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How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the start menu
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the start menu but
still enabling it for the win+prtscrn and other shortcuts? Specifically, is there a way to disable *only* the Win key from popping up the start menu? Here's the annoyance: 1. I *never* use the Windows key to bring up the start menu 2. I *always* use Win+PrtScrn to snap screenshots directly to a folder The problem is I often have to hold the Windows key down to find the right moment to snap that screenshot into the folder, so only one key is pressed for, say, 10 or 20 seconds and then the other key is pressed. You can only do it one way, which is hold the Windows key and then when the moment you need to snap shows, you press the PrintScreen key. You can't do it the other way. However, if you bounce your finger even a little bit on the Windows key, then you're dealing with the Start Menu constantly getting in the way. Of course you can disable the windows key entirely: https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-disable-your-keyboard-windows-key/ https://www.pcgamer.com/how-to-disable-the-windows-key/ https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/73314-enable-disable-windows-key-windows-10-a.html https://windowsreport.com/disable-windows-key/ etc. But you don't want to completely disable the Win key because you still want it to bring up the print-screen-to-file keyclick. (Certainly Irfanview does that, but it's another dependency added.) This also has a dependency on another program: https://www.howtogeek.com/194811/how-to-prevent-the-windows-key-alttab-and-sticky-keys-from-ruining-your-gaming/ *All you want to disable is the Win key popping up the Start Menu." There's a solution here, but it involves coding. https://autohotkey.com/board/topic/51631-disable-windows-key-start-menu-but-not-shortcuts/ https://stackoverflow.com/questions/16556433/how-to-disable-windows-keys-logo-key-and-menu-key-using-javascript etc. There are reports of people "accidentally" getting this functionality: https://superuser.com/questions/774805/windows-key-not-bringing-up-start-menu https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-desktop/windows-logo-key-stopped-working-for-start-menu/7225075b-eb40-4e82-a39b-21859acb6b34 It's not a big deal, so just let me know off the cuff how you'd solve this problem (or if you've already solved this problem). I'll eventually figure it out. Almost certainly I'll need to redefine keys, and most likely I'll need third-part software, but what I'm hoping for is to simply disable the Win key from popping up the start menu using the registry, but leaving the Win key for everything else that it does. Is there a way to disable *only* the Win key from popping up the start menu? |
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the startmenu
Arlen Holder wrote:
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the start menu but still enabling it for the win+prtscrn and other shortcuts? Specifically, is there a way to disable *only* the Win key from popping up the start menu? Here's the annoyance: 1. I *never* use the Windows key to bring up the start menu 2. I *always* use Win+PrtScrn to snap screenshots directly to a folder Snippingtool is for recording the screen. Some versions include a "delay" option, which you set first, before you select "window" or "full screen" Snip. You can delay for 5 seconds, then run your mouse over to a menu and open it... to get a Menu shot. Yes, PrtScreen works. But if you have a fetish about the Windows key, you don't absolutely have to use the Windows key when SnippingTool is in W7/W8/W10. I keep SnippingTool pinned to the Task Bar. ******* In addition, if you're preparing tutorial material, and expect to be shooting 30+ pictures, you can use FFMPEG as a screen recorder. Or for that matter, any other screen recorder that doesn't deliver adware when you install it. The following command example, puts one frame per second in your "output_folder". You can bump the framerate number to 30 in Win10, or 60 in Win8 if you want lots more data. If you have a gutless computer, using too high a framerate could affect your work. The mjpeg codec isn't the best, but it is multithreaded, which is why I like it. The ringing on sharp edges in the capture, I could do without, but that's JPG for you. cd output_folder C:\FFMPEG\bin\ffmpeg -framerate 1 -f gdigrab -i desktop -f image2 -q:v 1 -c:v mjpeg a%05d.jpg Depending on the expected duration of the capture, the a%05d might need to be changed to a%06d so the filename can accommodate enough files. I find generally 60000 pictures in one folder, is sufficient to bring out the worst of the bugs in File Explorer... To *play* a folder of JPGs, use avidemux2_qt4.exe . The frame number and the filename in the recording should match, allowing you to pick out the frames you like. I use AviDemux 2.5 for this. My original copy. Name: avidemux_2.5.2_win32.exe Size: 10327518 bytes (9 MB) SHA1: 9E33B753C771AB63CCED4A1A8781443D3CA05C19 https://www.filehorse.com/download-avidemux-32/19974/ Go half way down the page until you see blue text right above the row of screenshots, then click "Download Avidemux 2.5.2 (32-bit)" Newer versions support more file formats, but introduce other issues. Since I have limited things I do with it, I keep it just for this particular task. HTH, Paul |
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the start menu
On 26 Jul 2018 10:32:36 GMT, Paul wrote:
Snippingtool is for recording the screen. Thank Paul, for offering helpful advice. I should have been clear that what I really want is to disable the Start Menu from coming up when I press the Windows key. If the screenshot is the *only* thing that I want, there are *plenty* of ways to take a screenshot, e.g., Irfanview freeware already has *everything* anyone could want to capture screenshots directly to a file. What I really want is to disable the Windows key from bringing up the Start Menu. I keep SnippingTool pinned to the Task Bar. I keep Irfanview pinned to the task bar. :) In addition, if you're preparing tutorial material, and expect to be shooting 30+ pictures, you can use FFMPEG as a screen recorder. Or for that matter, any other screen recorder that doesn't deliver adware when you install it. I do create tutorials all day every day, which is mostly why I capture screenshots, and where I sometimes record video, but not that often simply because it's harder to upload video to registration-free sites (for privacy reasons). It has been so long since I recorded screen video that I forgot what GUI-based programs I used, offhand, where I always seek the canonical best freeware for any task - so it's good that you recommend ffmpeg on the command line, where the youtube download conversions call the fmpeg automatically from the current directory, so we all already have ffmpeg installed. Looking at my youtube-dl log file, here's where my ffmpeg came from: http://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/win...n64-static.zip According to my youtube-dl install log file, that zip contains: {ffmpeg.exe, ffprobe.exe, & ffplay.exe} The following command example, puts one frame per second in your "output_folder". You can bump the framerate number to 30 in Win10, or 60 in Win8 if you want lots more data. If you have a gutless computer, using too high a framerate could affect your work. The mjpeg codec isn't the best, but it is multithreaded, which is why I like it. The ringing on sharp edges in the capture, I could do without, but that's JPG for you. cd output_folder C:\FFMPEG\bin\ffmpeg -framerate 1 -f gdigrab -i desktop -f image2 -q:v 1 -c:v mjpeg a%05d.jpg I'm going to add this to the log file in the ffmpeg folder so that I can use it in the future. Thanks for increasing our tribal knowledge on recording screen video. Newer versions support more file formats, but introduce other issues. Since I have limited things I do with it, I keep it just for this particular task. My rule is to use the *oldest* version of any tool that still works. (There are reasons for that rule, learned over time, but they vary.) Video capture aside though, what I really want is to disable the Windows key from bringing up the Start Menu. |
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the startmenu
Arlen Holder wrote:
what I really want is to disable the Windows key from bringing up the Start Menu. There are some options here. https://superuser.com/questions/1384...he-windows-key Set a restore point before doing the registry one, just in case. Anything remotely related to keyboard disablement, spells trouble. Right ? Paul |
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the start menu
On 26 Jul 2018 11:58:54 GMT, Paul wrote:
There are some options here. https://superuser.com/questions/1384...he-windows-key Hi Paul, Thanks. As you know, I researched first, so I know I can completely *disable* the Windows key, but that's not what I want to do. I want to only disable the windows key from bringing up the Start Menu. I realize you probably assume that maybe one of the options in that article (or in some of the ones I unearthed earlier) will have a *selective* disable of the Windows key. This may be the case. I'll check out the packages which I knew about already, so that was my plan B all along if nobody knows. Generally I don't ask a question if the answer is easy to find by looking it up (despite Wolf K always assuming everything has an easy to find answer). It's ok if nobody knows how to selectively disable just the start menu from coming up when the windows key is pressed. I'll figure it out over time, or, perhaps, this may be one of the rare times I'll fail if there truly is no way to do it. In summary, I knew about Sharpkeys and the registry hacks before I had asked this question - but - maybe there is something in them that will *selectively* disable just the Start Menu from coming up. Thanks. |
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the start menu
On 26 Jul 2018 17:07:38 GMT, Arlen Holder wrote:
Is there a way to disable *only* the Win key from popping up the start menu? I just realized, while responding to Paul, that maybe there's a different solution to the problem. Maybe I can remap to a different keyset the Print-to-File command that Windows runs when we press Win+PrtScrn? Anyone know, offhand, what that command line argument is? (I ran a quick search which didn't find it so it may be part of svchost or some other process.) |
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the start menu
On Thu, 26 Jul 2018 17:07:38 -0000 (UTC), Arlen Holder wrote:
Specifically, is there a way to disable *only* the Win key from popping up the start menu? I expect you can do it in the free utility from Autohotkey.com. You can do pretty much everything else in Autohotkey, and I know that it knows about the Windows key. -- Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA http://BrownMath.com/ http://OakRoadSystems.com/ Shikata ga nai... |
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the start menu
On Sat, 28 Jul 2018 18:07:13 -0400, Stan Brown
wrote: On Thu, 26 Jul 2018 17:07:38 -0000 (UTC), Arlen Holder wrote: Specifically, is there a way to disable *only* the Win key from popping up the start menu? I expect you can do it in the free utility from Autohotkey.com. You can do pretty much everything else in Autohotkey, and I know that it knows about the Windows key. You can also disable it very easily with the free Sharpkeys at https://github.com/randyrants/sharpkeys |
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the start menu
On 28 Jul 2018 15:07:13 GMT, Stan Brown wrote:
I expect you can do it in the free utility from Autohotkey.com. You can do pretty much everything else in Autohotkey, and I know that it knows about the Windows key. Thank you Stan Brown for your purposefully helpful advice and accolades for the "Autohotkey" program. Your confidence in that program (as was Paul's I believe) is helpful because, as an avowed expert in finding the best freeware, I know how important it is to have someone advise me who isn't a shill for some web site (like many so-called "reviews" turn out to be). I apologize for my late response, as I'm normally far more responsive in testing out suggestions, but I worked for days last week on writing up a step-by-step tutorial for replacing a clutch, which, as my first clutch ever, was obviously taxing (I did the equivalent of a thousand situps). Char Jackson, remember you challenged me to compare your value added to that of mine, and I said you added exactly zero tutorials while I had something like thousands of tutorials in many newsgroups over the decades? Well, here's just one more tutorial, posted to give back to Usenet, since I'm a good Usenet citizen, for you as proof (as my factual credibility is pristine and I care that it remains so). https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.home.repair/qEhph1MmSKs/4iok3tYEBwAJ |
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the start menu
On 29 Jul 2018 17:57:15 GMT, Arlen Holder wrote:
Char Jackson, remember you challenged me to compare your value added to that of mine, and I said you added exactly zero tutorials while I had something like thousands of tutorials in many newsgroups over the decades? Well, here's just one more tutorial, posted to give back to Usenet, since I'm a good Usenet citizen, for you as proof (as my factual credibility is pristine and I care that it remains so). https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.home.repair/qEhph1MmSKs/4iok3tYEBwAJ Oooooops. This is the correct link (that other one wasn't bad - but this is the WIP DIY that I'm writing (which is akin to a tutorial) to give back to the team, as my strategy is to always *add* to the technical tribal knowledge in every post. https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.home.repair/qEhph1MmSKs/S_R2Y4gRBwAJ |
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the start menu
On 28 Jul 2018 15:15:42 GMT, Ken Blake wrote:
You can also disable it very easily with the free Sharpkeys at https://github.com/randyrants/sharpkeys I appreciate the help, but I did explain why that isn't the goal in the least in the OP, and in every subsequent post, so it bears repeating that we need to keep in mind that if the problem were as simple as "disabling" the Windows key, then any of the URLs in the original post would have sufficed and I wouldn't have bothered all of you to ask the question. I don't generally ask a question that has an easy answer. In general, only people like Paul can answer my questions. I'm sure I sometimes ask questions that anyone (even Wolf K for heaven's sake) can answer, if I blitz out and turn my mind off). But, in general, if I ask a question, then nobody will know the answer unless they've already solved that exact technical problem. Disabling the key is NOT and never was the problem. Finding a third-party screenshot program is also not the problem. (remember, we already all have Irfanview if that was what we wanted.) There are only a few ways (I can think of) that will solve the problem. 1. Remap "just" the Windows key to not bring up the Start Menu (ideal) 2. Find some other way to do a default Windows screenshot (acceptable) 3. Give up on Windows & use a 3rd party keyboard snapshot tool (workaround) Again, I repeat as I have done in every post in this thread, if the problem were as simple as disabling the Windows key, I wouldn't have asked the question. I do appreciate the help - where I think an expert can help - and where I think the suggestions to use Autohotkey are the next logical step for sure, to see if it can *selectively* remap the Windows key so as to not bring up the Start Menu. If that fails, I'll see if I can map Irfanview to somehow, come up and then go away and then snap the screenshot and then save it, as I need the screenshot to save to a file from a single keystroke without the program already running in the background (everyone would benefit from this feature, but we all use the Win+PrtScreen key to obtain it)! :) |
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the start menu
On 29 Jul 2018 18:09:09 GMT, Arlen Holder wrote:
I don't generally ask a question that has an easy answer. Actually, I may have been unfair to Ken who was trying to help, so I apologize for my frustration (I'm dealing with bully trolls on the iOS newsgroup and I have to realize that most people here are purposefully helpful as opposed to most people there). I apologize Ken Blake as your advice might work as might the advice of Paul and Stan Brown. Here's my plan, where I won't respond further until I at least test out the plan (or if new information arises). a. I know that Sharpkeys exists - so I need to test if it does what I need, which is to *selectively* disable *just* the Start Menu from coming up when the Windows key is pressed, leaving all other Windows-key shortcuts intact. b. I know that Autohotkey exists - so I need to test if it does what I need, which is to *selectively* disable *just* the Start Menu from coming up when the Windows key is pressed, leaving all other Windows-key shortcuts intact. c. I know snapshot-specific tools exist (e.g., Irfanview, Snippingtool, etc.) which will snap a screen directly to a file but they all seem to need to be running in the background (which is not what I want, nor which is what most people want, I would think). The overall goal is to do exactly what Win+PrtScreen does, which is snap a screenshot to a file in a single keystroke, without having to run a program first - and where accidentally bouncing my finger on the Windows key does NOT bring up the Start Menu. I think the only valid solutions are the following, all of which I will test over time, but I won't be spending tons of time on it so folks need to know I will respond with the solution later rather than sooner. I do apologize to Ken Blake again, for my previous response moments ago, which I tried to stop, but it went through. I was in a bad mood and I apologize because Ken was being purposefully helpful (which is all that matters). I apologize to Ken. I was wrong. Back to the solution... I see only these methods: a. Figure out if Sharpkeys or Autohotkey can selectively disable "just" the Start Menu from coming up (leaving all other Windows key functions alive). b. Figure out how to script a shell script that accomplishes the same thing as does Win+PrintScreen, bearing in mind it has to be able to work without a program running in the background (unless that's completely transparent). Thanks again for the purposefully helpful advice, and apologies to Ken for my untoward response to his purposefully helpful suggestion. |
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the startmenu
On 7/27/2018 1:07 AM, Arlen Holder wrote:
Is there a way to disable *only* the Win key from popping up the start menu? You can just disable the Left Window$ key via registry? -- @~@ Remain silent! Drink, Blink, Stretch! Live long and prosper!! / v \ Simplicity is Beauty! /( _ )\ May the Force and farces be with you! ^ ^ (x86_64 Ubuntu 9.10) Linux 2.6.39.3 不借貸! 不詐騙! 不*錢! 不援交! 不打交! 不打劫! 不自殺! 不求神! 請考慮綜援 (CSSA): http://www.swd.gov.hk/tc/index/site_...sub_addressesa |
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the startmenu
On 08/05/2018 12:02 PM, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote:
[snip] You can just disable the Left Window$ key via registry? I like what you did to the 's' (in the OS name). It makes it seem more appropriate, especially with Window$ 8+. |
How would you disable the Windows key from bringing up the start menu
On Mon, 6 Aug 2018 11:52:55 -0500, notX wrote:
On 08/05/2018 12:02 PM, Mr. Man-wai Chang wrote: [snip] You can just disable the Left Window$ key via registry? I like what you did to the 's' (in the OS name). It makes it seem more appropriate, especially with Window$ 8+. Meh. In the US, the character becomes a dollar sign, which makes no sense. |
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