###### On-Screen Keyboard (requires XP/2k/NT) -- by Jon

This script creates a mock keyboard at the bottom of your screen that shows the keys you are pressing in real time. I made it to help me to learn to touch-type (to get used to not looking at the keyboard). The size of the on-screen keyboard can be customized at the top of the script. Also, you can double-click the tray icon to show or hide the keyboard.

Download This Script | Other Sample Scripts | Home

    ;---- Configuration Section: Customize the size of the on-screen keyboard and
    ; other options here.

    ; Changing this font size will make the entire on-screen keyboard get
    ; larger or smaller:
    k_FontSize = 10
    k_FontName = Verdana  ; This can be blank to use the system's default font.
    k_FontStyle = Bold    ; Example of an alternative: Italic Underline

    ; Names for the tray menu items:
    k_MenuItemHide = Hide on-screen &keyboard
    k_MenuItemShow = Show on-screen &keyboard

    ; To have the keyboard appear on a monitor other than the primary, specify
    ; a number such as 2 for the following variable.  Leave it blank to use
    ; the primary:
    k_Monitor =

    ;---- End of configuration section.  Don't change anything below this point
    ; unless you want to alter the basic nature of the script.

    ;---- Alter the tray icon menu:
    Menu, Tray, Add, %k_MenuItemHide%, k_ShowHide
    Menu, Tray, Add, &Exit, k_MenuExit
    Menu, Tray, Default, %k_MenuItemHide%
    Menu, Tray, NoStandard

    ;---- Calculate object dimensions based on chosen font size:
    k_KeyWidth = %k_FontSize%
    k_KeyWidth *= 3
    k_KeyHeight = %k_FontSize%
    k_KeyHeight *= 3
    k_KeyMargin = %k_FontSize%
    k_KeyMargin /= 6
    k_SpacebarWidth = %k_FontSize%
    k_SpacebarWidth *= 25
    k_KeyWidthHalf = %k_KeyWidth%
    k_KeyWidthHalf /= 2

    k_KeySize = w%k_KeyWidth% h%k_KeyHeight%
    k_Position = x+%k_KeyMargin% %k_KeySize%

    ;---- Create a GUI window for the on-screen keyboard:
    Gui, Font, s%k_FontSize% %k_FontStyle%, %k_FontName%
    Gui, -Caption +E0x200 +ToolWindow
    TransColor = F1ECED
    Gui, Color, %TransColor%  ; This color will be made transparent later below.

    ;---- Add a button for each key. Position the first button with absolute
    ; coordinates so that all other buttons can be positioned relative to it:
    Gui, Add, Button, section %k_KeySize% xm+%k_KeyWidth%, 1
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, 2
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, 3
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, 4
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, 5
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, 6
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, 7
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, 8
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, 9
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, 0
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, -
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, =
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, Bk

    Gui, Add, Button, xm y+%k_KeyMargin% h%k_KeyHeight%, Tab  ; Auto-width.
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, Q
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, W
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, E
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, R
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, T
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, Y
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, U
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, I
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, O
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, P
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, [
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, ]
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, \

    Gui, Add, Button, xs+%k_KeyWidthHalf% y+%k_KeyMargin% %k_KeySize%, A
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, S
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, D
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, F
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, G
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, H
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, J
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, K
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, L
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, `;
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, '
    Gui, Add, Button, x+%k_KeyMargin% h%k_KeyHeight%, Enter  ; Auto-width.

    ; The first button below adds %A_Space% at the end to widen it a little,
    ; making the layout of keys next to it more accurately reflect a real keyboard:
    Gui, Add, Button, xm y+%k_KeyMargin% h%k_KeyHeight%, Shift%A_Space%%A_Space%
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, Z
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, X
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, C
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, V
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, B
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, N
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, M
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, `,
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, .
    Gui, Add, Button, %k_Position%, /

    Gui, Add, Button, xm y+%k_KeyMargin% h%k_KeyHeight%, Ctrl  ; Auto-width.
    Gui, Add, Button, h%k_KeyHeight% x+%k_KeyMargin%, Win      ; Auto-width.
    Gui, Add, Button, h%k_KeyHeight% x+%k_KeyMargin%, Alt      ; Auto-width.
    Gui, Add, Button, h%k_KeyHeight% x+%k_KeyMargin% w%k_SpacebarWidth%, Space

    ;---- Show the window:
    Gui, Show
    k_IsVisible = y

    WinGet, k_ID, ID, A   ; Get its window ID.
    WinGetPos,,, k_WindowWidth, k_WindowHeight, A

    ;---- Position the keyboard at the bottom of the screen (taking into account
    ; the position of the taskbar):
    SysGet, k_WorkArea, MonitorWorkArea, %k_Monitor%

    ; Calculate window's X-position:
    k_WindowX = %k_WorkAreaRight%
    k_WindowX -= %k_WorkAreaLeft%  ; Now k_WindowX contains the width of this monitor.
    k_WindowX -= %k_WindowWidth%
    k_WindowX /= 2  ; Calculate position to center it horizontally.
    ; The following is done in case the window will be on a non-primary monitor
    ; or if the taskbar is anchored on the left side of the screen:
    k_WindowX += %k_WorkAreaLeft%

    ; Calculate window's Y-position:
    k_WindowY = %k_WorkAreaBottom%
    k_WindowY -= %k_WindowHeight%

    WinMove, A,, %k_WindowX%, %k_WindowY%
    WinSet, AlwaysOnTop, On, ahk_id %k_ID%
    WinSet, TransColor, %TransColor% 220, ahk_id %k_ID%

    ;---- Set all keys as hotkeys. See www.asciitable.com
    k_n = 1
    k_ASCII = 45

    Loop
    {
        Transform, k_char, Chr, %k_ASCII%
        StringUpper, k_char, k_char
        if k_char not in <,>,^,~,,`,
            Hotkey, ~*%k_char%, k_KeyPress
            ; In the above, the asterisk prefix allows the key to be detected regardless
            ; of whether the user is holding down modifier keys such as Control and Shift.
        if k_ASCII = 93
            break
        k_ASCII++
    }

    return ; End of auto-execute section.

    ;---- When a key is pressed by the user, click the corresponding button on-screen:

    ~*Backspace::
    ControlClick, Bk, ahk_id %k_ID%, , LEFT, 1, D
    KeyWait, Backspace
    ControlClick, Bk, ahk_id %k_ID%, , LEFT, 1, U
    return

    ; LShift and RShift are used rather than "Shift" because when used as a hotkey,
    ; "Shift" would default to firing upon release of the key (in older AHK versions):
    ~*LShift::
    ~*RShift::
    ~*LCtrl::  ; Must use Ctrl not Control to match button names.
    ~*RCtrl::
    ~*LAlt::
    ~*RAlt::
    ~*LWin::
    ~*RWin::
    StringTrimLeft, k_ThisHotkey, A_ThisHotkey, 3
    ControlClick, %k_ThisHotkey%, ahk_id %k_ID%, , LEFT, 1, D
    KeyWait, %k_ThisHotkey%
    ControlClick, %k_ThisHotkey%, ahk_id %k_ID%, , LEFT, 1, U
    return

    ~*,::
    ~*'::
    ~*Space::
    ~*Enter::
    ~*Tab::
    k_KeyPress:
    StringReplace, k_ThisHotkey, A_ThisHotkey, ~
    StringReplace, k_ThisHotkey, k_ThisHotkey, *
    SetTitleMatchMode, 3  ; Prevents the T and B keys from being confused with Tab and Backspace.
    ControlClick, %k_ThisHotkey%, ahk_id %k_ID%, , LEFT, 1, D
    KeyWait, %k_ThisHotkey%
    ControlClick, %k_ThisHotkey%, ahk_id %k_ID%, , LEFT, 1, U
    Return

    k_ShowHide:
    if k_IsVisible = y
    {
        Gui, Cancel
        Menu, Tray, Rename, %k_MenuItemHide%, %k_MenuItemShow%
        k_IsVisible = n
    }
    else
    {
        Gui, Show
        Menu, Tray, Rename, %k_MenuItemShow%, %k_MenuItemHide%
        k_IsVisible = y
    }
    return

    GuiClose:
    k_MenuExit:
    ExitApp