How can I register a global hot key to say CTRL+SHIFT+(LETTER) using WPF and .NET 3.5?

This is a full working solution, hope it helps...

Usage:

_hotKey = new HotKey(Key.F9, KeyModifier.Shift | KeyModifier.Win, OnHotKeyHandler);

...

private void OnHotKeyHandler(HotKey hotKey){    SystemHelper.SetScreenSaverRunning();}

Class:

using System;using System.Collections.Generic;using System.Diagnostics;using System.Linq;using System.Net.Mime;using System.Runtime.InteropServices;using System.Text;using System.Windows;using System.Windows.Input;using System.Windows.Interop;namespace UnManaged{    public class HotKey : IDisposable    {        private static Dictionary<int, HotKey> _dictHotKeyToCalBackProc;        [DllImport("user32.dll")]        private static extern bool RegisterHotKey(IntPtr hWnd, int id, UInt32 fsModifiers, UInt32 vlc);        [DllImport("user32.dll")]        private static extern bool UnregisterHotKey(IntPtr hWnd, int id);        public const int WmHotKey = 0x0312;        private bool _disposed = false;        public Key Key { get; private set; }        public KeyModifier KeyModifiers { get; private set; }        public Action<HotKey> Action { get; private set; }        public int Id { get; set; }        // ******************************************************************        public HotKey(Key k, KeyModifier keyModifiers, Action<HotKey> action, bool register = true)        {            Key = k;            KeyModifiers = keyModifiers;            Action = action;            if (register)            {                Register();            }        }        // ******************************************************************        public bool Register()        {            int virtualKeyCode = KeyInterop.VirtualKeyFromKey(Key);            Id = virtualKeyCode + ((int)KeyModifiers * 0x10000);            bool result = RegisterHotKey(IntPtr.Zero, Id, (UInt32)KeyModifiers, (UInt32)virtualKeyCode);            if (_dictHotKeyToCalBackProc == null)            {                _dictHotKeyToCalBackProc = new Dictionary<int, HotKey>();                ComponentDispatcher.ThreadFilterMessage += new ThreadMessageEventHandler(ComponentDispatcherThreadFilterMessage);            }            _dictHotKeyToCalBackProc.Add(Id, this);            Debug.Print(result.ToString() + ", " + Id + ", " + virtualKeyCode);            return result;        }        // ******************************************************************        public void Unregister()        {            HotKey hotKey;            if (_dictHotKeyToCalBackProc.TryGetValue(Id, out hotKey))            {                UnregisterHotKey(IntPtr.Zero, Id);            }        }        // ******************************************************************        private static void ComponentDispatcherThreadFilterMessage(ref MSG msg, ref bool handled)        {            if (!handled)            {                if (msg.message == WmHotKey)                {                    HotKey hotKey;                    if (_dictHotKeyToCalBackProc.TryGetValue((int)msg.wParam, out hotKey))                    {                        if (hotKey.Action != null)                        {                            hotKey.Action.Invoke(hotKey);                        }                        handled = true;                    }                }            }        }        // ******************************************************************        // Implement IDisposable.        // Do not make this method virtual.        // A derived class should not be able to override this method.        public void Dispose()        {            Dispose(true);            // This object will be cleaned up by the Dispose method.            // Therefore, you should call GC.SupressFinalize to            // take this object off the finalization queue            // and prevent finalization code for this object            // from executing a second time.            GC.SuppressFinalize(this);        }        // ******************************************************************        // Dispose(bool disposing) executes in two distinct scenarios.        // If disposing equals true, the method has been called directly        // or indirectly by a user's code. Managed and unmanaged resources        // can be _disposed.        // If disposing equals false, the method has been called by the        // runtime from inside the finalizer and you should not reference        // other objects. Only unmanaged resources can be _disposed.        protected virtual void Dispose(bool disposing)        {            // Check to see if Dispose has already been called.            if (!this._disposed)            {                // If disposing equals true, dispose all managed                // and unmanaged resources.                if (disposing)                {                    // Dispose managed resources.                    Unregister();                }                // Note disposing has been done.                _disposed = true;            }        }    }    // ******************************************************************    [Flags]    public enum KeyModifier    {        None = 0x0000,        Alt = 0x0001,        Ctrl = 0x0002,        NoRepeat = 0x4000,        Shift = 0x0004,        Win = 0x0008    }    // ******************************************************************}

I'm not sure of what you mean by "global" here, but here it goes (I'm assuming you mean a command at the application level, for example, Save All that can be triggered from anywhere by Ctrl + Shift + S.)

You find the global UIElement of your choice, for example, the top level window which is the parent of all the controls where you need this binding. Due to "bubbling" of WPF events, events at child elements will bubble all the way up to the root of the control tree.

Now, first you need

1. to bind the Key-Combo with a Command using an InputBinding like this
2. you can then hookup the command to your handler (e.g. code that gets called by SaveAll) via a CommandBinding.

For the Windows Key, you use the right Key enumerated member, Key.LWin or Key.RWin

public WindowMain(){   InitializeComponent();   // Bind Key   var ib = new InputBinding(       MyAppCommands.SaveAll,       new KeyGesture(Key.S, ModifierKeys.Shift | ModifierKeys.Control));   this.InputBindings.Add(ib);   // Bind handler   var cb = new CommandBinding( MyAppCommands.SaveAll);   cb.Executed += new ExecutedRoutedEventHandler( HandlerThatSavesEverthing );   this.CommandBindings.Add (cb );}private void HandlerThatSavesEverthing (object obSender, ExecutedRoutedEventArgs e){  // Do the Save All thing here.}

Registering OS level shortcuts is hardly ever a good thing: users don't want you to mess with their OS.

That said, there is a much simpler and user friendly way of doing this in WPF, if you're ok with the hotkey working within the application only (i.e as long as your WPF app has the focus):

In App.xaml.cs :

protected override void OnStartup(StartupEventArgs e){   EventManager.RegisterClassHandler(typeof(Window), Window.PreviewKeyUpEvent, new KeyEventHandler(OnWindowKeyUp));}private void OnWindowKeyUp(object source, KeyEventArgs e)){   //Do whatever you like with e.Key and Keyboard.Modifiers}

It's that simple