Yeah, I liked Launchy in my Windows times, not so long ago. I actually wrote a plugin to use the Google calculator & unit converter from it, but I have lost the source code in the latest Windows problem :|

Well, eiter F12 for Yakuake, or Alt+Space for Katapult. I’m glad I have Launchy installed on the wife’s computer now because Katapult has completely spoiled me with never having to open up a cluttered menu to find my programs and I hate having icons on the desktop.

F5 reigns supreme, but when i thought about it, i realised that i’ve never thanked the F2 rename function for its reliable service over the years. it’s so low profile, i almost forgot it.

i HATE the F1 function. that could be because help files are mostly useless. it also has a really bad use/mispress ratio… and then windows help stirrs from its sleep… and whole seconds(?) later a window pops up… then the software firewall protests… *sigh* …and for what? vapor help.

@jambarama: Thanks! I will see if I can set it up once I get home. :)

Btw, something very weird seems to have happened to the XML code in your comment.

It is easier to email the directions to you, so I did. Here they are in short.

First install console. Then you’ll want to edit the console.xml file. I included the text of mine in code brackets, but it got mangled, maybe you can fix it.

   
      10
      false
      false
      
      Lucida Console
   

   
      0
      0
      
      top right
      15
      
      on top
   

   

      true
      none
      
      
      10
      tray

      
      alpha
      
         
         dark.png
      
      
      
      	
        flat
      

      
         
         fading block
      

   

   
      
      false
      true
   

One you’ve put the attached xml file in c:\program files\console, you’ll need the ahk script. If you’ve got ahk installed, save the .ahk text (see below) as “whatever.ahk” and put it in startup (or just run it). If you don’t have ahk installed, I’ve made an executable out of the ahk file, and you can get it here.

; Launch console if necessary; hide/show on Win+`
F12::
DetectHiddenWindows, on
IfWinExist ahk_class Console Main Command Window
{
	IfWinActive ahk_class Console Main Command Window
	  {
			WinHide ahk_class Console Main Command Window
			; need to move the focus somewhere else.
			WinActivate ahk_class Shell_TrayWnd
			; WinActivate ahk_class Firefox.exe
		}
	else
	  {
	    WinShow ahk_class Console Main Command Window
	    WinActivate ahk_class Console Main Command Window
	  }
}
else
	Run console
; the above assumes a shortcut in the c:\windows folder to console.exe.
; also assumes console is using the default console.xml file, or
; that the desired config file is set in the shortcut.

DetectHiddenWindows, off
return

; hide console on "esc".
#IfWinActive ahk_class Console Main Command Window
esc::
 {
   WinHide ahk_class Console Main Command Window
   WinActivate ahk_class Shell_TrayWnd
 }
return

You can change the trigger key in the ahk file, and the console look in the xml file. I’ve also heard you can tie console to a cygwin terminal, but I haven’t looked into it.

@jambarama: Yes, please share. I’ve been searching for a reliable way to do this under windows with either cmd or powershell for a while now.

Since I use fluxbox on my laptop, I have F12 bound to guake (yakuake for gnome) since guake had fewer dependencies than yakuake. In windows I’ve got a home rolled AHK-cmd setup to emulate yakuake bound to F12. It works great. I’d be happy to post the steps if you’re interested Luke.

My favourites are F16-F19, which I have setup as media keys on my Apple aluminium keyboard (previous, pause, next, and “media”, which focuses iTunes so I can use other Ctrl+* shortcuts quickly) :D

I definitely use F5 the most for refresh (although it does not work in Safari), but I also have F10-12 set up for OSX’s Expose

Ok, not everybody might understand this one. You might even think I’m on old guy, but I really am not.

PF7 and PF8 scroll up and down.