Is it possible to start/pause video in Windows Media Player using the keyboard

Question

I am frequently listening to tecnical video presentations (for example, from .NET Rocks TV) on my netbook. I watch a portion of the video, click the pause button using the mouse, Alt + TAB to my open Visual Studio and do somecoding, then Alt + TAB back to Windows Media Player (WMP), mouse click to restart the video (repeat every 1-2 minutes).

The mouse clicks to start/pause the video on Windows Media Player is annoying. Is there a key combination that can be used to start/stop the video when the Windows Media Player window has focus?

I am on Windows 7 if it matters.

Solution 1

Ctrl-P, but I assume it'll only work when focused. Can't test it out, I'm on Ubuntu.

Solution 2

Install WMPKeys and you'll be able to define global hotkeys for the many controls of Windows Media Player. I just tested it and it works with WMP12 included in Windows 7.

WMP doesn't even have to have the focus, the hotkeys will work globally anywhere in Windows.

It should also be possible to define hotkeys in AutoHotkey to control Windows Media Player.

Comments

[Snark]

It works but indeed only when WMP has the focus.

[Gianluca]

autohotkey.com/forum/topic11117.html is probably what you're looking for.