Set global hotkeys using C#

Question

I need to capture a key press when my program is not in focus. (ie. Ctrl+Alt+J) and trigger an event in my program.

Thus far i have

Answer 1

Please note that this code will not trigger events in console application projects. You have to use WinForms project for events to fire.

This is the correct code:

public sealed  class KeyboardHook : IDisposable
{
    // Registers a hot key with Windows.
    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    private static extern bool RegisterHotKey(IntPtr hWnd, int id, uint fsModifiers, uint vk);
    // Unregisters the hot key with Windows.
    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    private static extern bool UnregisterHotKey(IntPtr hWnd, int id);

    /// 

    /// Represents the window that is used internally to get the messages.
    /// 
    private class Window : NativeWindow, IDisposable
    {
        private static int WM_HOTKEY = 0x0312;

        public Window()
        {
            // create the handle for the window.
            this.CreateHandle(new CreateParams());
        }

        /// 

        /// Overridden to get the notifications.
        /// 
        /// 
        protected override void WndProc(ref Message m)
        {
            base.WndProc(ref m);

            // check if we got a hot key pressed.
            if (m.Msg == WM_HOTKEY)
            {
                // get the keys.
                Keys key = (Keys)(((int)m.LParam >> 16) & 0xFFFF);
                ModifierKeys modifier = (ModifierKeys)((int)m.LParam & 0xFFFF);

                // invoke the event to notify the parent.
                if (KeyPressed != null)
                    KeyPressed(this, new KeyPressedEventArgs(modifier, key));
            }
        }

        public event EventHandler KeyPressed;

        #region IDisposable Members

        public void Dispose()
        {
            this.DestroyHandle();
        }

        #endregion
    }

    private Window _window = new Window();
    private int _currentId;

    public KeyboardHook()
    {
        // register the event of the inner native window.
        _window.KeyPressed += delegate(object sender, KeyPressedEventArgs args)
        {
            if (KeyPressed != null)
                KeyPressed(this, args);
        };
    }

    /// 

    /// Registers a hot key in the system.
    /// 
    /// The modifiers that are associated with the hot key.
    /// The key itself that is associated with the hot key.
    public void RegisterHotKey(ModifierKeys modifier, Keys key)
    {
        // increment the counter.
        _currentId = _currentId + 1;

        // register the hot key.
        if (!RegisterHotKey(_window.Handle, _currentId, (uint)modifier, (uint)key))
            throw new InvalidOperationException("Couldn’t register the hot key.");
    }

    /// 

    /// A hot key has been pressed.
    /// 
    public event EventHandler KeyPressed;

    #region IDisposable Members

    public void Dispose()
    {
        // unregister all the registered hot keys.
        for (int i = _currentId; i > 0; i--)
        {
            UnregisterHotKey(_window.Handle, i);
        }

        // dispose the inner native window.
        _window.Dispose();
    }

    #endregion
}

/// 

/// Event Args for the event that is fired after the hot key has been pressed.
/// 
public class KeyPressedEventArgs : EventArgs
{
    private ModifierKeys _modifier;
    private Keys _key;

    internal KeyPressedEventArgs(ModifierKeys modifier, Keys key)
    {
        _modifier = modifier;
        _key = key;
    }

    public ModifierKeys Modifier
    {
        get { return _modifier; }
    }

    public Keys Key
    {
        get { return _key; }
    }
}

/// 

/// The enumeration of possible modifiers.
/// 
[Flags]
public enum ModifierKeys : uint
{
    Alt = 1,
    Control = 2,
    Shift = 4,
    Win = 8
}

to use (i had to edit the modifier keys to cast them (modifier)1 (modifier)2 etc

public partial  class Form1 : Form
{
    KeyboardHook hook = new KeyboardHook();

    public Form1()
    {
        InitializeComponent();

        // register the event that is fired after the key press.
        hook.KeyPressed +=
            new EventHandler(hook_KeyPressed);
        // register the control + alt + F12 combination as hot key.
        hook.RegisterHotKey(ModifierKeys.Control | ModifierKeys.Alt,
            Keys.F12);
    }

    void hook_KeyPressed(object sender, KeyPressedEventArgs e)
    {
        // show the keys pressed in a label.
        label1.Text = e.Modifier.ToString() + " + " + e.Key.ToString();
    }
}