Active/Deactivate Guide

OtoKeyboard Guide: Take Control of Features with the Active/Deactivate Panel

This feature is a control panel that allows you to temporarily turn OtoKeyboard’s main modules on and off. Its purpose is to prevent potential shortcut conflicts with other programs, block unwanted automations while you’re focused on a specific task, or optimize system resources.

How to Access the Feature Control Panel

You can easily access this menu by clicking the “Active/Deactivate” button located at the bottom of the main window.

Which Features Can You Control?

This menu contains four main options that control OtoKeyboard’s core listening mechanisms:

1. Enable Shortcuts: This is the program’s main engine. When you uncheck this option, all of your primary shortcuts—such as “Type Text,” “Run Command,” “System Action,” and “Image Action”—will be temporarily disabled. Even if you press a hotkey, no action will be triggered.
2. Enable Macro Recorder: When you disable this option, the global hotkeys that start (CTRL+1) and play (CTRL+2) macro recordings are deactivated. This is extremely useful when you are working in another program (like a game or design software) that uses these same key combinations.
3. Enable Chained Actions: If you have created complex workflows that run one after another, you can prevent these chains from being triggered by disabling this option. When you press the trigger hotkey, only the first step of the chain will run as a normal shortcut, without continuing.
4. Enable Text Expansion: Uncheck this box to temporarily stop the feature that automatically converts keywords into longer text. This is useful when you want to type the keyword itself (for example, “email”) without it expanding.

Why Should You Use This Feature? Practical Scenarios

• Gaming Mode: While playing a video game, you don’t want your OtoKeyboard shortcuts to conflict with the game’s own CTRL, SHIFT, or F key combinations. By unchecking “Enable Shortcuts” and “Enable Macro Recorder” before you start playing, you can prevent all potential conflicts.
• Performance-Focused Work: When using a resource-intensive program like a video editor or 3D modeling software, you may not want OtoKeyboard constantly listening for keyboard input in the background. Disabling all features can give your system a little extra breathing room.
• Safe Typing: In a situation where you need to type a keyword (e.g., addr) as it is, without it expanding, you can briefly uncheck the “Enable Text Expansion” box, get your work done, and then turn it back on.
• Troubleshooting: One of the first answers to the question “Why isn’t my shortcut working?” might be hidden in this menu. You can open the control panel to make sure the corresponding feature is active.

In short, the Active/Deactivate panel is a simple yet powerful tool that allows you to instantly tailor OtoKeyboard to your needs, making the program more flexible, secure, and compatible with your other software.