C# Signature:

[DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)]
private static extern bool RegisterHotKey(IntPtr hWnd, int id, KeyModifiers fsModifiers, Keys vk);

VB Signature:

Declare Function RegisterHotKeyaspx Lib "user32.dll" (TODO) As TODO

User-Defined Types:

None.

Alternative Managed API:

Do you know one? Please contribute it!

Notes:

None.

Tips & Tricks:

Please add some!

Sample Code:

Here is a helper class for easily adding a hotkey to WPF Windows.

Usage:

    /// <summary>
    /// Id's to disambiguate multiple hotkey registrations
    /// </summary>
    uint hotKey1, hotKey2;

    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    /// <summary>
    /// Once we have a window handle, register for hot keys
    /// </summary>
    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    protected override void OnSourceInitialized(EventArgs e)
    {
        base.OnSourceInitialized(e);
        _hotKeys = new HotKeyHelper(this, HandleHotKey);
        hotKey1 = _hotKeys.ListenForHotKey(System.Windows.Forms.Keys.F8, HotKeyModifiers.Control);
        hotKey2 = _hotKeys.ListenForHotKey(System.Windows.Forms.Keys.F9, HotKeyModifiers.WindowsKey | HotKeyModifiers.Shift);
    }

    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    /// <summary>
    /// Hotkey handler.  The keyId is the return value from ListenForHotKey()
    /// </summary>
    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    void HandleHotKey(int keyId)
    {
        if (keyId == hotKey1)
        {
        // first hotkey was pressed
        }
        else if (keyId == hotKey2)
        {
        // second hotkey was pressed
        }
    }

Helper class:

    /// <summary>
    /// Simpler way to expose key modifiers
    /// </summary>
    [Flags]
    public enum HotKeyModifiers
    {
    Alt = 1,        // MOD_ALT
    Control = 2,    // MOD_CONTROL
    Shift = 4,      // MOD_SHIFT
    WindowsKey = 8,     // MOD_WIN
    }

    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    /// <summary>
    /// A nice generic class to register multiple hotkeys for your app
    /// </summary>
    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    public class HotKeyHelper : IDisposable
    {
    // Required interop declarations for working with hotkeys
    [DllImport("user32", SetLastError = true)]
    [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
    public static extern bool RegisterHotKey(IntPtr hwnd, int id, uint fsModifiers, uint vk);
    [DllImport("user32", SetLastError = true)]
    public static extern int UnregisterHotKey(IntPtr hwnd, int id);
    [DllImport("kernel32", SetLastError = true)]
    public static extern short GlobalAddAtom(string lpString);
    [DllImport("kernel32", SetLastError = true)]
    public static extern short GlobalDeleteAtom(short nAtom);

    public const int WM_HOTKEY = 0x312;

    /// <summary>
    /// The unique ID to receive hotkey messages
    /// </summary>
    public short HotkeyID { get; private set; }

    /// <summary>
    /// Handle to the window listening to hotkeys
    /// </summary>
    private IntPtr _windowHandle;

    /// <summary>
    /// Callback for hot keys
    /// </summary>
    Action<int> _onHotKeyPressed;

    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    /// <summary>
    /// ctor
    /// </summary>
    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------

    public HotKeyHelper(Window handlerWindow, Action<int> hotKeyHandler)
    {
        _onHotKeyPressed = hotKeyHandler;

        // Create a unique Id for this class in this instance
        string atomName = Thread.CurrentThread.ManagedThreadId.ToString("X8") + this.GetType().FullName;
        HotkeyID = GlobalAddAtom(atomName);

        // Set up the hook to listen for hot keys
        _windowHandle = new WindowInteropHelper(handlerWindow).Handle;
        if(_windowHandle == null)
        {
        throw new ApplicationException("Cannot find window handle.  Try calling this on or after OnSourceInitialized()");
        }
        var source = HwndSource.FromHwnd(_windowHandle);
        source.AddHook(HwndHook);
    }

    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    /// <summary>
    /// Intermediate processing of hotkeys
    /// </summary>
    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    private IntPtr HwndHook(IntPtr hwnd, int msg, IntPtr wParam, IntPtr lParam, ref bool handled)
    {
        if (msg == WM_HOTKEY && wParam.ToInt32() == HotkeyID)
        {
        _onHotKeyPressed?.Invoke(lParam.ToInt32());
        handled = true;
        }
        return IntPtr.Zero;
    }

    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    /// <summary>
    /// Tell what key you want to listen for.  Returns an id representing
    /// this particular key combination.  Use this in your handler to
    /// disambiguate what key was pressed.
    /// </summary>
    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    public uint ListenForHotKey(Keys key, HotKeyModifiers modifiers)
    {
        RegisterHotKey(_windowHandle, HotkeyID, (uint)modifiers, (uint)key);
        return (uint)modifiers | (((uint)key) << 16);
    }

    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    /// <summary>
    /// Stop listening for hotkeys
    /// </summary>
    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    private void StopListening()
    {
        if (this.HotkeyID != 0)
        {
        UnregisterHotKey(_windowHandle, HotkeyID);
        // clean up the atom list
        GlobalDeleteAtom(HotkeyID);
        HotkeyID = 0;
        }
    }

    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    /// <summary>
    /// Dispose
    /// </summary>
    // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    public void Dispose()
    {
        StopListening();
    }
    }

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