Setting Shortcuts to Open Applications

Hi,
I've been trying to set a shortcut command to open an application (for ex., Stickies). Is this something that's even possible? I've been having troubles...
I went through my System Preferences to Keyboard & Mouse to the Keyboard Shortcuts tab. Then clicked on the "+" button at the bottom left to add a new Application Keyboard Shortcut. The little pop up menu appears, I select "Stickies".
Then I need to enter the Menu Title, which has the subtext "Enter the exact name of the menu command you want to add." Now this confuses me. Does this imply that the shortcut will be executing a command within the selected application, or a finder command? i.e., if I want to just open Stickies in Finder, should I select Finder as my app, and put "Open" as my Menu Title? Or is Menu Title some name for my own reference? I've tried every combination I can think of, and nothing happens.
For ease of use, I was hoping to use a F8 as my shortcut, which I've made sure isn't in use elsewhere on the shortcut key list. But I've also tried other random shortcuts (like command-option-semicolon), and again, nothing seems to happen.
Any ideas? Is it even possible? I feel as though this is much simpler than I'm making it...
iBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.5)

783/3229
Hi hothat,
Welcome to Apple Discussions!
Yes, this is something that you can do in Tiger,
as long as the application's name is listed in the Recent Items list (that is, once you opened it at least once, and if not too many other recent items have "overwritten" it in the list).
Open Stickies then quit it.
Open System Preferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Keyboard Shortcuts,
click the "+" and choose (default) "All Applications" in the first field.
Then as "Menu Title", type Stickies
(be careful, keyboard shortcuts must be named exactly the same as the original, case sensitive and all)
and finally in the last "Keyboard Shortcut" field, hit the key combination you plan to use.
Tip:
I would open System Preferences > Appearance, and choose "Applications : 50" in the "Number of Recent Items", so that Stickies would never disappear from the Recent Items menu...
--> Logout/login to activate your system changes.
--> "Does this imply that the shortcut will be executing a command within the selected application, or a finder command?"
Yes, that's how Keyboard Shortcuts work.
However, the "All Applications" option is often a good workaround for submenus, for system commands for example. A solution to try, each time it looks like a "normal" shortcut is not possible.
Good luck!
Axl

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