Create New Folder and Create New File AutoHotKey Scripts

README.md

Create New Folder and Create New File AutoHotKey Script

Tested for: Win7, Win10, Win11

These two scripts are slightly modified from 1:

• Alt+N will create a filename, with default name notes.md
• Alt+F will create a folder, with default name of the current date in format YYYY-MM-DD

Note:

• Both names can be modified in a user input field before pressing enter.
• File/folder will only be created in the current explorer window, if it exists
• The file will be opened afterwards using the standard application responsible for the filetype

Add to startup: WIN-key+R, shell:startup -> Add shortcuts to the two ahk files below.

create-new-file.ahk

; This is part of my AutoHotKey [1] script. When you are in Windows Explorer it
; allows you to press Alt+N and type a filename, and that file is created
; in the current directory and opened in the appropriate editor (usually
; [gVim](http://www.vim.org/) in my case, but it will use whatever program is
; associated with the file in Windows Explorer).

; This is much easier than the alternative that I have been using until now:
; Right click > New > Text file, delete default filename and extension (which
; isn't highlighted in Windows 7), type the filename, press enter twice.
; (Particularly for creating dot files like ".htaccess".)

; Credit goes to aubricus [2] who wrote most of this and davejamesmiller [3] who
; added the 'IfWinActive' check and 'Run %UserInput%' at the end. Also to 
; syon [4] who changed regexp to make script work on non-english versions
; of Windows. And I changed the way how script gets full path to make it
; compatible with Windows 10 and also changed hotkey to Alt+N

; slightly adapted [5] with default name for folders (current date) and files (notes.md);
; and compatibility Windows 11 added

; [1]: http://www.autohotkey.com/
; [2]: https://gist.github.com/1148174
; [3]: https://gist.github.com/1965432
; [4]: https://github.com/syon/ahk/blob/master/NewFile/NewFile.ahk
; [5]: https://gist.github.com/Sieboldianus/11a9c89af4f7444e368d74a6c2dfbaaa


; Only run when Windows Explorer or Desktop is active
; Alt+N
#IfWinActive ahk_class CabinetWClass
!SC031::
#IfWinActive ahk_class ExploreWClass
!SC031::
#IfWinActive ahk_class Progman
!SC031::
#IfWinActive ahk_class WorkerW
!SC031::

    ; Get full path from open Explorer window
    FullPath := GetActiveExplorerPath()
    
    GetActiveExplorerPath() {
    ; https://www.autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=69925
        explorerHwnd := WinActive("ahk_class CabinetWClass")
        if (explorerHwnd)
        {
            for window in ComObjCreate("Shell.Application").Windows
            {
                if (window.hwnd==explorerHwnd)
                    return window.Document.Folder.Self.Path
            }
        }
    }

    ; Change working directory
    SetWorkingDir, %FullPath%

    ; An error occurred with the SetWorkingDir directive
    If ErrorLevel
        Return

    ; Display input box for filename
    InputBox, UserInput, New File, , , 400, 100, , , , , notes.md

    ; User pressed cancel
    If ErrorLevel
        Return

    ; Create file
    FileAppend, , %UserInput%

    ; Open the file in the appropriate editor
    Run %UserInput%

    Return

#IfWinActive

create-new-folder.ahk

; This is part of my AutoHotKey [1] script. When you are in Windows Explorer it
; allows you to press Alt+N and type a foldername, and that folder is created
; in the current directory and opened in the appropriate editor (usually
; [gVim](http://www.vim.org/) in my case, but it will use whatever program is
; associated with the folder in Windows Explorer).

; This is much easier than the alternative that I have been using until now:
; Right click > New > Text folder, delete default foldername and extension (which
; isn't highlighted in Windows 7), type the foldername, press enter twice.

; Credit goes to aubricus [2] who wrote most of this and davejamesmiller [3] who
; added the 'IfWinActive' check and 'Run %UserInput%' at the end. Also to 
; syon [4] who changed regexp to make script work on non-english versions
; of Windows. And I changed the way how script gets full path to make it
; compatible with Windows 10 and also changed hotkey to Alt+N

; slightly adapted [5] with default name for folders (current date) and files (notes.md)
; and compatibility Windows 11 added

; [1]: http://www.autohotkey.com/
; [2]: https://gist.github.com/1148174
; [3]: https://gist.github.com/1965432
; [4]: https://github.com/syon/ahk/blob/master/NewFile/NewFile.ahk
; [5]: https://gist.github.com/Sieboldianus/11a9c89af4f7444e368d74a6c2dfbaaa

; Only run when Windows Explorer or Desktop is active
; Alt+F
#IfWinActive ahk_class CabinetWClass
!SC021::
#IfWinActive ahk_class ExploreWClass
!SC021::
#IfWinActive ahk_class Progman
!SC021::
#IfWinActive ahk_class WorkerW
!SC021::

    ; Get full path from open Explorer window
    FullPath := GetActiveExplorerPath()
    
    GetActiveExplorerPath() {
    ; https://www.autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=69925
        explorerHwnd := WinActive("ahk_class CabinetWClass")
        if (explorerHwnd)
        {
            for window in ComObjCreate("Shell.Application").Windows
            {
                if (window.hwnd==explorerHwnd)
                    return window.Document.Folder.Self.Path
            }
        }
    }

    ; Change working directory
    SetWorkingDir, %FullPath%

    ; An error occurred with the SetWorkingDir directive
    If ErrorLevel
        Return

    ; Display input box for foldername
    InputBox, UserInput, New Folder, , , 400, 100, , , , , %A_YYYY%-%A_MM%-%A_DD%

    ; User pressed cancel
    If ErrorLevel
        Return

    ; Create folder
    FileCreateDir, %UserInput%

    ; Open the folder in the appropriate editor
    Run %UserInput%

    Return

#IfWinActive