HowTo Launch multiple Apps and Programs with single Pen button

[sharpuser]

There are times you may want to start multiple items on your Surface device, such as a spreadsheet or photo editing program or a series of workstation tools.

Here is how to launch multiple Apps and Desktop Programs with the Surface Pro pen button:

Create a batch file:
1) Right-click Desktop, New, Text Document
2) Write the names of Apps you wish to launch, ending with the colon : symbol, or full path names to desktop programs
3. Save as (All Files) PenLaunch.bat or other name of your choice, ending with ".bat"
You may move this file to another folder somewhere on your Surface computer.

Configure the Pen:
Now start the Surface App, and direct the pen button function to that file. Find the batch file you created by browsing to the folder where you placed it, and type *.bat

Just to demonstrate, here is an example which launches Paint (Desktop Program) and Netflix (App) by holding in the Surface Pen eraser button.

Tips:

- To get the path to Desktop Programs, choose More, Open file location on the item in your Applications list or on the Tile.
- A cleaner-running batch file has @echo off as the first line, and exit as the last. Name your programs between these two.
- It is possible to pair more than one Pen to a Surface Book or Surface Pro 4. It is not known whether the pens may be configured separately, however.
- Start the PC Settings app with this line:

Explorer.exe shell:AppsFolder\Windows.ImmersiveControlPanel_cw5n1h2txyewy!microsoft.windows.immersivecontrolpanel

- Other settings you may want to associate with the pen buttons are here by @leeshor :
HowTo - How To and Master Help Guide for the Surface Book | Page 2 | Microsoft Surface Forums

Enjoy!

 

[doan92]

This got me thinking. You can use Auto Hot Key to create .exe files that will allow you to assign keyboard shortcuts to the surface pen button. If you were using a shortcut that didn't include the WIN key you could use a .vbs with a sendkeys script but, because .vbs doesn't allow the WIN key (as far as I know) you can use send # + "the shortcut key of choice" in Auto Hot Key to enable windows shortcuts on the surface pen.

For example I have WIN+E assigned to one click to open up my files and WIN+Q on hold to open search.

 

[derpmcturd]

This got me thinking. You can use Auto Hot Key to create .exe files that will allow you to assign keyboard shortcuts to the surface pen button. If you were using a shortcut that didn't include the WIN key you could use a .vbs with a sendkeys script but, because .vbs doesn't allow the WIN key (as far as I know) you can use send # + "the shortcut key of choice" in Auto Hot Key to enable windows shortcuts on the surface pen.

For example I have WIN+E assigned to one click to open up my files and WIN+Q on hold to open search.

That's pretty neat! Would you happen to know of a script for AHK that could turn the top button to "go back" instead? It would make web browsing a ton easier!

 

[doan92]

That's pretty neat! Would you happen to know of a script for AHK that could turn the top button to "go back" instead? It would make web browsing a ton easier!

It may depend on your browser. Using chrome my back keyboard shortcut is Alt and Left Arrow or Backspace so the commands would be:

Send ALT+{Left}

Send {BS}

If you use chrome or another browser with the same shortcuts then great, that what you need to put in and compile. If not figure out what keyboard shortcut works best for you and reference the page linked below to see what you need to type in to Auto Hot Key.

Send/SendRaw/SendInput/SendPlay/SendEvent: Send keys & clicks