README cleanup and documentation on headless operation

Author: Expertcoderz

README.md

@@ -1,103 +1,127 @@
 # EC Autoclicker
 
-The EC (Expertcoderz) Autoclicker is an open source, advanced autoclicking utility for Windows, written fully in
-[AutoHotkey](https://www.autohotkey.com/) v2. It aims to provide a large variety of configurability and functionality
+The EC (Expertcoderz) Autoclicker is an open-source, advanced autoclicking 
+tility for Windows, written fully in [AutoHotkey](https://www.autohotkey.com/)
+v2. It aims to provide a large variety of configurability and functionality
 never before seen in other general-purpose autoclicking tools.
 
 ![image](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/81153405/197357672-2907060d-9ce3-4f93-8696-6078b48f4720.png)
 
-Executables provided in Releases are compiled using [Ahk2Exe](https://github.com/AutoHotkey/Ahk2Exe),
-with [UPX](https://upx.github.io/) for compression.
+Executables provided in Releases are compiled using [Ahk2Exe](https://github.com/AutoHotkey/Ahk2Exe)
+, with [UPX](https://upx.github.io/) for compression.
 
 ## Features
 
-* Configurable click intervals (fixed or randomized)
-* The ability to choose from whether to click the left/right/middle mouse button
-* The ability to choose from performing single/double/triple clicks
-* Definable pre-start delay
-* Automatic stop after a specific number of clicks, when a specific duration has passed and/or at a specific time
-* The ability to position the mouse cursor at a specific location every click or randomly within a specific boundary
-* Configurable start/stop hotkeys (multiple supported)
-* Profiles – saved and named sets of autoclicking configurations that can be created/renamed/deleted/exported and imported
-* Persistent settings regarding the user interface
-* Automatic update checking (optional)
+- Fixed or randomized click intervals
+- Left/right/middle click
+- Single/double/triple click
+- Pre-start delay
+- Automatic stop
+  - after a specific number of clicks;
+  - when a specific duration has passed; and/or
+  - at a specific time
+- Position the mouse pointer every click
+  - at a specific point
+  - randomly within a specific box boundary
+- Hotkeys (configurable; multiple hotkeys per action are supported)
+  - start
+  - stop
+  - toggle
+  - close
+- Profiles – saved and named sets of autoclicking configurations (exportable)
+- [Command-line parameter](#headless-operation) to run headlessly based on a
+  given profile
+- Persistent settings to customize the user interface
+- Automatic update checking (optional)
 
 ## Upcoming Features
 
-* Mouse button hold-down
-* "Simplified View" mode — only a list of profiles and the Start/Stop button are displayed
-* The ability to select between different units (ms/s/min/h) for inputting duration values
+- Mouse button hold-down
+- "Simplified View" mode — only a list of profiles and the Start/Stop button
+  are displayed
+- The ability to select between different units (ms/s/min/h) for inputting
+  duration values
 
 ## Getting Started
 
 ### Method 1: Compiled executable from Releases
 
-(This is the most stable method and is recommended if you do not intend to modify EC Autoclicker's source.)
+(This is most stable and recommended if you do not intend to modify EC
+Autoclicker's source code.)
 
-**Prerequisites:** None. EC Autoclicker is a portable standalone application—no installation is needed.
+**Prerequisites:** None. EC Autoclicker is a portable standalone application;
+no installation is needed.
 
 Download the executable file from the [latest release](https://github.com/Expertcoderz/EC-Autoclicker/releases/latest)
 and run it to use EC Autoclicker.
 
-*You may receive antivirus warnings when downloading/opening the EC Autoclicker executable because Expertcoderz
-doesn't have the resources to get them [signed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_signing).*
+_The executables are not signed. You may receive security warnings when
+downloading or opening them._
 
 ### Method 2: Uncompiled AHK script (source)
 
-**Prerequisites:** [AutoHotkey v2](https://www.autohotkey.com/download/ahk-v2.exe) must be installed.
+**Prerequisites:** [AutoHotkey v2](https://www.autohotkey.com/download/ahk-v2.exe)
+must be installed.
 
-**Note:** In its uncompiled script form, EC Autoclicker is unable to check for newer versions online
-(neither automatically nor manually).
+**Note:** In its uncompiled script form, EC Autoclicker is unable to check for
+newer versions online (neither automatically nor manually).
 
-Download `EC-Autoclicker.ahk` from the [`main`](https://github.com/Expertcoderz/EC-Autoclicker/tree/main) branch
-and run it with AHK v2 to use EC Autoclicker.
+Download `EC-Autoclicker.ahk` from the [`main`](https://github.com/Expertcoderz/EC-Autoclicker/tree/main)
+branch and run it with AHK v2 to use EC Autoclicker.
 
-You will receive the latest (and possibly experimental) version of EC Autoclicker, regardless of whether or not it
-is the same as the one published in Releases.
+You will receive the latest (and possibly experimental) version of EC
+Autoclicker, regardless of whether it is the same as the released version.
 
-## Notes
+## Headless Operation
 
-* EC Autoclicker has been tested to work on Windows 7 and higher, where AutoHotkey v2 is supported. It is incompatible with Windows XP.
-* In order for automated clicks to have effect on windows of elevated processes, EC Autoclicker must be
-  run with administrative privileges.
-* The X and Y mouse position coordinates displayed at the bottom right corner depend on the screen/window
-  relativity configuration under the *Positioning* tab.
-* Persistent settings/options are stored in the Windows Registry under `HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Expertcoderz\Autoclicker`.
-  Profiles are stored as keys under the `Autoclicker\Profiles` subkey.
-* If the option for automatic updates is enabled, EC Autoclicker will check once a week for any updates, and download them only after
-  a confirmation prompt on launch.
+To run EC Autoclicker headlessly (without a GUI), first create a profile with
+the desired configuration. Then, the `/profile` command-line switch followed by
+the name of the profile can be passed to EC Autoclicker as follows:
 
-## Contributing
+```cmd
+.\EC-Autoclicker.exe /profile MyProfile
+```
 
-Contributions to EC Autoclicker in the form of bug fixes, enhancements, and even feature additions are welcome.
+Note that, in headless mode, any hotkeys assigned the _Stop Autoclicker_ action
+will function equivalently to _Close Autoclicker_ when triggered.
 
-Before considering to open a pull request (PR), make sure that ***if it is meant to fix an issue,
-that issue must already be [submitted](https://github.com/Expertcoderz/EC-Autoclicker/issues/new/choose)*** such
-that it can be linked in your PR description.
+## Notes
 
-Similarly, if it is meant to introduce an enhancement or new feature, it is strongly encouraged that you [open a
-feature request](https://github.com/Expertcoderz/EC-Autoclicker/issues/new/choose) first before actually working
-on the PR. This gives an opportunity for your idea to be maintainer-evaluated and to receive feedback that potentially
-saves time lest changes need to be made.
+- EC Autoclicker has been tested to work on Windows 7 and higher, where
+  AutoHotkey v2 is supported. It is incompatible with Windows XP.
+- In order for automated clicks to have effect on windows of elevated processes,
+  EC Autoclicker must be run with administrative privileges.
+- The X and Y mouse position coordinates displayed at the bottom right corner
+  depend on the screen/window relativity configuration under the _Positioning_
+  tab.
+- Persistent settings/options are stored in the Windows Registry under
+  `HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Expertcoderz\Autoclicker`. Profiles are stored as
+  keys under the `Autoclicker\Profiles` subkey.
+- If the option for automatic updates is enabled, EC Autoclicker will check
+  once a week for any updates, and download them only after showing a
+  confirmation prompt on launch.
+
+## Contributing
 
-Before submitting a PR, ensure that you include the following in its description:
+Contributions to EC Autoclicker in the form of bug fixes, enhancements, and even
+feature additions are welcome.
 
-1. A concise overview of the change(s) being made—whether it is a fix for a specific issue, an enhancement to the user
-  interface or performance, or an introduction of a new feature.
-2. An elaboration on the purpose and benefit(s) of the changes presented by the PR. If it is a fix for a UI bug,
-   for example, give a "before and after" comparison of the relevant interface's behavior to show how the bug
-   no longer appears under the same conditions that it did occur in.
-3. A description of any tests that were used to make sure that the changes achieve what they are meant to, and
-   that no unintended behavior or broken functionality is introduced.
+If your intended pull request is meant to introduce an enhancement or new
+feature, it is strongly encouraged that you [open a feature request](https://github.com/Expertcoderz/EC-Autoclicker/issues/new/choose)
+first before actually working on the PR. This gives an opportunity for your
+idea to be maintainer-evaluated and to receive potentially time-saving feedback,
+lest changes need to be made.
 
 Please **do not** submit a PR that:
 
-* Comprises purely of code formatting changes; code refactoring, however, may be acceptable.
-* Hasn't been tested successfully.
-* Fixes multiple issues that aren't interrelated or owing to the same root cause; please instead submit multiple PRs per issue.
-* Is missing any or all of the information in its PR description mentioned in the previous list.
+- Comprises purely of code formatting changes; code refactoring, however, may
+  be acceptable.
+- Hasn't been tested successfully.
+- Fixes multiple issues that aren't interrelated or due to the same root
+  cause; please instead submit multiple PRs per issue.
 
 ## License
 
 EC Autoclicker is licensed under the open source GNU GPL v3.0.
-Any modified copies of EC Autoclicker must remain open source and under the same license.
+Any modified copies of EC Autoclicker must remain open source and under the
+same license.