get back focus by keystroke

[waroc]

Hi
I use multi media player (xbmc) on my secondary display.
I launch it thanks to my remote which sends keystrokes. In fact it simulates a keyboard. Pressing F1 launches xbmc.

As I m watching a video, if somebody works on the internet on the primary display, xbmc loses the focus and the remote is unefficient.
With winXP, pressing F1 gives back focus to xbmc.
With win7, it doesn't.
Why ? Thanks for replies.

 

[bmcdevitt]

there can only be one "active window", computer will focus on whatever window you are working within, if you click on the xbmc after you work on you main monitor, it will restore what you call "focus" to your xbmc. The remote is not working because xbmc is not the current active window, i hope i understood you correctly... also since your new to windows 7 , here is a list of all the key commands and shortcuts

Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows

 

[waroc]

Yes you're absolutly right.

I knew that.

I don't matter with losing the focus when someone else works on the primary display.

Now, I would like to get back the focus thanks to a keystroke (that means using my remote).
This because I'm not in the same room as my primary display and my keyboard.
So, I want to be able to do that without clicking the window with the mouse.

On Win XP, "relaunching" XBMC by pressing the keystroke which matches with the shortcut I set for XBMC, the xbmc windows is focused.
That doesn't work anymore with Win7.

?...

Thank you for your "keyboard shortcut" link

 

[MacGyvr]

Alt-Tab

 

[bmcdevitt]

Alt-Tab

xp to win7 is a huge jump, major changes, vista to win7 is fairly the same, like mac said alt-tab should work for you

 

[waroc]

ALT-TAB : Yes , BUT ....

it works when there's only one piece of software opened on the primary display.
For example : Firefox (1st display), XBMC (2nd display). Alt-tab switches likes this :
Firefox => XBMC XBMC => Firefox and so on...

If you consider 3 software opened on the 1st display (firefox, word, excel) and XBMC and the 2nd display, Alt-tab switches between the 2 last software which have been opened.
For example : -------------word / excel / XBMC / Firefox
Alt-tab generates this -----excel / word / XBMC / Firefox
Alt-tab once again and ----word / excel / XBMC / Firefox
and so on...

Only the first piece of software in this list is "focused". And that's normal. But I cannot reach XBMC. By the keyboard yes, but not by the remote.
While using Win XP, pressing F1 (my shortcut for XBMC sended by my remote) brings back the "focus" to XBMC
This doesn't work with Win 7.

?...

 

[bmcdevitt]

try windows key tab

 

[waroc]

It's better, but not yet exactly what I would like.

I would really like to "reactivate" the XBMC window by only one touch press, to make my system be user friendly.

But we are closing up, thank you.

 

[bmcdevitt]

It's better, but not yet exactly what I would like.

I would really like to "reactivate" the XBMC window by only one touch press, to make my system be user friendly.

But we are closing up, thank you.

make a macro for this, if you use the same amount of windows, make it something like windows key +tab+tab release+tab+tab release + windows key release

 

[waroc]

Yes it could do it but only if the same number of windows are opened. No more, no less.

But I cannot forcast it.

Isn't there a registry entry to modify to make Win7 generate same action as Win XP, when I request XBMC to run as it's already opened ? (Win Xp => get back focus, Win7 => nothing)

 

[bmcdevitt]

do you know you can run xp virtually on win 7? this might be a solution for you.... you need a xp license though, which i am assuming you already have one

 

[waroc]

Does that mean that all my environment willl be "winXP designed" ?

Or can I choose XP on secondary display as Win7 is still running on primary one ?

 

[bmcdevitt]

you can run windows xp like a program ( by this i mean in a window on windows 7) you could bring the window to your one screen and maximize it. It will keep doing other things while you are working in windows 7.

Windows Virtual PC: Home Page

you will see what i am talking about, go to this link and look at the picture to the right....

i have alot of experience in virtualization, i think this solution could work for you. heck its a free shot anyway...

 

[waroc]

Ok, it sounds good.

I'll check it out only next week when I'm back at home.

Thank you for support.

I will report you what's going on.

 

[waroc]

Somebody else told me about another solution.
What do you think about it ?

"Windows 7 does handle shortcuts differently however there's a quick solution for this. The Windows 7 Superbar is accessible with shortcuts (Windows Key + number) so if you have a program pinned on the Superbar right after the start button you can access it with Win+1. If the program is already running, pressing Win+1 will focus that app rather than starting another copy. "

 

[bmcdevitt]

Somebody else told me about another solution.
What do you think about it ?

"Windows 7 does handle shortcuts differently however there's a quick solution for this. The Windows 7 Superbar is accessible with shortcuts (Windows Key + number) so if you have a program pinned on the Superbar right after the start button you can access it with Win+1. If the program is already running, pressing Win+1 will focus that app rather than starting another copy. "

hmmm yes that would deffinately work, if you pin it to first 1-9 you can push window + number of position and it will bring it up, might work for you also. you can also switch back to your other programs to, the same way