Panel - Autohotkey-based GUI for common Windows elements

[Joonikko]

During the summer I worked at a small IT shop doing basic installations of computers for clients. Since 99% of the computers went to random places, things such as volume licensing or AD weren't an option for easy installation and setup.

Microsoft kept rearranging the Control Panel & Settings application in every update, so it was pretty infuriating to try to do anything and had to keep searching for basic settings, so I decided to create a simple program/GUI in Autohotkey. I call it Panel, the missing GUI for Windows.

Source code and compiled exe's are available in the Github repository

It's made with Autohotkey and the installation functionality uses the Chocolatey package manager.

Features

- GUI with buttons to quickly access settings, folders etc. (that do not constantly move or rearrange. Hint hint, Microsoft)
- Ninite-style GUI for installing applications via Chocolatey
- To use the installation feature, you need to have Chocolatey installed or install it with clicking the CMD- or PS Install buttons, which will run the command to install Chocolatey.
- KDE-style alt+drag window moving and resizing. Original script by Jonny from Autohotkey script showcase

Hotkeys

- Global
- alt+§ WindowShade
- alt + left/right mouse button Move and resize windows
- ctrl + q Send alt-F4
- ctrl + h minimize window
- Windows Explorer
- F1 up 1 directory
- Panel
- F1 cmd.exe
- F2 Run… -prompt
- F5 reload Panel
- F6 reload Panel as admin
- F7 run WUMT.exe (Windows Update Minitool, needs to be in the same directory as Panel)
- F8 Run portable CCleaner (needs to be in the same directory)
- F9 Windows Update
- F12 Open Folders panel that stays on top of other windows
- alt + q UAC settings
- alt + w Control Panel
- alt + d Task Manager
- alt + F1 Turn display off

Any comments, suggestions or improvement ideas?

 

[WaLLy]

Very nice tool! I would use it but I have no need for it right now. Thankfully Winclone program I use on Mac keeps everything the way I had it setup when the image was made.

My suggestion for your app, move the Log Out, Reboot, Shutdown buttons away from other buttons. I have a tendency to be a speedy-clicker and would hate to have the app reboot/shutdown the PC because of it. Other than that, I like it. Good job!

 

[Joonikko]

Yeah, I heard that suggestion at work too, but logging out & rebooting were one of the most common tasks I did, so I didn't move it. I'll probably add a configuration option, confirmation dialog or just move it to a different tab.

 

[WaLLy]

I was just thinking of giving it some spacing between those 3 buttons and the bottom row. No need to move them to another page. Just needs a bit of space, that’s all.