a better command line on Windows

[bartonc]

If you like me and think the ms cmd.exe really bites, check out consol2
here.

[ghostdog74]

If you are on XP,server 2003 or Vista, you can download windows Powershell

[NeoPa]

That looks like Cmd.Exe just grew up :)

[bartonc]

If you are on XP,server 2003 or Vista, you can download windows Powershell

Thanks, GD. I downloaded it and installed it on my "other" machine. I'm checking out the built-in help to see if it could be as usable a my trusty python.

[bartonc]

That looks like Cmd.Exe just grew up :)

Just what I expected. Help files in rich text only - no real links in wordpad. It's fine if you love typing better than mousing (which requires memerizing the commands rather than visualizing them).

[Killer42]

Just what I expected. Help files in rich text only - no real links in wordpad. It's fine if you love typing better than mousing (which requires memerizing the commands rather than visualizing them).

As any real programmer does, of course. :)

[Cyberdyne]

here we go again hahaha VISTA IS OUT SO LETS HAVE SOME FUN

[Motoma]

here we go again hahaha VISTA IS OUT SO LETS HAVE SOME FUN

...
*cries*

[bartonc]

...
*cries*

I'm with you on this one.

[bartonc]

If you like me and think the ms cmd.exe really bites, check out consol2
here.

I just found a very cool feature in Console2!

Type the name of the file (in my case SomeFile.py) and this shell is lanch the associated program (run the python script, in this case)!

This coupled with the GUI "startup directory" picker and tons of Hot Keys make Console2 worth setting as the defualt cmd in the registry (IMHO).

[NeoPa]

You know that's been in Cmd.Exe for a long while don't you?

[Killer42]

You know that's been in Cmd.Exe for a long while don't you?

Actually, I think you're mistaken.

In CMD.EXE, don't you have to use the START command for anything other than EXE, COM, BAT and VBS extension?

[NeoPa]

You just need to try it out Killer ;)
The answer's no anyway. You don't need to use 'Start' and you can start an application simply by typing in the name of an associated document.
Nice one hitting the 3,000 BTW :)

[bartonc]

You know that's been in Cmd.Exe for a long while don't you?

I generally avoid the command line like the plague. It's only now that I have an interface that I like that I've begun to play around with it. Good to know that about the old piece of c..p, anyway. Thanks.

[Killer42]

You just need to try it out Killer ;)

Well blow me down! I've always believed you had to use "start". :embarrassed: (I really need that reference to the smilies.)

...
Nice one hitting the 3,000 BTW :)

Oh, thanks. :) Didn't realise I had.


Barton, I've always been quite fond of the command line. Even now, it allows you to do things that are quite difficult or long-winded in the gui. Not that I'd like to give up the gui, of course.

[NeoPa]

I don't know one for :Embarrassed: I'm afraid, but any others you see - simply do a Reply to plagiarise the code :)

When Start was first introduced (NT 3.0 I believe), it was necessary to use Start if, but only if, you wanted to run a command asynchronously. Nowadays, the default is to run asynchronously from the command line, but Start does give other options which you don't get from CMD natively (Ironically, the WAIT option is now the only way to run a command synchronously).

[Chrisjc]

Id rather stay with CMD =)

[Killer42]

Id rather stay with CMD =)

You sure can't beat the availability.

[bartonc]

Id rather stay with CMD =)

It turns out (looking in Task Manager) that Console2 is just a better UI (edit menu and hotkeys for things like Copy and Paste) wrapper for cmd.exe. It has always bugged me to have to go up to the top-left icon to find the menus in cmd.

[Killer42]

It turns out (looking in Task Manager) that Console2 is just a better UI (edit menu and hotkeys for things like Copy and Paste) wrapper for cmd.exe. It has always bugged me to have to go up to the top-left icon to find the menus in cmd.

I don't go to the corner - I just hit Alt-Space. Much quicker, since you're using the command line, and therefore the keyboard.

Still, one of these days I'll find time to check out Console2 or something similar. (Let's see, that's after I learn Java, VB.Net, and one or two other minor tasks...)

[NeoPa]

It turns out (looking in Task Manager) that Console2 is just a better UI (edit menu and hotkeys for things like Copy and Paste) wrapper for cmd.exe. It has always bugged me to have to go up to the top-left icon to find the menus in cmd.

I can certainly sympathise on that one Barton.
Even with the shortcut keys Killer mentions, that interface is still (inexplicably) very 1990s. Copying and Pasting still have to be done without the ^C/^X/^V interface almost universal elsewhere :(

[bartonc]

It turns out (looking in Task Manager) that Console2 is just a better UI (edit menu and hotkeys for things like Copy and Paste) wrapper for cmd.exe. It has always bugged me to have to go up to the top-left icon to find the menus in cmd.

Did I mention that it also has tabs for different sessions (each in a specifiable directory of their own)?

[Killer42]

Did I mention that it also has tabs for different sessions (each in a specifiable directory of their own)?

Sounds nice.

[bartonc]

Sounds nice.

How 'bout this cool feature:
Tab brings up the next file in the directory. Hit return to launch it.

[bartonc]

. Start > Run > regedit
. open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Classes/Folder/Shell
. right-click on Shell > New > Key
. name it Command Prompt (or anything you think is descriptive for yourself)
. in the right frame, for the default value, of the Command Prompt key you jsut made, enter whatever text you want to appear in the context menu (e.g. Open Command Prompt Here -or- Commaaaaaannnd!)
. back in the left frame, right-click Command Prompt (or whatever you called it) > New > Key
. name this sub-key command [it must be named command to work]
. in the right frame of command, set the default value to Cmd.exe /k pushd %L

the last step will launch Cmd.exe; the /k switch will keep it open; the pushd command stores the name of the current directory, and %L uses that name to start the command prompt at it. this method will work instantly, only on folders, NOT files

This would make a good entry in the tips and tricks section.

[bartonc]

. Start > Run > regedit
. open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Classes/Folder/Shell
. right-click on Shell > New > Key
. name it Command Prompt (or anything you think is descriptive for yourself)
. in the right frame, for the default value, of the Command Prompt key you jsut made, enter whatever text you want to appear in the context menu (e.g. Open Command Prompt Here -or- Commaaaaaannnd!)
. back in the left frame, right-click Command Prompt (or whatever you called it) > New > Key
. name this sub-key command [it must be named command to work]
. in the right frame of command, set the default value to Cmd.exe /k pushd %L

the last step will launch Cmd.exe; the /k switch will keep it open; the pushd command stores the name of the current directory, and %L uses that name to start the command prompt at it. this method will work instantly, only on folders, NOT files

I finally got around to doing this. It works great! I use it all the time now.

[epots9]

i just did it now....this can be very handy :D

[Killer42]

i just did it now....this can be very handy :D

I've just gotten around to putting it in, only seven months after Barton posted it. That may be record time, for me. Hm... less than seven months!