How to detect focus into Microsoft Outlook Search field with AutoHotKey

Question

Question

How do I program AutoHotKey to detect the Microsoft Outlook Search field at the top of the window, so as to only enable hotkeys when outside of that window? That search field looks like this:

Details

I'm intending to add single-character hotkeys similar to what gmail has: https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6594?hl=en#zippy=%2Cactions , notably the # keybinding for deletion. I'm basing my experimentation with AutoHotKey scripts such as this one:

https://github.com/pimlottc-gov/gmailkeys/blob/master/gmailkeys-2013.ahk#L37

That script limits its hotkeys to the main Outlook window using #IfWinActive:

#IfWinActive, - Outlook ahk_class rctrl_renwnd32, NUIDocumentWindow     ;for Outlook 2013, uncomment this line

However, if I do not change the above #IfWinActive statement, and then add the # hotkey via:

+3::Send {Delete}  ; Means "#" key: Delete selected message(s)

then when running the script, then clicking in the above Search field, then typing #, then of course it sends the Delete key into that field, instead of just passing the # into the search field.

I've hacked around this by rebinding both Ctrl+e and / (the latter being the Gmail binding for searching/filtering) to a temporary input popup where I type in the search expression, and then let AutoHotKey type it into the field. But this of course is a hack:

; Search for some expression
;
;   Hack: We have to popup an input dialog box, prompt for the
;   search expression, and then when done, type it into the
;   underlying search field.  This is needed to avoid having other
;   single-key bindings get "eaten" when needing to type into the
;   Outlook search field, as as of 2021-05-23 I could not find a way
;   to detect that specific input field.
;
^e::
/::
  ; Save current active (Outlook) window so we can return to after prompting for the search expression:
  WinGet, winid ,, A ; <-- need to identify window A = active

  ; Prompt for the search expression:
  InputBox, search_expr, Search Expression, Enter the search expression.

  ; Return to the Outlook window:
  WinActivate ahk_id %winid%

  ; If the user presses Escape or clicks on the Cancel button, do nothing:
  if (!ErrorLevel) {
    ; but if we are doing the search:

    ; Get into the search field:
    Send ^e

    ; Select all prior text so we can wipe it out:
    Send ^a

    ; ... by typing in all of the expression:
    Send %search_expr%

    ; then do the search:
    Send {Enter}
  }
  return

No matter where I click around in the main Outlook window, Window Spy (app that comes with AutoHotKey), the class always stays the same.

AutoHotkey version: 1.1.33.08

Answer 1

Note that Shift+3 only happens to produce a # on your keyboard layout. It would be more correct to actually use the # key as the hotkey.

Also, the code you're referencing is very legacy AHK. Quite a few things in there that don't belong to modern AHK.
I'd maybe also recommend just doing this with a context sensitive hotkey.
This way you'll retain the # key's native functionality.
The context sensitive hotkey could be done like this:

SetTitleMatchMode, 2

#If, WinActive("A") == WinExist("- Outlook ahk_exe OUTLOOK.EXE") && !SearchBarFocused()
#::SendInput, {Delete}
#If

SearchBarFocused()
{
    ControlGetFocus, ctrl
    return InStr("RICHEDIT60W1,RichEdit20WPT1", ctrl)
}

I'm also checking if Outlook is actually the active window first. Might be kind of redundant, but makes it so the remap couldn't be active in some other window that could have a control by that name.

Answer 2

I found the solution after some experimentation (including simplification from per 0x464e's answer), and essentially reversing the logic, somewhat, at https://github.com/pimlottc-gov/gmailkeys/blob/master/gmailkeys-2013.ahk#L76 via this:

; Outlook-specific Hotkeys:
;
;   Reference material used in this implementation:
;     https://autohotkey.com/board/topic/38389-archiving-email-in-outlook-with-a-single-keystroke/
;

; As best I can tell, the window text 'NUIDocumentWindow' is not present
; on any other items except the main window. Also, I look for the phrase
; ' - Outlook' in the title, which will not appear in the title (unless
; a user types this string into the subject of a message or task).
#IfWinActive - Outlook ahk_class rctrl_renwnd32, NUIDocumentWindow

  #::
    if (SentNormalKeyInOutlookEditControl("#"))
    {
      return
    }
    Send {Delete}  ; Delete selected message(s)
    return

#IfWinActive

SentNormalKeyInOutlookEditControl(normal_key)
{

  ; Find out which control in Outlook has focus
  ControlGetFocus, currentCtrl

  ; ; set list of controls that should respond to specialKey. Controls are the list of emails and the main (and minor) controls of the reading pane, including controls when viewing certain attachments.
  ; ; The control 'RichEdit20WPT1' (email subject line) is used extensively for inline editing. Thus it had to be included in bad_ctrl_list.
  ; ctrlList = Acrobat Preview Window1,AfxWndW5,AfxWndW6,EXCEL71,MsoCommandBar1,OlkPicturePreviewer1,paneClassDC1, RichEdit20WPT2,RichEdit20WPT4,RichEdit20WPT5,RICHEDIT50W1,SUPERGRID1,_WwG1
  bad_ctrl_list = RICHEDIT60W1,RichEdit20WPT1
  ; RICHEDIT60W1 is the search field at the top of the window

  if currentCtrl in %bad_ctrl_list%
  {
    ; MsgBox, BAD Control with focus = %currentCtrl% normal_key = %normal_key%
    Send %normal_key%
    return 1
  }
  return 0
}

---

Edit 2021-05-25 06:58:23: Replace legacy "+3" with "#" per 0x464e's answer. Edit 2021-05-25 08:20:09: Prevent " - Message" windows from receiving the hotkeys (separate message windows, not main window)