Set global hotkeys using C#

Question

I need to capture a key press when my program is not in focus. (ie. Ctrl+Alt+J) and trigger an event in my program.

Thus far i have found this dll that appears to be the correct path"

[DllImport("user32.dll")]private static extern int RegisterHotKey(IntPtr hwnd, int id,int fsModifiers, int vk);

[DllImport("user32.dll")] private static extern int UnregisterHotKey(IntPtr hwnd, int id);

You can look at my post for WPF solution... [enter link description here][1] [1]: stackoverflow.com/questions/48935/… — Eric Ouellet
@Crash893 I know this is an old question, and thanks for updating with an answer, but note that you can actually post an answer to your own question if you figure it out, rather than embedding the answer inside the question. Cheers — AaronLS

AaronLS AaronLS · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-05T05:09:04

Please note that this code will not trigger events in console application projects. You have to use WinForms project for events to fire.

This is the correct code:

public sealed  class KeyboardHook : IDisposable
{
    // Registers a hot key with Windows.
    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    private static extern bool RegisterHotKey(IntPtr hWnd, int id, uint fsModifiers, uint vk);
    // Unregisters the hot key with Windows.
    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    private static extern bool UnregisterHotKey(IntPtr hWnd, int id);

    /// <summary>
    /// Represents the window that is used internally to get the messages.
    /// </summary>
    private class Window : NativeWindow, IDisposable
    {
        private static int WM_HOTKEY = 0x0312;

        public Window()
        {
            // create the handle for the window.
            this.CreateHandle(new CreateParams());
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Overridden to get the notifications.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="m"></param>
        protected override void WndProc(ref Message m)
        {
            base.WndProc(ref m);

            // check if we got a hot key pressed.
            if (m.Msg == WM_HOTKEY)
            {
                // get the keys.
                Keys key = (Keys)(((int)m.LParam >> 16) & 0xFFFF);
                ModifierKeys modifier = (ModifierKeys)((int)m.LParam & 0xFFFF);

                // invoke the event to notify the parent.
                if (KeyPressed != null)
                    KeyPressed(this, new KeyPressedEventArgs(modifier, key));
            }
        }

        public event EventHandler<KeyPressedEventArgs> KeyPressed;

        #region IDisposable Members

        public void Dispose()
        {
            this.DestroyHandle();
        }

        #endregion
    }

    private Window _window = new Window();
    private int _currentId;

    public KeyboardHook()
    {
        // register the event of the inner native window.
        _window.KeyPressed += delegate(object sender, KeyPressedEventArgs args)
        {
            if (KeyPressed != null)
                KeyPressed(this, args);
        };
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Registers a hot key in the system.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="modifier">The modifiers that are associated with the hot key.</param>
    /// <param name="key">The key itself that is associated with the hot key.</param>
    public void RegisterHotKey(ModifierKeys modifier, Keys key)
    {
        // increment the counter.
        _currentId = _currentId + 1;

        // register the hot key.
        if (!RegisterHotKey(_window.Handle, _currentId, (uint)modifier, (uint)key))
            throw new InvalidOperationException("Couldn’t register the hot key.");
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// A hot key has been pressed.
    /// </summary>
    public event EventHandler<KeyPressedEventArgs> KeyPressed;

    #region IDisposable Members

    public void Dispose()
    {
        // unregister all the registered hot keys.
        for (int i = _currentId; i > 0; i--)
        {
            UnregisterHotKey(_window.Handle, i);
        }

        // dispose the inner native window.
        _window.Dispose();
    }

    #endregion
}

/// <summary>
/// Event Args for the event that is fired after the hot key has been pressed.
/// </summary>
public class KeyPressedEventArgs : EventArgs
{
    private ModifierKeys _modifier;
    private Keys _key;

    internal KeyPressedEventArgs(ModifierKeys modifier, Keys key)
    {
        _modifier = modifier;
        _key = key;
    }

    public ModifierKeys Modifier
    {
        get { return _modifier; }
    }

    public Keys Key
    {
        get { return _key; }
    }
}

/// <summary>
/// The enumeration of possible modifiers.
/// </summary>
[Flags]
public enum ModifierKeys : uint
{
    Alt = 1,
    Control = 2,
    Shift = 4,
    Win = 8
}

to use (i had to edit the modifier keys to cast them (modifier)1 (modifier)2 etc

public partial  class Form1 : Form
{
    KeyboardHook hook = new KeyboardHook();

    public Form1()
    {
        InitializeComponent();

        // register the event that is fired after the key press.
        hook.KeyPressed +=
            new EventHandler<KeyPressedEventArgs>(hook_KeyPressed);
        // register the control + alt + F12 combination as hot key.
        hook.RegisterHotKey(ModifierKeys.Control | ModifierKeys.Alt,
            Keys.F12);
    }

    void hook_KeyPressed(object sender, KeyPressedEventArgs e)
    {
        // show the keys pressed in a label.
        label1.Text = e.Modifier.ToString() + " + " + e.Key.ToString();
    }
}

Set global hotkeys using C#

3 Answers

KeyboardHook.vb

Form1.vb