Global Hotkeys

[TheBly]

Is there a way to disable some of the default global hotkeys that aren't in the list under Preferences?

Example: The left and right arrow keys, by default, rewind or fast forward the current song by a few seconds. This can be quite annoying if you're trying to type a word document (or something) while listening to music. However, nowhere in the hotkeys list (located through Preferences) are these hotkeys shown. I've tried to set the 'Rewind' and 'Forward' actions to different keys, but it seems this only gives the same action another set of keys to use, instead of conveniently replacing them.

Am I forever doomed to multi-task with Winamp with ALL hotkeys disabled?

[Koopa]

Hmm, the hotkeys to rewind or forward 5 seconds are no global hotkeys, this is why they are not visible under Preferences > Global Hotkeys.

I have no idea, why the normal hotkeys are still working, when another program is in focus.

Is Winamp visible in the taskbar or in the systray?

[TheBly]

I'm not sure what you mean. It's whenever I have Winamp running, I can't use the space bar or the arrow keys. I virtually can't type a single sentence if Winamp is running and hotkeys are enabled.

[DrO]

can you provide a screenshot what is set in preferences -> global hotkeys ? also provide a plug-ins list -> http://forums.winamp.com/showthread....161361#plugins as something isn't right with your install from what you're saying.

-daz

[TheBly]

How's this?







I have space set to "no rating" in an attempt to override the default hotkey, so that I could use the space bar and all it would do in Winamp is a meaningless action of "no rating". Didn't work.

[DrO]

the 3rd screenshot isn't a plug-ins list as detailed in http://forums.winamp.com/showthread....161361#plugins but it doesn't matter now based on the other screenshots you've provided.

i think you've managed to mis-understand the purpose of the global hotkeys as everything you've said you're experiencing matches exactly with the keys you've registered in the screenshots.

as soon as you set a global hotkey, it basically prevents it from being used in other programs (as that's how the OS api used works) so specifying 'space' for example will cause it to not work in any other program.

so i would suggest just clicking on the defaults page on that page and then we can go from there if there is still an issue with how you're trying to use Winamp.

-daz

[TheBly]

That explains why my space bar doesn't work, but not the arrow keys.

The arrow keys are not in the hotkey list, yet they are still used for the actions "rewind/forward" and so I cannot use those keys in other applications.

[DrO]

based on the keys assigned in your screenshots, i can only think off the num lock key being turned off or something like that if those hotkeys are still in the list. maybe it's time for a http://forums.winamp.com/showthread....161361#plugins for someone to have a look through.

-daz

[TheBly]

Originally Posted by DrO

based on the keys assigned in your screenshots, i can only think off the num lock key being turned off or something like that if those hotkeys are still in the list. maybe it's time for a http://forums.winamp.com/showthread....161361#plugins for someone to have a look through.

-daz

No, I'm afraid it's not the num lock. A good suggestion though. If num lock is ON, then my set hotkeys don't work (such as using NumPad to adjust volume), but the arrow keys mess with the current song regardless.

[TheBly]

It seems there still isn't a solution. I googled this and found another thread with the same problem on these forums (thread) but without any suggestions.

To be honest, I only use WinAmp because it allows me to use visualization. 9 times out of 10 I use foobar because it uses far less resources, is much more straight forward, and is easy to use. The only thing WinAmp has over foobar is that you can look up a song/artist by typing the first letter of that said song/artist, while foobar makes you scroll.

Another annoyance with Winamp is that when I add songs by dragging them from a folder to an album, the program seems to "restart" and forces me to lookup that album every time I add a file.

It seems everything I want in a music player is torn between these two programs.

Better than itunes I suppose, but I can't understand why this isn't a huge problem, the issue of not being able to use arrow keys while using winamp. I thought perhaps I'm the only one, but that other thread suggests otherwise...

[DrO]

based on that other thread then maybe it's a keyboard driver issue but if no one else (other than the two of you) is able to produce the issue then its nigh on impossible to see and as you've still not provided a plug-ins list we cannot tell if there's something installed which shouldn't be (which sounds more like it if it's restarting/crashing by whatever the "when I add songs by dragging them from a folder to an album, the program seems to "restart" and forces me to lookup that album every time I add a file" part means.

-daz

[TheBly]

I'm using a mechanical keyboard that connects through the usb. I also have a PS2 keyboard hooked in at the same time.

I'm not sure how to upload this text file of my plugins, and it's a really long list, so here's all my plugins:

[DrO]

the plug-ins seem fine (the forum allows attaching of text files so there shouldn't have been an issue).

Originally Posted by TheBly

I'm using a mechanical keyboard that connects through the usb. I also have a PS2 keyboard hooked in at the same time.

well that sounds more likely the cause if you've got multiple keyboards in use. you're not by chance using one keyboard for typing and the other for controlling things (which i suppose would explain the setup you posted of your hotkeys page) as that would explain things acting weird as you csn't set a key which is shared and used by two keyboards at the same time.

-daz

[TheBly]

Originally Posted by DrO

the plug-ins seem fine (the forum allows attaching of text files so there shouldn't have been an issue).

well that sounds more likely the cause if you've got multiple keyboards in use. you're not by chance using one keyboard for typing and the other for controlling things (which i suppose would explain the setup you posted of your hotkeys page) as that would explain things acting weird as you csn't set a key which is shared and used by two keyboards at the same time.

-daz

I use the mechanical for typing (and hotkeys) and I have the PS2 lying around for when I have to restart my computer and select things in the BIOS and such, because a USB keyboard isn't recognized.

[DrO]

well i really don't know then why you're seeing what you are as there's nothing standard on any Winamp install / machine i've used over the years which would exhibit the weird keyboard behaviour you're seeing. so i'd be left with either it being a keyboard driver issue or something is remotely interacting with Winamp which isn't shown in the plug-in lists. either way there's nothing else i can do / suggest without having the physical machine in front of me.

will leave it for someone else to make a suggestion (if they do).

-daz

[TheBly]

It seems that Left Arrow Key reduces the volume (by 1-2% each) and the Right Arrow Key skips ahead in the song by about 5 seconds.

I've done this with both keyboards, both have the same results.

[Genosaturn]

bump for same problem as the OP, Winamp is taking over my arrow keys so if I'm typing (like right now for instance) and want to move the cursor forward or backward with arrow keys, I can't do it.

Quit holding my arrow keys hostage, winamp!

[DrO]

something (external program) is screwing around and altering what is going on as there is _nothing_ in the source code which will do that natively.

-daz

[Genosaturn]

If I can move the cursor with the forward/backward arrow keys as soon as Winamp is closed, what other program could be causing the problem?

By the way, when winamp is open, right arrow = play/pause, left arrow = stop. Up and down arrows are still free from winamp's deadly grasp!

Also I just noticed if I go into the global hotkeys menu in winamp, then minimize, I am again free to use left/right arrows to move mouse cursor around. But anywhere else in winamp, left/right arrow keys are hijacked.

Going to try a reinstall

edit#3: I deleted the winamp.ini file and got a fresh start, doesn't have this problem at default settings.

I think the problem was caused by setting the customized hotkeys, to be controlled with numpad keys, when numlock was off. Maybe winamp gets the numpad keys confused with arrow keys or something. But I'm not sure. Anyhow I think it's fixed now, but that was annoying :<

[DrO]

i don't know why the two of you are seeing it. other than not installing the hotkeys plug-in to rule that out, something has to be making it happen e.g. video driver or translation software (as they have been known to mess around with Winamp's message processing) but what, i just do not know (as you're the second person that i'm aware off to have seen this happen).

[edit]
just seen all of the edits (weren't there when i started to reply). yes the numberpad keys are different when num-lock is on or off (is the reason why there is the num-lock key to change their behaviour).

-daz