This is a simple little script. I'm posting it here because it gets a LOT of daily use and I can't imagine using Windows without it.
Never allow a disabled window or button to annoy you again. Prohibit applications from disabling windows or controls, by simply clicking on them. This is especially useful when you wish to access a parent window while a settings or dialog window is visible, ie; a Save/Open dialog.
Examples:
Winamp's main window becomes disabled when selecting an Equalizer setting from the list of presets. This script makes Winamp always accessable, so you can always keep the preset list open if you desire.
You want to save a document, but forgot to copy a selection of text you want to use for the file name. This script allows you access to your document text, even when the Save dialog is visible.
A shareware author added buttons to their application, but disabled the buttons until you pay $19.95 to register the application. This script will most likely allow you access to those buttons.
-- Raccoon 2010
Note: This snippet utilizes the AutoHotkey scripting language. You can download the AutoHotkey interpreter from www.autohotkey.com (Windows)
#SingleInstance, Force
#NoEnv
RETURN ; end of auto-execute section.
; Prohibit applications from disabling windows or controls, by simply clicking
; on them. This is especially useful when you wish to access a parent window
; while a settings or dialog window is visible, ie; a Save/Open dialog.
;
; Example: Winamp's main window becomes disabled when selecting an Equalizer
; setting from the list of presets. This script makes Winamp always accessible,
; so you can always keep the preset list open if you desire. -- Raccoon 2010
#If Enable_Window_Under_Cursor() || True
~LButton::Return
#If ; End If
;~LButton::
; Enable_Window_Under_Cursor()
; Return
Enable_Window_Under_Cursor() ; By Raccoon 31-Aug-2010
{
MouseGetPos,,, WinHndl, CtlHndl, 2
WinGet, Style, Style, ahk_id %WinHndl%
if (Style & 0x8000000) { ; WS_DISABLED.
WinSet, Enable,, ahk_id %WinHndl%
}
WinGet, Style, Style, ahk_id %CtlHndl%
if (Style & 0x8000000) { ; WS_DISABLED.
WinSet, Enable,, ahk_id %CtlHndl%
}
}
; End of Snippet
Step 1). Install AutoHotkey. It's a script interpreter. It will allow you to execute .ahk script files.
Step 2). Copy my script into notepad, and save as EnableWin.ahk
Step 3). Double-click (run) the file EnableWin.ahk
If you don't want to see the green "H" tray icon in your systray, you can add the following line to the top of the script.
#NoTrayIcon
if you're like me and only visit this site for code and discussion related to mIRC, you could quite easily glance over this snippet with the preconceived idea that it would offer you no utility. this couldn't be further from the truth! if you take a moment to skim over the description you will realize that this small snippet is the solution to a problem that plagues all of us Windows users.
download and install AutoHotKey if you haven't already (www.autohotkey.com/download) - it's 2MB. throw this snippet into NotePad and save it with a .ahk extension, open it, and watch as it runs quietly in the background. takes 2 minutes
thanks Raccoon!
I just use this script for the first time on Windows 7 and it works fine.