Alt Text Generator with AutoHotkey and Python

Overview

This project provides a convenient way to generate alt text descriptions for highlighted content, whether text or images, using a keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + Alt + C). The highlighted content is copied to the clipboard and then processed via OpenAI's GPT-4 API to generate concise alt text. The result is automatically placed back into the clipboard.

Features

• AutoHotkey Integration: Binds Ctrl + Alt + C to copy the highlighted content and trigger a Python script.
• Alt Text Generation: Uses OpenAI’s GPT-4 API to generate accurate and concise alt text.
• Text and Image Support: Works with both text and image content, creating alt descriptions for either.

How It Works

1. The user highlights text or an image.
2. Press Ctrl + Alt + C to copy the content.
3. The content is processed using OpenAI’s GPT-4 API.
4. The generated alt text is copied to the clipboard.

Prerequisites

Software

• Git: Version control software.
  • Download Git
• Python 3.x: Programming language used for the script.
  • Download Python
• AutoHotkey: Used to bind Ctrl + Alt + C to trigger both the copy operation and the Python script.
  • Download AutoHotkey

Python Libraries

You need the following Python packages:

• openai: For accessing the GPT-4 API.
• pyperclip: For managing clipboard operations.
• Pillow: For handling image data.
• pywin32: For accessing Windows clipboard functions.
• keyboard: To simulate keypresses in Python.

To install the required dependencies, run:

pip install openai pyperclip Pillow pywin32 keyboard

Setup

Step 1: AutoHotkey Script

1. Install AutoHotkey from the link provided above.
2. Create a new .ahk file with the following content:

^!c::  ; Ctrl + Alt + C
Send ^c  ; Copy highlighted content
Sleep 500  ; Wait for clipboard to update
Run, pythonw "C:\path	o\your\main.py"  ; Run your Python script
return

3. Save the file and double-click it to run.

Step 2: Python Script

1. Create the main.py file with the following logic:

import asyncio
import os
import pyperclip
from PIL import Image, ImageGrab
from openai import OpenAIError, OpenAI
from dotenv import load_dotenv
import base64
from io import BytesIO
import win32clipboard  # Access clipboard content
import keyboard  # To simulate Ctrl+C for copying

# Load environment variables
load_dotenv()

# Set up OpenAI client
client = OpenAI(api_key=os.getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY"))

# Simulate Ctrl+C to copy highlighted content
def simulate_copy():
    keyboard.press_and_release('ctrl+c')

# Get plain text from clipboard
def get_clipboard_text():
    try:
        win32clipboard.OpenClipboard()
        if win32clipboard.IsClipboardFormatAvailable(win32clipboard.CF_UNICODETEXT):
            return win32clipboard.GetClipboardData(win32clipboard.CF_UNICODETEXT)
    finally:
        win32clipboard.CloseClipboard()

# Convert the image to base64
def encode_image(image):
    buffered = BytesIO()
    image.save(buffered, format="PNG")
    return base64.b64encode(buffered.getvalue()).decode('utf-8')

# Generate alt text using GPT-4
async def get_description(text=None, image=None):
    try:
        if image:
            base64_image = encode_image(image)
            response = await asyncio.to_thread(client.chat.completions.create,
                                               model="gpt-4o",
                                               messages=[{"role": "system", "content": "Provide concise alt text."},
                                                         {"role": "user", "content": f"Describe this image: {base64_image}"}])
            return response.choices[0].message.content.strip()

        elif text:
            response = await asyncio.to_thread(client.chat.completions.create,
                                               model="gpt-4o",
                                               messages=[{"role": "system", "content": "Provide concise alt text."},
                                                         {"role": "user", "content": f"Describe this text: {text}"}])
            return response.choices[0].message.content.strip()

    except OpenAIError as e:
        print(f"Error: {e}")
        return None

# Process clipboard content
async def process_clipboard():
    simulate_copy()
    text, image = get_clipboard_content()
    if text or image:
        description = await get_description(text, image)
        if description:
            pyperclip.copy(description)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    asyncio.run(process_clipboard())

Step 3: Environment Setup

1. Set up your .env file with your OpenAI API key:

   OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_api_key
   

Usage

1. Select or highlight content (text or image).
2. Press Ctrl + Alt + C to copy the content and generate alt text.
3. The alt text is automatically copied to your clipboard.

Dependencies

• AutoHotkey: To create the shortcut trigger for both copy and Python script execution.
• Python 3.x
• OpenAI Python Library
• pyperclip
• Pillow
• pywin32
• keyboard