Smart Scroll User Manual

1. Introduction

Welcome to the Smart Scroll User Manual.
This comprehensive guide will help you make the most of this innovative utility that transforms your keyboard's volume knob into a versatile scroll wheel, providing a more intuitive and comfortable scrolling experience.

Smart Scroll is designed with productivity and user experience in mind, allowing you to seamlessly switch between volume control and scrolling functionality without additional hardware.

Whether you're a developer navigating through large codebases, a writer working with extensive documents, or simply someone who values efficient navigation, Smart Scroll enhances your workflow by repurposing an underutilized control.

2. Installation

2.1 System Requirements

Before installing Smart Scroll, make sure your system meets the following requirements:

• Operating System: Windows 10 or Windows 11
• Hardware: Keyboard or device with media volume control knob
• Disk Space: Minimal (less than 5MB)
• Memory: Minimal (typically uses less than 10MB RAM)
• Permissions: Administrator rights (for initial installation only)

2.2 Download and Installation

To install Smart Scroll, follow these simple steps:

1. Visit the Smart Scroll releases page on GitHub.
2. Download the latest version (.exe file)
3. Run the Downloaded .exe file
4. After install you can find the application in Windows Taskbar Tray Section.

2.3 First Launch

When you launch Smart Scroll for the first time:

1. A Windows security prompt may appear asking for permission to run the application. Click "Yes" to continue.
2. Smart Scroll will start running in the background, and its icon will appear in the system tray (notification area).
3. The application will default to "Mute Mode" - this means your volume controls will function normally until you press the Mute button, which activates scrolling mode.
4. A welcome notification will appear with basic instructions to get started.

3. Getting Started

3.1 Basic Concepts

Smart Scroll operates on a simple principle: temporarily repurposing your volume controls to enable scrolling when needed. Here are the key concepts to understand:

• Toggle-based operation: Smart Scroll uses various toggle mechanisms (Mute button, Scroll Lock, or Num Lock) to switch between normal volume control and scrolling mode.
• Modes: The application offers three different operating modes, each using a different toggle mechanism to switch between volume and scrolling functionality.
• System tray integration: Smart Scroll runs quietly in the background, accessible from the system tray icon for configuration and mode switching.
• Hotkeys: Keyboard shortcuts allow you to quickly switch modes, or access other features without using the system tray menu.

3.2 Interface Overview

Smart Scroll features a minimalist design with most interactions happening through:

• Notifications: Brief on-screen notifications inform you when modes change or important events occur.
• Keyboard indicators: Depending on the mode, your keyboard's Num Lock or Scroll Lock indicators may be used to show when scrolling is active.

3.3 System Tray Icon

The system tray icon is your main interface for interacting with Smart Scroll:

• Left-click: Opens the control center of application.
• Right-click: Opens the context menu with the following options:
• Suspend Hotkeys: Disables the application hotekeys while keeping the program still running in background.
• Open: Configure application behavior, hotkeys, and scroll speed.
• Pause: Pause the Application, with just showing app in tray to resume it.
• Exit: Close Smart Scroll completely.

4. Smart Scroll Modes

Smart Scroll offers three distinct modes of operation, each with its own advantages. You can switch between these modes at any time through the Application interface or using the default hotkey WinShiftF1.

4.1 Mute Mode

Mute Mode is the default setting when you first install Smart Scroll. In this mode:

• Your volume controls function normally by default.
• When you press the Mute button once (basically when you press your volume knob, it turns up mute mode, stating the application to start scrolling mode), and it switches to scroll mode.
• While in scroll mode, volume up/down will scroll up/down instead of changing volume.
• Press Mute again to switch back to volume control.

Best for: Users who only occasionally need scrolling functionality and primarily use volume controls for their default purpose.

4.2 Scroll Lock Mode

Scroll Lock Mode uses your keyboard's Scroll Lock key as the toggle mechanism:

• When Scroll Lock is OFF, volume controls function normally.
• When Scroll Lock is ON (keyboard indicator lit), volume controls become scroll controls.
• The keyboard's Scroll Lock indicator provides visual feedback about the current mode.

Best for: Users who want clear visual feedback and have a keyboard with a visible Scroll Lock indicator.

4.3 Num Lock Mode

Num Lock Mode uses your keyboard's Num Lock status as the toggle mechanism:

• When Num Lock is ON (default for most users), volume controls function normally.
• When Num Lock is OFF, volume controls become scroll controls.
• The keyboard's Num Lock indicator shows which mode is currently active.

Best for: Users who rarely use the number pad with Num Lock off, or who want to maintain volume functionality most of the time.

4.4 Mode Comparison

Here's a comparison of the three modes to help you decide which one is best for your workflow:

5. Customization

5.1 Adjusting Scroll Speed

Smart Scroll allows you to customize how many lines of text are scrolled with each volume up/down action:

1. Right-click the Smart Scroll tray icon.
2. Select "Settings" from the context menu.
3. In the Settings window, locate the "Scroll Speed" section.
4. Use the slider to adjust the number of lines scrolled per volume control action:
   • Lower values (1-3): Precise scrolling for reading text
   • Medium values (4-8): General browsing and document navigation
   • Higher values (9+): Fast scrolling for long documents
5. Click "Apply" or "OK" to save your changes.

5.2 Configuring Hotkeys

Smart Scroll comes with default hotkeys that you can customize:

1. Right-click the Smart Scroll tray icon and select "Settings."
2. Navigate to the "Hotkeys" tab.
3. You'll see a list of actions with their associated key combinations:
   
   
   • Switch Mode: Default is WinShiftF1
   • Open Settings: Default is WinShiftF2
4. To change a hotkey, click on the action and press the new key combination you want to assign.
5. Click "Apply" or "OK" to save your changes.

5.3 Launch at Startup

To have Smart Scroll automatically start when you log into Windows:

1. Right-click the Smart Scroll tray icon and select "Settings."
2. In the "Settings" tab, under "Startup" Section check the box labeled "Launch Smart Scroll when Windows starts. & better to also check "Start minimized in system tray" (if not already checked).
3. Click "Save" to save your settings.

Alternatively, you can manually add Smart Scroll to startup:

1. Press WinR to open the Run dialog.
2. Type shell:startup and press Enter to open the Startup folder.
3. Create a shortcut to SmartScroll.exe in this folder.

6. Advanced Features

6.1 Application-Specific Settings

Smart Scroll allows you to create different settings profiles for specific applications:

1. Right-click the Smart Scroll tray icon and select "Settings."
2. Navigate to the "Application Settings" tab.
3. Click "Add" to create a new application-specific profile.
4. Either select an application from the list of running applications or browse to an executable file.
5. Configure settings specific to this application:
   • Scroll speed
   • Preferred mode
   • Special behavior (e.g., always use scroll mode, never use scroll mode)
6. Click "Save" to add this application profile.

When the specified application gains focus, Smart Scroll will automatically apply the corresponding settings.

6.2 User Profiles

For shared computers or different usage scenarios, you can create and switch between multiple user profiles:

1. Right-click the Smart Scroll tray icon and select "Settings."
2. Navigate to the "Profiles" tab.
3. Click "New Profile" to create a new settings profile.
4. Give the profile a name (e.g., "Work," "Gaming," "Presentation").
5. Configure all settings for this profile.
6. Click "Save Profile" to store it.

To switch between profiles:

1. Right-click the Smart Scroll tray icon.
2. Hover over "Profiles" in the context menu.
3. Select the profile you want to activate.

6.3 Script Customization

Advanced users can customize Smart Scroll's behavior by editing the script file:

1. Get the SmartScroll.ahk file in github repository / release page.
2. Make a backup copy of the original file before making any changes.
3. Open the file with a text editor like Notepad++ or Visual Studio Code.
4. Modify the script according to your needs.
5. If you have AutoHotkey installed, you can compile the modified script into a new executable.

; Example: Modify scroll speed variables
                    global ScrollLinesPerStep := 3      ; Default scroll speed
                    global FastScrollThreshold := 10    ; Fast scroll threshold
                    global FastScrollMultiplier := 3    ; Fast scroll multiplier

7. Troubleshooting

7.1 Common Issues

Smart Scroll is not responding to volume controls

1. Check if Smart Scroll is running (look for the icon in the system tray).
2. Verify that you're in the correct mode and have activated scrolling mode.
3. Ensure your volume controls are working properly by testing them in volume mode.
4. Try restarting Smart Scroll by right-clicking the tray icon and selecting "Exit," then launching the application again.

7.2 Compatibility Problems

Compatibility with security software

Some antivirus or security software may block Smart Scroll because it monitors keyboard input:

1. Add SmartScroll.exe to your antivirus exclusions or allowed programs list.
2. If necessary, temporarily disable your security software to test if it's causing the issue.
3. Run Smart Scroll as administrator for full access to input monitoring. Even works perfectly even without any admin privileges.

Application-specific compatibility

Some applications may handle scrolling in non-standard ways:

1. For applications that don't scroll properly, try adjusting the "Scroll Method" in Smart Scroll's application-specific settings.
2. Options include "Standard Scroll," "Wheel Emulation," and "Arrow Key Emulation."
3. Test each method to see which works best with your problematic application.