Windows – AutoHotkey does not capture keystrokes when VS2012 is active window

Russell's answer gets you a large chunk of the way there using RDP as an example. It's a little harder to detect that you're in vsphere/vmware console but can be done with the below. I've commented the changes/additions

#UseHook
#SingleInstance force

; A window's title can contain WinTitle anywhere inside it to be a match
SetTitleMatchMode, 2

setTimer, windowWatch, 500

windowWatch:
  ; if rdp OR (partial title matching vsphere AND you are in the console captured section)
  if WinActive("ahk_class TscShellContainerClass") or (WinActive(" - vSphere Client") and Control("MKSEmbedded1")) {
    if (!active) {
      active := true
      Sleep 50
      suspend off
    }
  } else {
    active := false
    suspend on
  }
return

; return ClassNN of mouse position
Control(ClassNN) { 
    MouseGetPos,,,,control 
    return (ClassNN = control) 
}

I use this to allow play/pause media keys to work in both rdp/vsphere

Media_Play_Pause::
  Sleep 50
  Run "C:\Foobar2000\foobar2000.exe" /playpause
return

The easiest method to send keystrokes to an inactive window with AutoHotkey is to: (1) remember the current active window, (2) activate the target window, (3) send keystrokes, and (4) activate the original window.

This following script works with Rhapsody:

Media_Play_Pause::
WinGet, original, ID, A
WinActivate, Rhapsody
Send ^p
WinActivate, ahk_id %original%
Exit

Media_Stop::
WinGet, original, ID, A
WinActivate, Rhapsody
Send ^s
WinActivate, ahk_id %original%
Exit

Media_Prev::
WinGet, original, ID, A
WinActivate, Rhapsody
Send ^b
WinActivate, ahk_id %original%
Exit

Media_Next::
WinGet, original, ID, A
WinActivate, Rhapsody
Send ^f
WinActivate, ahk_id %original%
Exit

Note: If AutoHotkey does not register Media_Play_Pause et al to your keyboard's media keys, you will have to manually retrieve the scan codes. Instructions can be found on my answer here: https://superuser.com/a/371141/100787