Need Applescript Guidance

I appreciate the reply!

I guess I should clarify that this issue is very specific to pressing and holding a key until released. There are many built in scripts in Dictate which press a key. The issue is to be able to have a key, specifically the "SHIFT" key, be pressed continuously until I want to release it.

This was possible in the old iListen with and extra script pak called "MouseAnywhere", however the scripts from that version for this particular system event no longer work, and the version of Applescript being used seems to have changed because all the scripting language is very different in Dictate than it was in iListen....

So I don't know if what I want to do is possible, but would very much like to find out!!!
🙂

I didn't know about the double clicking to keep the modifier turned on. That's a good bit of info. I guess I have hesitated to turn on Sticky Keys as I thought having them on all the time might interfere or cause unintended effects. However in lieu of another option I will definitely play around with this a bit. Thanks!!!

OK, now I am trying to use an Applescript to turn on and off Sticky Keys, and to hit the shift key 2x so it holds on. Here's my script so far, based on other scripts in the Dictate program. It's obviously wrong since it is not working yet at all.

============
set _currentAppName to short name of (info for (path to frontmost application as alias))
try
tell application "System Events"
tell process _currentAppName
{shift down}
end tell
end tell
end try
===============

I thought I could just put this code 2 times to hit shift twice, or five times to turn Sticky Keys off or on. I don't think this script is working even 1 time so far, obviously I do not know what I'm doing... clues?

Also if anyone knows a way to hold down a key w/o having Sticky Keys turned on, I am still interested to know this. Appreciate the help!!!
🙂

Message was edited by: V Silly

So I'm back where i started, even with Sticky Keys there is no way to program a voice command in Dictate that will hold down a shift key...
😟

Have a look in the Scripts folder of your machine. On Tiger, there's a folder titled 'UI Element Scripts' that contains a script 'Key Down-Up.applescript' with examples for holding down modifiers.

WooHoo! This looks very promising!! Thanks so much for your post. I will play around and see what I come up with...

Best
V

So far not working for me. Here is what I am trying... trying to make shift key trigger 2x to hold down w/ Sticky Keys. Manually hitting SHIFT 2x works, but my code does not:

set _currentAppName to short name of (info for (path to frontmost application as alias))
try
tell application "System Events"
tell process _currentAppName
key down shift
key up shift
key down shift
key up shift
end tell
end tell
end try

What am I doing wrong and how did you code it exactly to get the command key to hold down?
Thanks

Message was edited by: V Silly

Message was edited by: V Silly

Thanks to everyone who answered this post. Got it working, YAY! Here is what worked...

I turned off Sticky keys as suggested. First I made a script to work globally in all applications and release all modifiers at once:

set _currentAppName to short name of (info for (path to frontmost application as alias))
try
tell application "System Events"
tell process _currentAppName
key up option
key up shift
key up command
end tell
end tell
end try

Then I made a similar script to hold down SHIFT:

set _currentAppName to short name of (info for (path to frontmost application as alias))
try
tell application "System Events"
tell process _currentAppName
key down shift
end tell
end tell
end try

Pasted these into Dictate Commands and now I can hold and release SHIFT modifier hands free! YAY!!! Thanks again, this is a life saver!!!
🙂
Best
V

Message was edited by: V Silly

This forum rocks! Thanks to all who helped!!!