feb 4 in this thread).

I've just installed 3.1.0.1223, removed PreferLLKeysHook = 1, and now the global hotkeys seem to behave properly (i.e. the foreground application isn't affected by the hotkey) AND there is no more delay issue, I can hold Ctrl+Alt for as long as I want before pressing the third key and it works!

So in my case the global hotkey issue is fully resolved.

Thanks!

[Ludek]

Yes, but this (the 3 sec delay) is no longer the case for MM 3.1 (by default - i.e. supposing that LLKbdHookReceived=1 is not added to MM.ini file to force MM 3.0 hotkey handling).

Do you mean PreferLLKeysHook = 1, or is there another variable LLKbdHookReceived=1? Because I had to set PreferLLKeysHook = 1 for proper global hotkey behaviour (see earlier post from Feb 4 in this thread).

I've just installed 3.1.0.1223, removed PreferLLKeysHook = 1, and now the global hotkeys seem to behave properly (i.e. the foreground application isn't affected by the hotkey) AND there is no more delay issue, I can hold Ctrl+Alt for as long as I want before pressing the third key and it works!

So in my case the global hotkey issue is fully resolved.

Thanks!

Yes, sorry, I meant PreferLLKeysHook = 1 which is not there by default. So the default MM 3.1 hotkeys behaviour works fine for you.

[rycher]

Yes, sorry, I meant PreferLLKeysHook = 1 which is not there by default. So the default MM 3.1 hotkeys behaviour works fine for you.

Yes, the default now works like a charm with version 3.1.0.1223. It didn't before, at least with version 3.1.0.1221.

[rycher]

Ok, so I guess I was a bit hasty in my conclusion yesterday...

It seemed to work right at home with the few apps I tested, but I got the problem again at the office. It seems that not all foreground applications react to MM global shortcuts. I thought they all did before, but I didn't take specific notes then.

What I can tell you is: with MM version 3.1.0.1223, default configuration (i.e. without PreferLLKeysHook = 1), with a global hotkey on Ctrl+Alt+Home (play/pause in my case), the following apps react to the hotkey when they have the focus:

Outlook 2003 (the most annoying for me at the office)
Notepad
Command prompt

The following apps do not react to the hotkey when they have the focus:

Explorer
Live Mail
VSlick
Firefox
Notepad++

I haven't tried everything, but with Notepad having the problem I guess it's easy to try on any system.

[Ludek]

Yes, if you would like MM to force another app to stop retrieving the key/shortcut in case it is a MediaMonkey global key/shortcut then you need to use the PreferLLKeysHook = 1 to enable Low level Windows keyboard hook (used up to MM 3.0). Generally speaking it works fine, just it's a low level hack, for example some antivirus apps don't like it.
In MM 3.1 we use Raw input by default (WinAPI) and this is at a little higher and doesn't allow us to force another app to stop receiving the key/shortcut.

[rycher]

Yes, if you would like MM to force another app to stop retrieving the key/shortcut in case it is a MediaMonkey global key/shortcut then you need to use the PreferLLKeysHook = 1 to enable Low level Windows keyboard hook (used up to MM 3.0). Generally speaking it works fine, just it's a low level hack, for example some antivirus apps don't like it.
In MM 3.1 we use Raw input by default (WinAPI) and this is at a little higher and doesn't allow us to force another app to stop receiving the key/shortcut.

Ok, so there are still 2 cases:
1) Default configuration (i.e. without PreferLLKeysHook = 1): there is no delay before hotkeys stop being recognized by MM, but the foreground application can interpret the global hotkey (depends on the app).
2) Configuration with PreferLLKeysHook = 1: global hotkeys are never interpreted by the foreground app, but after ~3 seconds of holding part of the hotkey combination, hotkey stops being recognized by MM (keys must be released and pressed again for hotkey to work).

Before finding MM, I used Winamp (with the same hotkeys). I don't know how they did it, but the global hotkeys in Winamp never affected the foreground app AND there was no delay for them to work (I just checked with the same foreground apps I mentionned previously). It would be great if MM could behave the same way. I guess the question is: why does the low-level behaviour has this working delay, could it be increased/controled by another ini variable?

[Ludek]

Rycher, fixed the 3 seconds timeout issue in build 1224:
http://www.ventismedia.com/mantis/view.php?id=5310

[rycher]

Rycher, fixed the 3 seconds timeout issue in build 1224:
http://www.ventismedia.com/mantis/view.php?id=5310

Can't wait to try it out!

[rycher]

So, for the final note on this:

With version 3.1.0.1224 there is no more delay problem.

So you have the choice of behaviour:

-Default: global hotkeys could be interpreted by the foreground application. So you'll have to define a different hotkey in MM to avoid conflicts.

OR

- Set PreferLLKeysHook = 1 in the [options] section of MediaMonkey.ini. With this configuration you're hotkey will never be interpreted by another foreground application. But you might not realize that another application would react to a hotkey if MM wasn't running (and that you would like to use it in the other application).

Thanks for fixing this!

[MetalFrog]

I'm guessing my problem is related to my keyboard and its software, then. I haven't noticed any change in the behavior during the builds.

I'm building a new computer next week, so I'll give it a shot without installing the Microsoft intellitype software and see if it works. :/

[rycher]

I'm guessing my problem is related to my keyboard and its software, then. I haven't noticed any change in the behavior during the builds.

Looking back at your original post, you mentionned a problem with media keys. I don't have a keyboard with media keys, my issue was with the behaviour of global hotkeys using "standard" keys. This is now working well, but I can't say anything about media keys.

[MetalFrog]

Looking back at your original post, you mentionned a problem with media keys. I don't have a keyboard with media keys, my issue was with the behaviour of global hotkeys using "standard" keys. This is now working well, but I can't say anything about media keys.

Yeah I just realized what you were testing. >_<

I just set Ctrl+` as my play/pause and it works perfectly. With and without the llKey hook. I wonder if I can map macros to my multi-media keyboard as a hellish work around.

[MetalFrog]

This is related to the Intellitype software.

Without it installed the media buttons work as expected, but I can't access my extra keys that I have mapped to certain folders/programs. I guess I should look for a new keyboard managing software. :|

[Peke]

If I remember Correctly there should be way to un-assign key in Intellitype software.
BTW have you tried to assign those additional Hotkeys with MM?

[MetalFrog]

If I remember Correctly there should be way to un-assign key in Intellitype software.
BTW have you tried to assign those additional Hotkeys with MM?

If I go into Intellitype I can assign macros to the buttons, like Ctrl + Alt + Home, for example, then go into MM and assign that as the global play/pause hotkey, and it works.

If I just leave it without a macro and try to assign it as the media button (go into hotkeys pick play/pause, hit the play/pause button on the keyboard) it adds a single white space character at the end of the key's name, but it won't let me save it, so I guess it's seeing it as the same key.