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Session Id : tnjiyL1lg700DO/pa3QlAi
Power Automate - Power Automate Desktop
Answered

Wait For Shortcut Key | On Specific Window

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Posted on 7 Nov 2021 06:54:54 by 13

I want to Wait for shortcut key "only" when a specific Window is is in focus. And when the window is out of focus, I do not want Wait for shortcut key to be active. In other words, some shortcut keys should be valid only for a specific window and when that window is out of focus, I want to disable those shortcut keys and make them as normal keys for other windows.

 

How do I do this? Please help.

  • hegdesaspect Profile Picture
    13 on 07 Nov 2021 at 13:20:30
    Re: Wait For Shortcut Key | On Specific Window

    @MichaelAnnis 

     

    I just can't believe this! After years, Microsoft today updated Whiteboard with native keyboard shortcuts! So PAD workaround is not necessary. However, thanks so much for your tips. I have accepted that a solution as it indeed solves the problems though with minor performance issues. Thanks again!

  • hegdesaspect Profile Picture
    13 on 07 Nov 2021 at 08:17:15
    Re: Wait For Shortcut Key | On Specific Window

    Hmm. I understood what you are telling. However, this does not work for what I am doing as there is a delay in pause/resume and it is not as fast as when PAD is always running.

     

    I am trying to add keyboard shortcuts to select pen colour in Microsoft Whiteboard. I know Microsoft sometimes wants to highlight their shortcomings and no key shortcut to select pen colour is one of them.

     

    I have successfully added the flows. All working fine. But at times, I have to write (text) too on another window (quick Alt + Tab) and the shortcuts keys are hijacked by PAD. I was using a single key shortcut so that colour selection is extremely fast during presentation. Lile I press "w" and pen is white... and while drawing, I quickly press "b" to change to Blue and the entire flow is all so smooth and so quick.

     

    Any solution to this? In other words, requirements are:

    1. Single key shortcuts
    2. As fast as when the flow is running
    3. Shortcuts active only when Microsoft Whiteboard is in focus

    Otherwise, only workaround is to have a multi key shortcut (Ctrl/Alt/Shift/combo) that are usually not in other apps.

  • MichaelAnnis Profile Picture
    5,721 Super User 2025 Season 1 on 07 Nov 2021 at 07:26:49
    Re: Wait For Shortcut Key | On Specific Window

    I believe there is a pause/resume hotkey setting in the dashboard settings. I believe the default is Control Shift T. 

  • hegdesaspect Profile Picture
    13 on 07 Nov 2021 at 07:16:46
    Re: Wait For Shortcut Key | On Specific Window

    I am so new to Power Automate that I just understood that PAD stands for Power Automate Desktop. Hope I am right there.

     


    @MichaelAnnis wrote:

    Have the shortcut key be your activation for PAD.


    This is exactly what I want to know. How do I make the shortcut key be the activation for PAD?

     

    Thank you so much!

  • Verified answer
    MichaelAnnis Profile Picture
    5,721 Super User 2025 Season 1 on 07 Nov 2021 at 07:04:58
    Re: Wait For Shortcut Key | On Specific Window

    I would do it the other way around. Have the shortcut key be your activation for PAD. When it gets the shortcut key command, then it checks, “If window is in focus, do something, else, go (back) to Label (WaitingForShortcutKey). 

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