Hot-Key Support

Windows provides a set of functions that applications can use to define hot keys. A hot key is a key combination that generates a WM_HOTKEY message, a message the system places at the top of a thread's message queue, bypassing any existing messages in the queue. Applications use hot keys to obtain high-priority keyboard input from the user. For example, by defining a hot key consisting of the CTRL+C key combination, an application can allow the user to cancel a lengthy operation.

To define a hot key, an application calls the RegisterHotKey function, specifying the combination of keys that generates the WM_HOTKEY message, the handle of the window to receive the message, and the identifier of the hot key. When the user presses the hot key, a WM_HOTKEY message is placed in the message queue of the thread that created the given window. The wParam parameter of the message contains the identifier of the hot key. The application can define multiple hot keys for a thread, but each hot key in the thread must have a unique identifier. Before the application terminates, it should use the UnregisterHotKey function to destroy the hot key.

Applications can use a hot key control to make it easy for the user to choose a hot key. Hot key controls are typically used to define a hot key that activates a window; they do not use the RegisterHotKey and UnregisterHotKey functions. Instead, an application that uses a hot key control typically sends the WM_SETHOTKEY message to set the hot key. Whenever the user presses the hot key, the system sends a WM_SYSCOMMAND message specifying SC_HOTKEY. For more information about hot key controls, see Hot-Key Controls.

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