AR Keys - Hotkeys for Microsoft AutoRoute (Europe)

S&T Keys - Hotkeys for Microsoft Streets & Trips (North America)
 

Download Area - Save the file to Desktop:

This program doesn’t require any installation. It is just one single small file (just over 200 KB in size). Save it to your Desktop, and then click on it when ever you need it. It is free. It contains no virus, no spyware, no adware. It is provided without warranty and on a 'use at your own risk' basis.

Download S&T Keys - Hotkeys for Microsoft Streets and Trips

Source code: sourcecode.zip - For anyone who wishes to help out with this project, or to modify the program for your own purposes. Keys.exe has been developed in AutoIt. You may download the latest version of AutoIt for free at www.autoitscript.com

S&T Keys (for Streets & Trips) and AR Keys (for AutoRoute) simplify the use of the mapping programs as a GPS navigation tool. Now even a complete beginner can immediately start using Streets & Trips (or AutoRoute in Europe) to get from A to B just by remembering two simple hotkeys: F2 and F5. The first key will start Streets & Trips (or AutoRoute), you then enter the desired address to the Route Planner, press F5, and drive. It's that simple.


Version 2.53 is now available - Oct 20,2007

More features coming soon! Check the last couple of pages of this discussion thread for info about the currently tested features. You may even download a work-in-progress version and help with testing new features, or just gain access to new features before they become available in the "final version".



Detailed description of functions:
 

• F1 – Pressing the <F1> key toggles the list of available hotkeys:
  
  
  
   
• Save your preferred settings
  
  
  
   
• F2 – Pressing the <F2> key will do the following with your Streets & Trips (or AutoRoute):
  
  * F2-key will start it, if it is not already running,
  * or it will minimize it, if it is open,
  * or it will restore it, if it has been minimized.
  
  
  
  In the Options panel, accessible via the system tray icon menu, users can specify which GPS features they want enabled whenever Streets & Trips (or AutoRoute) starts. Or users may use the default settings assigned to the F2 feature: GPS Tracking enabled, and Keep position centered enabled.
  
   
• F5 – Press the <F5> key after you have entered one or more destinations into the Route Planner. This hotkey will do the following three tasks in sequence:
  
  * F5 key will tell Streets & Trips (or AutoRoute) to calculate a route from your current GPS location to the destination(s) entered in the Route Planner;
  * in the GPS Task pane it will automatically set your favourite GPS features;
  * lastly, it will set the program into the Full-Screen Navigation mode.
  
  
  
  Click on the "K" icon near the computer clock to access S&T Keys Options or AR Keys Options to set your own favourite settings to be used by the F5 feature.
  
   
• End – Press the <End> key on your keyboard whenever you wish to close the existing route and/or set a new route. The <End> hotkey does the following:
  
  
  
  When the End hotkey is used while in the Full-Screen Navigation mode, the following will happen:
  
  * the existing route (if any) will be cancelled
  * the Find dialog box will open. You may either enter your next destination, or close the Find dialog box if you wish to drive while in the full-screen mode with no destination entered.
  
  In non-full screen mode the End hotkey does the following:
  
  * it cancels the existing route;
  * it sets the user preferred GPS functions (assigned to the F2 feature),
  * it sets the map to “Road Map” mode in case Road Map (Night) was previously used,
  * it opens the Route Planner so users can immediately enter new destination(s).
  
  Whenever you wish to stop whatever you are doing in Streets & Trips (or AutoRoute), and/or you wish to enter a destination – just hit the <End> hotkey.
  
   
• Del – This function only becomes needed when users plan a route consisting of more than one destination.
  
  
  
  The <Del> function was created because currently Streets & Trips 2008 (and AutoRoute 2008) don't automatically delete stops (waypoints) when we pass them. However, without deleting the stops the re-routing function may erroneously route us back to stops we have already passed.
  
  Press the <Del> key on your keyboard each time you pass a waypoint. The waypoint gets deleted from the Route Planner.
  
   
• Home – Going home is now as simple as pressing the <Home> key on your keyboard.
  
  
  
  * Pressing the <Home> hotkey will interrupt whatever Streets & Trips is doing at the moment;
  * it will plot the quickest route to bring you home;
  * it will configure the necessary GPS options for you;
  * it will enable the full-screen navigation mode.
  
  
  
   
• F8 – Manage all your favorite destinations.
  
  
  
  Both, the "Home" and the "Favorite Destinations" features allow users to store a street address or even a latitude & longitude. The Lat/Long option may be helpful especially to users living in countries in which address-find feature is not supported by AutoRoute 2008 (Andorra, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Guernsey, Hungary, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Monaco, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia and Vatican City) and Streets & Trips 2008 (Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, and Mexico).
  
   
• Pause – Press the <Pause/Break> key on your keyboard whenever you wish to pause GPS functions. Press the same hotkey again to *restore GPS functions.
  
  
  
  The <Pause> hotkey was created because some features in Streets & Trips (and AutoRoute) don’t work well, or are disabled, when GPS Tracking is on. Windows Live Search feature in Streets & Trips 2008 is disabled while GPS Tracking is working. Also, when GPS is on, we may not be able to draw “Avoid Area” rectangles, and we may have difficult time moving stops up or down in the Route Planner, etc.
  
  *GPS functions assigned to the F2-hotkey will be used when this function is used to restore GPS functions. If you wish to press a key and drive, use the F5 key instead.
  
   
• PgUp / PgDn - zoom-out / zoom-in
  
  
  
  This function works in both, the full-screen mode, and also the windowed mode. This function works regardless of which part of the window has focus (unlike the built-in (+) and (-) hotkeys).
  
   
• Insert - Inserts GPS Trail (toggle GPS Trail)
  
  
  
  This function works in both, the full-screen mode, and also the windowed mode
  
   
• Touch-screen friendly - Notice the transparent "Menu" button in the bottom left corner of the screenshot bellow. This button allows easy access to various navigation-related features. The other (+) and (-) zoom buttons are optional, and users may enable them in the Options panel.
  
  
  
   
• Map Orientation
  
  The following hotkeys enable users to change map orientation or routing preferences conveniently just by pressing a single key right from the full-screen navigation mode.
  These one-letter hotkeys only work in the Full-Screen Navigation mode, as not to interfere with the typing of a destination address, etc.
  
  N – North-up / Keep position centered (The “Rotate map” feature is OFF)
  
  R – Rotate map to follow travel direction / Keep position centered
  
  D – Dynamic turn view / Rotate map to follow travel direction
  
  Y - Dynamic turn view / North-up (The “Rotate map” feature is OFF)
  
  When trying the N, R, D, and Y features at home on a desktop, it may not be apparent what these features do. That’s because even when the "Rotate map..." feature in Streets & Trips (and AutoRoute) is enabled the map will face north at first. We need to be in motion for the program to start rotating the map. Give the N, R, D, and Y hotkeys a try next time you are in your car.
  
  Q - Quickest
  
  S - Shortest
  
  T – avoid Toll roads
  
  H – avoid Highways
  
   
• Turn Beep - This feature is here thanks to the good guys at S&T Team who have revealed a hidden feature (which I'm guessing was implemented for their testing purposes?).
  
  
  
  "In addition to speaking the next turn instructions the turn beep will alert the driver with a sound at or immediately prior to the turn. The 'ding' can be helpful to tell the driver a) that was the intersection you were supposed to turn on and you just missed it or b) that they have chosen the correct turn." Source: http://streetsandtrips.spaces.live.com
  
   
• User adjustable zoom increments
  
  
  
  The value of 10 equals to the zoom increments of the Streets & Trips 2008 / AutoRoute 2008 built-in (+) and (-) hotkeys.
  
   
• Start when Windows starts - Frequent users may use this setting.
  
  
  
  It creates a shortcut in the Windows Startup folder (so you don't have to create one manually :-)
  
   
• Select AutoRoute 2008 or Streets & Trips 2008 - This is done automatically, if only one of the two Microsoft mapping programs is installed on your computer.
  
  
  
  Streets & Trips comes with North American maps; AutoRoute comes with European maps. Otherwise the two are identical.
  
  
  
  If you have now, or will in the future, have both programs installed, then the option to switch from one program to the other becomes automatically available as soon as your S&T Keys or AR Keys detects both programs on your laptop. No need to download another version just before you go on your oversees vacation :-)
  
   
• F2-hotkey enabled - If you use F2-key with another program, you now have the option to disable this hotkey in S&T Keys or AR Keys (if it interferes with your other work).
  
  
  
  You will still be able to start Streets & Trips or AutoRoute with your preferred GPS settings just by clicking the "K" icon on your desktop.
  
   
• Screen saver disabled - For most users this feature is likely not needed because it seems to me that when Streets & trips (or AutoRoute) are running in full screen navigation mode, the screen saver never comes on.
  
  
  
  However, some users may like this feature to disable their screen saver even when not in full-screen mode.
  
   
• Check for update
  - the system tray icon allows easy access to checking if you are using the most current S&T Keys or AR Keys version.
  
  
  
  Via the system tray icon menu users may access the Options panel, Exit S&T Keys or AR Keys, etc.
   

Revision history:

Version 2.52 and 2.42 (2007 August 31) - Fixed: Streets & Trips becomes unresponsive while being started by S&T Keys

Version 2.51 (2007 August 26) - F2-hotkey now compatible with "Connected Services" version when used w/MSN Direct receiver

Version 2.50 (2007 August 11) - Compatible with 2008 version

Version 2.41 (2007 August 11) - Another (partially successful) attempt to fix the error-on-exit issue

Version 2.40 (2007 August 10) - Another (partially successful) attempt to fix the error-on-exit issue

Version 2.39 (2007 July 28) - Faster tray menu performance, lower CPU usage, etc

Version 2.38 (2007 June 28) - Removed the 'Menu' button from the task bar

Version 2.37 (2007 May 5) - Faster F2, End, Del hotkeys

Version 2.36 (2007 May 5) - "Open last save file" feature renamed to "Open last used file"

Version 2.35 (2007 May 5) - Fixed +/- and Menu buttons not responding

Version 2.34 (2007 May 5) - Another attempt to deal with the exit error

Version 2.33 (2007 May 5) - Added: "Update" feature

Version 2.32 (2007 May 5) - Fixed: error related to auto-save feature

Version 2.31 (2007 May 5) - Added: Reset button, update without restarting, optional navigate in non-full screen mode

Version 2.3 (2007 May 5) - Enter Home location dialog box opens when Home-key pressed if no Home location has been entered

Version 2.29 (2007 May 1) - OSK closes when "Navigate" button is pressed

Version 2.28 (2007 April 30) - Fix: "Favorite Destinations" feature was affected by the addition of the OSK feature in v. 2.27

Version 2.27 (2007 April 29) - Added: OSK Tab in Options panel

Version 2.26 (2007 April 28) - Touch-screen features added, Favorites feature added

Version 2.25 (2007 March 25) -F9 now works even in non-full screen mode

Version 2.24 (2007 March 13) - P-key feature added

Version 2.23 (2007 March 13) - reliability issues addressed

Version 2.22 (2007 March 9) - Improved F1 Help pop-up.

Version 2.21 (2007 March 7) - Faster start-up (F2 function).

Version 2.2 (2007 March 6) - Added: User selectable "Start with Route Planner open" or  "Start with GPS Task Pane open".

Version 2.19 (2007 February 27) - Added: option to disable/enable automatic re-routing

Version 2.18 (2007 February 11) - <End> hotkey modified not to exit full-screen mode. Users now may cancel existing route and remain in full-screen mode. The find dialog box can be open while in full-screen mode.

Version 2.17 (2007 February 9) - Added: Auto Re-Route for non-full screen mode

Version 2.16 (2007 February 2) - Fixed: Options panel not working for AutoRoute users

Version 2.15 (2007 February 1) - Added: PgUp / PgDn, Added: user selectable zoom increments

Version 2.14 (2007 January 19) - S&T Keys and AR Keys have been merged into one product. Added features: Turn Beep, user selectable option to disable F2-key function, few other code changes

Version 2.13 (2007 January 5) - Added: Click on S&Tkeys / ARkeys icon to start Streets & Trips / AutoRoute

Version 2.12 (2007 January 1) - Added: "Options" panel, Pause, N, R, D, and Y hotkeys

Version 2.11 (2006 December 22) - Added: Q, S, T, and H hotkeys

Version 2.10 (2006 December 19) - Added: <E> hotkey ('Edit Route' feature)

Version 2.09 (2006 December 12) - Added: SplashText feature (Thanks John <a.k.a. bsbawa10> for the suggestion).

Version 2.08 (2006 December 11) - The 'Home' feature will now not change from 'Night' to 'Day' road map, if 'Night' is selected when the feature is used. Neither will the Safety Warning be displayed if 'Driving Guidance' is already enabled when user presses the 'Home' hotkey.

Version 2.07 (2006 December 10) - Fixed: Conflict between <Home> and <Del> hotkeys

Version 2.06 (2006 December 9) - Added: <Home> feature

Version 2.05 (2006 December 7) - The block mouse and keyboard input feature re-introduced

Version 2.04 (2006 December 6) - S&Tkeys presses 'Yes" button on the '10 minute no GPS signal...' pop-up, fixed <F2> issue with occasionally opening more than one instance of S&T and/or not activating a minimized S&T window

Version 2.03 (2006 December 4) - The pushpin issue corrected, S&T un-mute upon start via <F2>, switch to DAY mode when <End> and after <Del> deletes last stop

Version 2.02 (2006 November 29) - Added support for 1280 x 800 pixel resolution

Version 2.01 (2006 November 26) - A few code changes, fixes, etc

Version 2.00 Beta (2006 November 24) - Re-designed for Streets & Trips 2007

Version 1.06 (2006 July 11) - F6 - Toggle Day / Night / Terrain (Feature implemented by Van <van44m>)

Version 1.05 (2005 October 10) - F2 now also minimizes S&T in addition to starting it or restoring it

Version 1.04 (2005 October 9) - S&Tkeys modified for the new S&T 2006

Version 1.03 (2005 March 11) - Added: F1-(Help) displays list of functions for 10 seconds or till Esc or Enter is hit

Version 1.02 (2005 March 6) - Added: F12-Create GPS Trail

Version 1.01 (2005 March 5) - Fixed: F2-function not working in some configurations

Version 1 (2005 March 1) - S&Tkeys for S&T 2005 released

This page was last edited on October 28, 2007 by Marvin Hlavac