KeyCodeInfo Plugin

KeyCodeInfo is a Rainmeter plugin written in C# that captures keyboard events and displays key information in various formats. It supports multiple output modes such as:

• Decimal Mode (ShowCode=1): Displays the key code as a decimal number.
• Hexadecimal Mode (ShowCode=3): Displays the key code in hexadecimal format (e.g., "0x4A").
• Friendly Name Mode (ShowCode=0): Displays a friendly key name (e.g., "Space", "CapsLock", "Shift").
• Key Combination Mode (ShowCode=4): Detects and displays the currently pressed keys as a combination (e.g., "Ctrl + Alt + A") in the order the keys were pressed.

The plugin also supports a HideForce parameter to control when the key information is cleared and includes bang commands to Start and Stop the plugin (which also start or stop a timer to update the Rainmeter skin automatically).

Features

• Multiple Output Modes: Choose between decimal, hexadecimal, friendly name, or key combination output.
• Key Combination Detection: Displays keys in the order they are pressed (with modifiers retained if still physically pressed).
• Automatic Measure Updates: A built-in timer forces the Rainmeter measure and meters to update and redraw.
• Bang Command Control: Use Rainmeter bang commands (!CommandMeasure) to start and stop the plugin.
• Reset on Reload: Clears stored key values when the skin is refreshed.

Prerequisites

• Rainmeter: Download Rainmeter
• C# Compiler / Visual Studio: To compile the plugin.
• DllExporter Tool: To export the C# methods as unmanaged DLL exports (for example, UnmanagedExports).

Compilation Instructions

1. Open the solution in Visual Studio.
2. Ensure you have installed a DllExporter tool (such as UnmanagedExports) so that the plugin functions are properly exported.
3. Build the project targeting the desired architecture (x86 or x64).
4. The compiled KeyCodeInfo.dll will be created in your build output directory.

Installation

1. Copy the DLL: Place the compiled KeyCodeInfo.dll into Rainmeter's Plugins folder. This is typically located at:

   Documents\Rainmeter\Plugins
   

2. Refresh Rainmeter: Right-click on the Rainmeter icon in the system tray and choose "Refresh All" to load the new plugin.

Usage

Adding the Measure to a Skin

Below is a sample Rainmeter skin snippet that demonstrates how to use the KeyCodeInfo plugin in key combination mode (ShowCode=4) with a background.

[Rainmeter]
Update=50
AccurateText=1

[Metadata]
Name=KeyCodeInfo - Key Combination Skin
Author=NS Tech Bytes
Information=This skin demonstrates the KeyCodeInfo plugin in combination mode with a background.
Version=1.1
LICENSE=MIT LICENSE

;-------------------------------------------------
; Background
;-------------------------------------------------
[MeterBackground]
Meter=Shape
Shape=Rectangle 0,0,400,200,10 | Fill Color 50,50,50,220 | StrokeWidth 0
W=400
H=200

;-------------------------------------------------
; Key Combination Measure
;-------------------------------------------------
[MeasureKeyCode]
Measure=Plugin
Plugin=KeyCodeInfo
; Use combination mode to display key combinations
ShowCode=4
; Set HideForce=0 to retain the combination until keys are released
HideForce=0
OnReleaseKeyAction=[!Log "Key Release"]

;-------------------------------------------------
; Display the key combination
;-------------------------------------------------
[MeterKeyCombination]
Meter=String
MeasureName=MeasureKeyCode
X=20
Y=20
FontSize=28
FontColor=255,255,255
AntiAlias=1
Text="Keys: %1"
DynamicVariables=1

;-------------------------------------------------
; Start Plugin Button
;-------------------------------------------------
[MeterStart]
Meter=String
X=20
Y=100
FontSize=16
FontColor=0,255,0
AntiAlias=1
Text="Start Plugin"
LeftMouseUpAction=!CommandMeasure MeasureKeyCode "Start"
DynamicVariables=1

;-------------------------------------------------
; Stop Plugin Button
;-------------------------------------------------
[MeterStop]
Meter=String
X=200
Y=100
FontSize=16
FontColor=255,0,0
AntiAlias=1
Text="Stop Plugin"
LeftMouseUpAction=!CommandMeasure MeasureKeyCode "Stop"
DynamicVariables=1

Bang Commands

• Start the Plugin:

  !CommandMeasure MeasureKeyCode "Start"
  

  This command starts the keyboard hook, retrieves the measure name, and starts an update timer that forces the measure, all meters, and a redraw.

• Stop the Plugin:

  !CommandMeasure MeasureKeyCode "Stop"
  

  This command stops the keyboard hook and the update timer.

Parameter Options

• ShowCode Parameter:

  • 0 - Friendly key names.
  • 1 - Decimal key code.
  • 3 - Hexadecimal key code.
  • 4 - Key combination (displays keys in the order pressed).

• HideForce Parameter:

  • 1 (default) - Clears key data immediately after reading (for modes 0, 1, and 3).
  • 0 - Retains the last key until a new key press occurs (useful for combination mode).

Troubleshooting

• **Key Not Displaying:**Ensure that the DLL is placed in the correct plugins folder and that Rainmeter has been refreshed.
• Build Issues: Verify that you have installed the necessary DllExporter tool and that your project settings match your target platform (x86 or x64).

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Feel free to fork the repository, make improvements, and submit pull requests.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License – see the LICENSE file for details.

Contact

For questions or support, please open an issue on GitHub.