Here’s my idea:
- Plug a USB keyboard, possibly with custom labels on the keys, into a
- Raspberry Pi configured with XBindkeys to run
- a Python script that sends a trigger over a TCP/IP socket (via your LAN) to
- an AHK socket server that will then run the local AHK script desired.
Pros:
- All parts can be re-purposed if the dedicated script-trigger keyboard is no longer needed.
- Can be very inexpensive (I already own the hardware to do this).
- Should be low-maintenance once working, as the Pi should auto-boot to the correct state and the info sent over TCP/IP should just indicate that a certain key was pressed.
- I feel like I can handle the technology involved.
Cons:
- I haven’t even started trying to see if this works.
Every so often when I’m using AutoHotKey scripts I wish I had a second keyboard dedicated to my various scripts. While something like the AHK Command Picker is probably all I need, the Enterpad is really more what I’ve been dreaming of:
Unless I’m given a free one like Daniel Schroeder, it’s pretty hard for me to justify close to $300. But a DIY setup? That might just happen.