PowerToys Keyboard remapping works after the fact C#

Microsoft PowerToys version

0.41.4

Running as admin

  • [ ] Yes

Area(s) with issue?

Keyboard Manager

Steps to reproduce

Try to remap so Alt + something is performing an action of Ctrl + something. For example, I wanted to make my windows PC shortcuts to be more similar to a Mac (so my pinky doesn't work as hard for Ctrl+c, Ctrl+v, Ctrl+w etc.) and I've discovered that in every window that has the Alt dropdown menu it would be triggered before performing the Ctrl action. Launch notepad++ and try to use a shortcut to use Alt+n instead of Ctrl+n to create a new file. Another one that didn't work properly for me was trying to use Alt+g instead of Ctrl+g to grab the input when using vmware workstation. The problem there is that Ctrl+Alt sends the input back to the host, so it is triggered but then immediately triggered back. If the input is grabbed before the operating system gets the signals, just make sure to block the original ones until a new click registers or something

✔️ Expected Behavior

The shortcuts to be seamless, and not trigger any unwanted behavior. If Alt is pressed alone, maintain the original functionality.

❌ Actual Behavior

Gets both the original and intended buttons pressed, so they contradict each other in certain cases.

Other Software

vmware workstation notepad++ Anything with Alt dropdown menus basically

Asked Oct 09 '21 13:10
avatar GurSharonSH
GurSharonSH

4 Answer:

I've given it a try and was able to reproduce the issue on Notepad++. But then restarted PowerToys as an Administrator and it worked as intended. Perhaps there's something at the OS level that is catching the alt key, sending it to the application and clearing it. Would you mind trying to run PowerToys as an Administrator and verifying it this fixes your issue?

1
Answered Jul 30 '21 at 10:49
avatar  of jaimecbernardo
jaimecbernardo

Hey! Thanks for the fast reply (:

Running as an admin did solve the problem with npp! However, the VMware issue still persists because it's a different issue. Having a counter shortcut involving one of the new short cuts keys, and one of the keys from the action required to undo the same action causes it to fail. (Ctrl+Alt undoes Ctrl+g which I'm trying to replace with Alt+g)

It will make my day better on Monday already, so thanks again!

On Fri, Jul 30, 2021, 18:49 Jaime Bernardo @.*> wrote:

I've given it a try and was able to reproduce the issue on Notepad++. But then restarted PowerToys as an Administrator and it worked as intended. Perhaps there's something at the OS level that is catching the alt key, sending it to the application and clearing it. Would you mind trying to run PowerToys as an Administrator and verifying it this fixes your issue?

— You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/12562#issuecomment-889810722, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/APVXGWM3IRV6ALPBVJ5RS63T2J7TNANCNFSM5BHSLXQQ .

1
Answered Jul 30 '21 at 11:08
avatar  of GurSharonSH
GurSharonSH

For the case of VMWare, the issue is not that it's getting Ctrl-Alt.

It seems that it's using low level keyboard hooks to manage its own input (which would make sense, due to its functionality). This means it's likely disregarding Keyboard Manager input. If you try other remaps, like G -> Ctrl+G , those won't work as well, so it's not the "Alt" problem.

I assume that this is a limitation of trying to use Keyboard remapping with VMWare.

1
Answered Jul 30 '21 at 11:41
avatar  of jaimecbernardo
jaimecbernardo

Okay, thanks for the clarification!

Waiting for someone to come back to me about the feature request about the fancy zones, hope it'll find it's way into some version.. Maybe into windows 11 haha

Keep up the good work!!

On Fri, Jul 30, 2021, 19:42 Jaime Bernardo @.*> wrote:

For the case of VMWare, the issue is not that it's getting Ctrl-Alt.

It seems that it's using low level keyboard hooks to manage its own input (which would make sense, due to its functionality). This means it's likely disregarding Keyboard Manager input. If you try other remaps, like G -> Ctrl+G , those won't work as well, so it's not the "Alt" problem.

I assume that this is a limitation of trying to use Keyboard remapping with VMWare.

— You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/issues/12562#issuecomment-889836238, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/APVXGWKC3OWAGIV6Q4IELH3T2KFZDANCNFSM5BHSLXQQ .

1
Answered Jul 30 '21 at 13:15
avatar  of GurSharonSH
GurSharonSH