What is this a2?

[mmikeww]

This looks like a big project, but I have no idea what it is or what it does... can you give some information and examples what this is for? The old links for activaid don't really give much information either. Is this like a point and click gui wrapper for people who don't want to learn the AHK language?

[ewerybody]

Hey! Thanks for the interest! Yeah its still all heavily wip and a "what's a2?" page or video is still to be made... But well, we can make this here the issue about it :)

Having a step back it's basically:

• a single bundle with:
• a user interface to configure
• an Autohotkey runtime.

Where there can be sooo many things in that runtime. So In more detail: if a2 is a

script managing and developing framework

• with script managing users can:
• have overview of muliple running Autohotkey scripts
• add/remove/update script packages from different sources
• change variables that control the scripts behaviour

• and the developing framework means that authors:
  • can easily try out new ideas
  • have a set of building blocks to create a scripts interface
  • can use a solid library of built-in scripts
  • have help to bundle and deploy scripts packages
  • are generally helped with redundant stuff

So is it

a point and click gui wrapper for people who don't want to learn the AHK language?

Not intentionally. While it surely IS about giving non-coders access to the benefits of Autohotkey scripting and it is possible to create simple things without coding a single line of Autohotkey its also super helpful for developers and the ones that might go that direction.

[ewerybody]

I think I made some important points here already. But surely this needs to goto the front page some more somehow. 🙂 But what else do we need? And what do we eventually want to have to have this question solved for any kind of user?

• [ ] How to a2? - The answer is ultimately 2 fold: As the project is aimed at interested users as well as module developers (although when developing one should stick to the release as much as possible to make sure everything actually works when not in dev environment ...)
  • [ ] how to use an a2 release? - dedicated to first time users preferably updated with major news
  • [ ] Wiki page - Step by step pictured instruction of how to find a release, how to install, how to use it. 🚧
  • [ ] Video - finally a short snappy video showing how to do the cooked down steps lined out in the wiki
  • [ ] how to build your own - dedicated to anyone wanting to get into the guts of this project and wants to make contributions
  • [ ] Wiki page - Step by step pictured instruction of what to download use which URLs and how to run demos and kick off the build process.
  • [ ] Video - finally a video showing how to do the cooked down steps lined out in the wiki
• [ ] Module show case - basically a2 does not have modules. That's part of a2.modules for instance but it adds to the whole experience
  • [x] misc feature gif gallery - yeah that one is wip already but needs frequent love anyway.
  • [ ] Wiki docs - for each featured module
  • [ ] Package video - for more complex modules an own video would probably be needed. But surely the a whole featured package needs a snappy video intro anyway.

To the work! .. I'll be working on the How to a2 release wiki first ...