Auto Hotkey is a free scripting language for automating basic tasks.

An Auto Hotkey script can be run as a Windows service using FireDaemon Pro. This allows you to start and run the application automatically when Windows boots and before login. FireDaemon Pro also allows you to start multiple instances of the application, monitoring them and automatically restarting those instances in the event they crash. FireDaemon Fusion can also be used to manage your Auto Hotkey service, plus other Windows services via your web browser.

Auto Hotkey Setup Under FireDaemon Pro

Please follow the steps below to set up an Auto Hotkey as a Windows service with FireDaemon Pro

Step 1: Download and Install Auto Hotkey

1. Download from here. Make sure you get the latest release. For the purposes of this guide we will use the EXE installer.
2. Create a folder to store your Auto Hotkey script(s). For the purposes of this guide, we will use "C:\Auto Hotkey Scripts"

Step 2: Set Up Auto Hotkey as a FireDaemon Pro Service

Download and install FireDaemon Pro. Double click the FireDaemon Pro icon on your desktop, then click on the New (i.e. +) button in the toolbar (or type Ctrl + N) to create a new service.:

Next, click on the FireDaemon Pro Settings tab:

Enter appropriate values in the fields on the Settings tab as follows:

• (Optional) Logon Account: Enter the Windows account under which the application is to be run, e.g. the current user account.
• Password / Confirm Password:  Enter the logon account's password twice.
• (Optional) Interact with Desktop: Interact with Desktop: If this setting is enabled (default), the applications' output messages can be seen in the console window on Windows Session 0. To switch to Session 0, it may be necessary to install FireDaemon Zero and ZeroInput. Alternatively, this setting may be disabled, in which case the application's messages will be hidden.
• (Optional) Priority: To allocate more CPU time to the application, select a higher scheduling priority in this field.
• (Optional) CPU Bindings: To run the application on a specific CPU, specify the appropriate CPU in this field.

Next, click on the Lifecycle tab. Set Shutdown By to Forceful Termination and check "Console Program".

Lastly, click the Save and Close (ie. the tick) button on the toolbar. If the service's Startup Type is set to Automatic or Automatic (Delayed-Start), it will start immediately.

Step 6: Verify that your Auto Hotkey script is Running Correctly

Your Auto Hotkey script status can easily be checked on the main FireDaemon Pro Services List - look for a Running Status value and a numeric Process ID (PID) value.

If the service's Interact with Desktop setting is enabled, the script status can also be verified by switching to Windows Session 0 to view the script's messages.