Introduction
The Command Prompt
Explorer Bar is a small tool that extends Windows Explorer.
Version 1.1 is now available.
Ever tried to run one of those console programs ("Hello World!" to name a
few), .BAT, .VBS or .JS scripts just to see black window popping up
and disappearing? I did. Especially after I started using .Net framework
I find myself doing this more often. No wonder - with all this ALs , NGENs and
TLBIMPs. So if you are like me then this tool is right for you. Next time
you need to run a program without GUI, just press the 'Ctrl+M' key combination in
your explorer. A command prompt will start and appear automatically. Its
current directory will be exactly the same as the current path
you are browsing. And better
yet the console will appear inside your explorer window - like any other
explorer bar does - 'History', 'Favorites', 'Folders' etc. Now you can have
the best of both worlds combined together - easy and fast
navigation of explorer and power of batch processing of the command
prompt. Or should I say Command Prompt Explorer Bar:
Well, that is how it looks like. Isn't it a beauty?
You may have noticed a
toolbar on the left of the console window. I tried to put some nice
timesaving features there. The most powerful is a button with a 'Script'
icon on it. It has a drop down menu where you can select a command you
like to be executed. It even knows how to substitute '{0}' for the
name of the current files selected in explorer. Here is when it can be useful.
Let's say you want to install your assembly into a 'Native Images Cache'. With
Command Bar it is as simply as selecting your assembly in explorer
and clicking on 'ngen {1}' menu item. It also works just fine
for multiple selected files (use {0} instead). Now you can compile your .cs
or .vbs files without leaving a comfortable explorer shell. And yes, you can
change this menu and scripts the way you like them. It is as simple as
editing a text file in a Notepad.
And
here is another (besides pressing 'Ctrl+M') way of starting this
tool:
I hope you'll enjoy this little tool. Send me your
comments, requests and bug reports to PavelZolnikov@yahoo.com.
History
-
5/31/2002, 1.0
- original version.
-
6/11/2002, 1.1 - bug fixes. NOTE: if you
were using version 1.0 and have customized macro.xml file, you might want to
save its backup version somewhere before uninstalling.
-
New setup. Hopefully without
issues like in previous version. Thanks to
Michael Dunn for his
tip.
-
Fixed an
issue
with CMD.EXE failing to start. CreateProcess interception is now scoped by
instances of Folder Windows and enabled only if CommandBar is visible.
'Launch folder windows in a separate process� is no more required.
-
Integrated keyboard focus with explorer. Now Command Prompt window is
reachable through Tab and Shift+Tab keys.
