Can I Operate Two Applications Concurrently and Separately in Windows?

July 24, 2020 9:54 AM

I am transcribing audio, using VLC with a USB game controller to operate the audio, and Google Docs. I'd like to be able to start/ stop/ rewind the audio using the controller without having to click back into VLC after every time I've written something in Google Docs. Is this possible, or is there a better way to do this, or do I just need separate laptops?
posted by my log does not judge to Technology (6 answers total)

Best answer: Sounds like you need global hotkeys, though I’m not sure how that would mesh with the USB controller.
posted by supercres at 10:10 AM on July 24, 2020 [1 favorite]

It isn't clear what's happening to focus when you use your USB game controller.

Are you looking for something like "focus follows mouse"?

For Windows 10, that might be something like this.
posted by jgreco at 10:23 AM on July 24, 2020

Does the USB game controller act as a mouse, or does it just issue commands to the player like jog and jump back/forward, etc.?

I think in your shoes, I'd go full keyboard control, since Google Docs would make me have my hads on the kbd anyway:

Alt-Tab to switch between applications, and us VLC's marvelous keyboard shortcuts for different lengths of movement through the timeline:

Shift+Arrow Right/Arrow Left Jump 3 seconds forward/ backward
Alt+Arrow Right/Arrow Left Jump 10 seconds forward/ backward
Ctrl+Arrow Right/Arrow Left Jump 1 minute forward/ backward
posted by Sunburnt at 10:28 AM on July 24, 2020 [1 favorite]

Check out Autohotkey. It’s macro software, and there is a bit of a learning curve, but it’ll do what you need. There’s a very helpful user forum if you get stuck.
posted by adamrice at 10:37 AM on July 24, 2020

My keyboards with multimedia controls have had the ability to control audio functions without changing application focus in Windows, so it's probably just a matter of mapping your controller to those keys. This question talks about some of them.

But supercres's suggestion is probably easiest.
posted by Candleman at 1:25 PM on July 24, 2020 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Yes: VLC's Global Hotkeys is the answer. This makes a big improvement to my process - thanks all!
posted by my log does not judge at 2:00 PM on July 24, 2020