AutoHotkey Language: Monitoring Monitor Refresh Rate Changes - A Practical Guide
Introduction
AutoHotkey (AHK) is a powerful scripting language for automating the Windows GUI and general scripting. It is often used for creating custom applications, automating repetitive tasks, and enhancing user experience. In this article, we will explore how to create an AutoHotkey script that monitors the refresh rate of the system's display monitors and logs any changes in refresh rate. This can be useful for system administrators, power users, or anyone interested in tracking display performance.
Understanding Refresh Rate
Refresh rate refers to the number of times per second that a display updates its image. It is measured in hertz (Hz). A higher refresh rate can result in smoother motion and less eye strain, especially for gaming and video playback. Common refresh rates include 60Hz, 75Hz, 120Hz, and 144Hz.
The Script
To monitor the refresh rate of the display monitors, we will use the Windows API functions. The script will check the refresh rate of all connected monitors and log any changes. Below is the AutoHotkey script that accomplishes this task:
ahk
Persistent
SingleInstance, Force
; Function to get the refresh rate of a monitor
GetMonitorRefreshRate(hMonitor, ByRef refreshRate)
{
VarSetCapacity(MONITORINFO, 40, 0)
NumPut(40, MONITORINFO, 0)
DllCall("GetMonitorInfo", "ptr", hMonitor, "ptr", &MONITORINFO)
refreshRate := NumGet(MONITORINFO, 16, "uint")
}
; Function to log the refresh rate changes
LogRefreshRateChange(oldRefreshRate, newRefreshRate)
{
FileAppend, Refresh rate changed from " . oldRefreshRate . "Hz to " . newRefreshRate . "Hz at " . A_Now . "`n", "refresh_rate_log.txt"
}
; Main loop to monitor refresh rate changes
Loop
{
monitors := DllCall("EnumDisplayMonitors", "ptr", 0, "ptr", 0, "ptr", MonitorEnumProc, "ptr", 0)
If (monitors = 0)
{
MsgBox, Failed to enumerate monitors.
ExitApp
}
; Loop through all monitors and get their refresh rates
Loop % monitors
{
hMonitor := DllCall("MonitorFromWindow", "ptr", monitors, "uint", 1, "ptr", 0)
If (hMonitor = 0)
{
Continue
}
VarSetCapacity(refreshRate, 4, 0)
GetMonitorRefreshRate(hMonitor, refreshRate)
currentRefreshRate := NumGet(refreshRate, 0, "uint")
; Check if the refresh rate has changed
If (currentRefreshRate != lastRefreshRate)
{
LogRefreshRateChange(lastRefreshRate, currentRefreshRate)
lastRefreshRate := currentRefreshRate
}
}
; Sleep for a short period to avoid high CPU usage
Sleep, 1000
}
; Monitor enumeration callback function
MonitorEnumProc(hMonitor, hdcMonitor, lprcMonitor, dwData)
{
return 1
}
Explanation
1. Persistent and SingleInstance: The script is set to be persistent, meaning it will run indefinitely until manually stopped. The `Force` option ensures that only one instance of the script runs at a time.
2. GetMonitorRefreshRate: This function retrieves the refresh rate of a monitor using the `GetMonitorInfo` function from the Windows API.
3. LogRefreshRateChange: This function logs the change in refresh rate to a text file named `refresh_rate_log.txt`.
4. Main Loop: The script enters an infinite loop, where it enumerates all connected monitors and checks their refresh rates. If a change is detected, it logs the change.
5. MonitorEnumProc: This is a callback function used by `EnumDisplayMonitors` to enumerate all monitors connected to the system.
6. Sleep: The script sleeps for 1 second between checks to avoid high CPU usage.
Running the Script
To run the script, save it with a `.ahk` extension and double-click it. The script will start monitoring the refresh rates of all connected monitors and log any changes to `refresh_rate_log.txt`.
Conclusion
This AutoHotkey script provides a practical solution for monitoring the refresh rate of display monitors on a Windows system. By logging changes in refresh rate, users can track performance and ensure that their monitors are set to the optimal refresh rate for their needs. The script can be further customized to include additional functionality, such as notifying the user of refresh rate changes or automatically adjusting the refresh rate based on specific criteria.
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